Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. Northwestern Wildcats Complete Game Preview

A bye week has never come at a better time for Nebraska. After losing to Michigan State on Oct. 4, the Huskers needed the break to regroup and rest up. It's time to get back to business, though.

Nebraska still controls its destiny in the Big Ten West, and defeating Northwestern will keep that going. The Huskers currently hold a 5-2 edge in the series with the Wildcats. In the last three meetings, the winner has been decided by three points or less.

Nebraska is 5-1 heading to Evanston, while Northwestern is 3-3. However, the Huskers can't take the Wildcats lightly. For whatever reason, Northwestern has been a struggle for Nebraska ever since joining the Big Ten.

Will Nebraska walk away victorious for a third straight year?

Where: Ryan Field, Evanston, Ill.

When: Saturday, October 18, at 7:30 p.m. ET

Watch: Big Ten Network

Listen: Husker Sports Network or Sirius Channel 135, XM 195

Betting Line via Odds Shark: Nebraska (-7)

Nebraska's Keys to Victory

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1. Limit Turnovers

Northwestern's defense has nine interceptions in just six games. That's not good news for the Huskers and quarterback Tommy Armstrong.

For the season, Armstrong has been picked off five times. Of those five, two came against Michigan State. With the Northwestern defense's current trend of intercepting quarterbacks, this is an area the Huskers must focus on.

The Spartans dared Armstrong to win with his arm, which is what put so much pressure on the sophomore. Northwestern will likely not do the same. Nebraska can limit turnovers by focusing more on the running game, but there will be times Armstrong will need to put the ball in the air. How he responds to those moments will be very telling.

2. Run the Ball

Will Northwestern be expecting the Huskers to run the ball? The answer is yes. However, that's no reason not to.

While Michigan State limited Ameer Abdullah, it's still crucial that Nebraska get the senior I-back running the ball once again. After all, he has averaged 6.36 yards per carry on the season. Against the Spartans? It was only 1.9 yards per carry.

Northwestern is ranked No. 55 nationally against the run, which is something the Huskers should keep an eye on. However, it's important Abdullah gets running again. With a nice forecast on deck (mid-60s and no rain), the natural grass should be no issue for Abdullah.

As long as the offensive line can hang tougher than it did against Michigan State, Abdullah should find his way on the ground once again.

3. Limit Trevor Siemian

He's not Kain Colter, but Trevor Siemian is doing just fine forging his own path as quarterback. At the helm of Northwestern's offense, Siemian has completed 133 of 226 passes for 1,323 yards, per ESPN.com.

Nebraska should expect Siemian to throw the ball more often than he hands it off. As a result, the Nebraska secondary will need to be prepared to defend the pass.

And that's no secret, either. Linebacker Trevor Roach acknowledged Siemian's capabilities with his arm during Nebraska's weekly press conference, per Huskers.com. "He doesn’t run the ball very often, but he’s got a pretty good arm and he manages the game very well," Roach said.

By limiting his options in the air, Siemian will be forced to move the ball with his feet. That's where mistakes are possible for Northwestern.

Northwestern's Keys to Victory

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1. Force Turnovers

Northwestern has now intercepted the ball nine times against opponents in only six games. Additionally, the defense has a total of 13 turnovers (with those nine interceptions included) and 14 sacks on the season.

If the Wildcat defense can put that kind of pressure on Nebraska quarterback Tommy Armstrong, it could be a long day for the Huskers. Plus, Northwestern knows Armstrong likes to target wide receivers Kenny Bell and Jordan Westerkamp. Cover those two and things could get interesting.

Armstrong will continue to improve, but Michigan State exposed plenty of old habits that the sophomore has yet to grow out of. That will be a key area for Northwestern to focus on against Nebraska. Put pressure on Armstrong and things could go south for the Huskers quick.

2. Limit Ameer Abdullah

Michigan State proved it could be done. For any team going forward, watching the Spartans matchup with the Huskers might provide insight on how to limit the Huskers on the ground. By doing so, it forces Armstrong to put the ball in the air, which has the potential to create turnovers.

After MSU, Northwestern will likely want to target Nebraska's offensive line. That unit seemed to be what fell a part against Michigan State, making it difficult for Abdullah to find holes to run through.

