Nebraska Cornhuskers Football: Previewing The Oklahoma State Game

For Nebraska fans watching the Oklahoma State game (Saturday, October 23, 2:30 p.m. Central, Boone Pickins Stadium, Stillwater, OK)

You'll be Happy If...

The Blackshirts Can Walk and Chew Gum

In Oklahoma State, Nebraska's defense will be facing the most balanced attack they have all season. The Cowboys have a dangerous running back in Kendall Hunter and a budding star wide receiver in Justin Blackmon. To be successful, NU cannot over-commit to stopping either the run or the pass against the 'Pokes.

The Kid Really Is That Confident

Nebraska quarterback Taylor Martinez has been repeatedly described as "a different kind of cat," and "supremely confident." He's also been benched in two of his last three games, and had a blueprint laid out for defenses to stop his electric runs. While the OSU defense isn't to the caliber of Texas, Martinez will clearly start and will need to perform decisively for NU's offense to keep up with the Cowboys.

Pelini Can Channel His Inner Mack Brown

Last week, Texas came into Lincoln in a huge swoon after losing two straight, including to their hated Red River rivals. Now, Nebraska is limping into Stillwater having lost the Mother of All Battles on Saturday. Pelini's ability to rally the troops after a devastating loss against a dangerous team will be sorely tested.

You'll Be Sad If...

NU Doesn't Fix the Fumbles

Six games. Twenty-three fumbles. That's 3.83 fumbles per game. While there were plenty of other culprits at work in NU's loss to Texas (Catch. The. Damn. Ball.), if NU gives Oklahoma State's offense enough short fields and short-circuits their own offense with fumbles, they could need a win over a streaking Missouri to avoid their own three-game losing streak.

The Jackrabbits Had the Blueprint

NU apologists point to the great speed Texas has on defense as the reason why they were able to bottle Martinez and the NU offense up so successfully. But let's not forget that South Dakota State did awfully well in doing the same by loading up the defensive ends and playing assignment football. Expect to see the same from Oklahoma State's defense in Stillwater, and if NU can't find an answer then the game could be unpleasant for those wearing red.

The Cowboys Get a Hug

One of the more horrifying statistics coming out of the Texas game was the 28 (!) missed tackles from the NU defense. Given the ability of the Cowboys to score and score often, NU will need to wrap up and make tackles much better than they did against Texas. This need is highlighted by the balanced nature of the OSU attack, meaning NU will not be able to cheat against the run or pass and will instead have to simply win the one-on-one battles they will be facing.

The Big Picture

My, how things change. NU goes from "being back" and a national championship contender to the second-best in the Big 12 North after their performance against Texas. Pelini has a big job on his hands putting this team back together after losing a circled-in-red game like Texas. But he has a lot going for him.

Pelini's teams, historically, have played well after a loss and played well on the road. Oklahoma State's strength (their offense) plays into Nebraska's strength (their defense), while the Cowboys' weakness (they don't play a lick of defense) should help to get NU's sputtering offense led by a freshman quarterback some confidence.

Pelini's history is to come out and get great performances in games like this, so history suggests NU gets the bounce-back they need heading to Lincoln to play the Big 12 North championship game against Mizzou. But if NU surprises and comes out flat and listless on Saturday, a seven-win season isn't out of the question. Possibly a defining game for Pelini's coaching career at Nebraska.

Fearless Forecast: Nebraska 45, Oklahoma State 31

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