Instant Takes: Nebraska 38, Michigan State 27

Nebraska (4-1) got back to its winning ways Saturday, topping Michigan State (3-2) 38-27.

Nebraska overcame a third-quarter deficit after Michigan State’s rushing attack gave the Spartans a brief lead. The Huskers rallied in the fourth quarter after surrendering 21 unanswered points. Despite his disappointing performance, Dylan Raiola surpassed 4,000 career passing yards, making him the ninth Husker to reach that milestone.

Here are three instant takes from Nebraska’s first Big Ten win of the season.

Nebraska shows a willingness to adapt

All season Nebraska has been criticized on offense. Questions surfaced about the offensive tackle positions, and the lack of scoring in the red zone. The Huskers proved against the Spartans that they were willing to adapt.

Offensive Coordinator Dana Holgorsen had teased something unique for the scoring territory. When Nebraska drove inside the 20, they unveiled it. Former quarterback turned tight end Heinrich Haarberg lined up, took the snap, and handed it to Dylan Raiola. Raiola immediately gave a reverse to Emmett Johnson, who followed his lead blocker, Haarberg, into the left side of the end zone for the score.

Head coach Matt Rhule showed a willingness to change with some personnel changes that had been questioned after the Michigan loss. Elijah Pritchett got his first start as a Husker on Saturday at left tackle. Pritchett’s name had been up in the air throughout the week as a possible solution to the pass rush problems Nebraska faced against the Wolverines.

On the defensive side of the ball, freshman Dawson Merritt and redshirt freshman Rex Guthrie both started for the first time this season for the Blackshirts. Guthrie racked up five tackles, and Merritt finished with two tackles.

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Nebraska’s pass defense is elite, QB run defense isn’t

Nebraska’s defense provides an intense irony. After Saturday’s win, it is clear the argument for the best pass defense in the country is valid. So is the argument for one of the worst QB run defenses in the conference.

Coming into Saturday, Nebraska boasted the fewest yards allowed against the pass in the nation. There was a debate that those numbers were impressive only because the Huskers had not played a strong passing attack. After another dominant showing against the pass, and seeing what Cincinnati quarterback Brendan Sorsby has done since Week 1, the conversation about Nebraska’s elite pass defense is legitimate.

The Blackshirts kept the Spartans to 156 passing yards. They kept constant pressure on Michigan State quarterback Aidan Chiles, resulting in two first-half sacks. Unfortunately for Nebraska, the Spartans made halftime adjustments and exposed the Huskers’ QB running defense in the second half.

Heading into halftime, Nebraska had given up 15 yards on the ground. In the second half, that total ballooned to over 80 yards. Chiles began to handle the pass rush, and combined with Nebraska’s lack of contain, that led to more than 60 sack adjusted yards rushing for the junior and the two touchdowns that gave the Spartans the lead in the third quarter.

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Offensive line breakdowns continue to plague Huskers

Nebraska’s offensive line has remained a glaring issue all season. Saturday’s performance in the trenches only reinforced that narrative.

Michigan exposed Nebraska’s offensive line for the flawed unit that it is. After taking two weeks to correct the flaws, it looked worse. The reshuffled offensive line gave up five sacks and multiple quarterback hurries. The unit also failed to generate much momentum on the ground. The constant breakdowns in the trenches led to less than three yards per carry.

The passing game suffered immensely because of the line. The consistent pressure made Dylan Raiola uncomfortable and forced him to try to make plays with his legs, often resulting in failure. It wasn’t until late in the fourth quarter that he had enough time, on an offensive line breakdown, to throw downfield and hit Jacory Barney Jr. for a 45-yard connection.

Nebraska’s first Big Ten win revealed both progress and persistent problems. The Huskers found a way to win despite glaring weaknesses, but the offensive line struggles remain a concern heading deeper into conference play.

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