Limiting Abdullah is key. The senior has 878 yards so far this season and is still averaging 6.4 yards per carry, despite the poor performance against Michigan State. 

Most teams know they need to stop Abdullah to win. Doing so is another story. However, having a roadmap from Michigan State will be helpful for Northwestern and any team going forward.

3. Control the Clock

In 2012, Nebraska came back to beat Northwestern in the final six minutes of the game. Trailing 28-16, two late touchdowns and a missed field goal by Northwestern sealed the 29-28 victory for the Huskers.

As for 2013, the Huskers trailed 21-7 before making a very famous comeback. A converted 4th-and-15 from Abdullah, a Hail Mary pass from former quarterback Ron Kellogg to wide receiver Jordan Westerkamp and the rest was history.

In 2014, Northwestern needs to control the clock in order to win. The Huskers have come back and dominated time of possession after being down early before. Northwestern can't afford for that to happen again.

Manage the clock and the Wildcats will manage the game.

Nebraska Players to Watch

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Tommy Armstrong (QB, Soph.)

It's time for Tommy Armstrong to show some growth. The sophomore struggled against Michigan State, throwing two interceptions while looking rushed most of the game. Some of that can be blamed on offensive line woes, but some of it does fall on Armstrong.

Against the Spartans, Armstrong had his lowest passing completion percentage of the season at 46.5. It's nothing to hit the panic button over yet, but fans want to see more from the quarterback.

Northwestern will provide a good opportunity for Armstrong to recover from Michigan State. How he comes back and responds will say a lot about what can be expected from the Huskers going forward.

Ameer Abdullah (RB, Sr.)

Ameer Abdullah's Heisman campaign took a bit of a hit after the Michigan State loss. The senior I-back struggled to find his footing and didn't receive much help from his offensive line. That can (and should) change against Northwestern.

There's a lot about the MSU game Abdullah would likely want back, like his first and only fumble of the season so far. Regardless, the senior's attitude is still good and he plans to help get Nebraska to Indianapolis.

"Oh, we're going to respond," he said. "We're going to get to Indiana."

There are plenty of records left for Abdullah to break and Indianapolis is on the horizon. He remains a player to watch, just like he has been many weeks before.

Quote obtained via Huskers post-game press conference, unless otherwise noted.

Northwestern Players to Watch

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Trevor Siemian (QB, Sr.)

When it comes to Trevor Siemian, his arm is what the Nebraska defense needs to worry about. Steven M. Sipple of the Lincoln Journal Star really summed the quarterback up best:

"

A 6-foot-3, 210-pound senior, Siemian isn't much of a running threat, although he is sneaky athletic. His best qualities are his poise and grasp of the system, as witnessed during a 13-play, 97-yard scoring drive that tied the game [versus Minnesota] in the fourth quarter.

"

That's what makes him a player to watch from Northwestern. While "sneaky athletic" may not be an official term, Siemian embodies it (as Sipple points out). The Nebraska defense will need to be ready for Siemian to throw just about anything their way.

Justin Jackson (RB, Fr.)

It's hard to believe Justin Jackson is only a freshman when looking at his numbers. On the season, he has 502 rushing yards on 112 attempts, per ESPN.com. He is also averaging 4.5 yards per carry and has hauled in two touchdowns earlier in the season.

He shouldn't be too much for Nebraska's defense to control, but he's still worth paying attention to. After all, Jackson wasn't expected to make a big impact this year. After Venric Mark transferred, things shifted, and Jackson's number has been called on more and more.

The freshman continues to improve each week. Again, the Nebraska defense shouldn't have too much issue controlling him, but he's an up-and-coming Wildcat that Husker fans should keep an eye on.

What They're Saying

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Head Coach Bo Pelini

On if the offensive line was as bad as he thought during the Michigan State after watching film:

"

No. No. It’s never as bad as you think and it’s never as good as you think. You watch it. And that’s why it’s the ultimate team game. You’ve got to have 11 guys working every play. That’s the way it’s always been. Let me tell you, as well as we played in the Miami game. We talked about Miami and Illinois, there were plays where you get away with things. But there are nights when you don’t. You just have to keep working. That’s why our approach, whether you win a game or lose a game, whether you win by 40 or win by one, you get beat by a lot or you just barely get beat, your approach can’t really change. You’re never really the finished product. You’re working to get better and more consistent on a weekly basis.

"

On the number of Nebraska fans that traveled to Evanston two years ago:

"

It’s what you always kind of expect from our fans. They’re going to travel well, they’re going to be loud and they’re going to be into it. I thought that was pretty special out there a couple years ago. And I think if the tickets were available for every away game, I think you’d see that every week. That’s what our fans are.

"

On what he remembers about last year's Hail Mary pass:

"

What did I remember about the Hail Mary? I remember thinking that we shouldn’t be in this situation, but we are. We were very fortunate to come out of it with a win.

"

On the challenges Northwestern will pose for Nebraska:

"

I don’t know. There were kind of some strange games to say the least. We’ve turned the football over a number of times in a couple of those games. I don’t know. We shot ourselves in the foot some. They’ve made some plays. They’re a well-coached football team that plays hard, is very sound in what they do. They make you earn everything you get. That’s kind of their style. I have great respect for how Coach (Pat) Fitzgerald does it and how they play. I told our guys, we’ve got to be ready to play. Go up there and give them a challenge.

"

Wide Receiver Jordan Westerkamp

On last year's Hail Mary:

"

It was an exciting end last year. Northwestern always comes out and plays us well. I still hear that today, you know. People bring that up to me about the Hail Mary. It was a crazy play, but there was so much more that went into that drive and that game as a whole. So obviously people bring it up to me, but I try to remain humble with it like I said last year. It was a crazy play, but I don’t like looking back on it too much. I’m just looking forward to the next game.

"

On if there is a lot on the line for Nebraska:

"

Oh absolutely. Our goal is to still get to the Big Ten Championship, and we’re going to do everything we can. We know that it’s open right now. Competition is open, and we’re going to bring everything we’ve got to the table. We’re looking forward to the game this weekend. We’ve got another opportunity to go out there and show the conference that we believe were the best. We’re looking forward to it and we’re looking forward to the rest of the season.

"

Cornerback Daniel Davie

On the bye week:

"

The bye week was really important for guys to get their rest and for me personally to get some treatment on the knee and now I’m ready to go.

"

On the important of defensive backs against Northwestern:

"

We will have to watch a lot of film this week on the back end just to know what to expect. We have to communicate and be sound in our technique and then we will make the plays we need to make.

"

On the second half of the season:

"

All our goals are still there in front of us. We definitely want to be in Indianapolis when it’s all said and done, playing whoever wins in the other division. All our goals are in front of us.

"

 All quotes obtained via Nebraska's weekly press conference, per Huskers.com.

Prediction

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Losing to Michigan State isn't what Nebraska wanted. However, that's what the Huskers got and head coach Bo Pelini wants it to be used as fuel.

“You use it as fuel to make you better moving forward," Pelini said, per Brian Christopherson of the Lincoln Journal Star. "You can't sit there and sulk about it and you can't turn the clock back. There's a lot of football left to be played."

So, the football begins again. For Nebraska, it's all about controlling its destiny in the Big Ten West. For Northwestern, it's all about keeping the chance to win the West alive. Both teams are playing for a lot, which makes it feel like it could be a close matchup again.

After all, the last three years have had games decided by no more than three points. In 2013, Nebraska won on a last minute Hail Mary. The year before, the Huskers came back from a 12-point deficit to win 29-28. And the year before that? Northwestern snagged a 28-25 victory from the Huskers in Memorial Stadium.

If history repeats itself, the matchup should be close. Northwestern's defense will give the Nebraska offense a run for its money, as the unit is only allowing 17.5 points and 385.8 yards per game. On the other side, the Nebraska defense is only allowing 20.3 points and 346.7 yards. If anything, it looks like a defensive matchup is brewing.

After last year, Northwestern will likely have a chip on its shoulder. Losing on a Hail Mary is still shocking. Will that be enough to fuel the Wildcats past the Huskers?

Don't count on it. Pelini and his team have had the time to recover after Michigan State. Not only will the Huskers win, but it will be the first victory against Northwestern since joining the Big Ten that will be determined by more than a touchdown.

Nebraska will continue to control its destiny in the Big Ten West after Saturday.

Prediction: Nebraska 27, Northwestern 17

For complete team coverage and everything Huskers, you can follow Erin on Twitter @erinsorensen.