Slowing down ex-Minnesota Mr. Football tops 5 keys for Gophers against Nebraska

The Gophers will need to do their best to slow down a former Minnesota high school star on Friday night.

Sep 20, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) runs against the Michigan Wolverines during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Minnesota has a tall task this week when it hosts No. 25 Nebraska as more than a touchdown underdog. Here are five keys to the Gophers' chances of pulling off the upset.

Slowing down Emmett Johnson

Johnson won the 2021 Minnesota Mr. Football award for the Academy of Holy Angels. He was never offered by the Gophers, and he'll get a chance to continue a hot start to 2025 on Friday night. His 650 yards on 105 carries are the second most in the Big Ten. The Cornhuskers' lone loss this season came when Johnson ran for a season-low 65 yards against Michigan.

Sep 6, 2025; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson (21) runs against the Akron Zips during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

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Running the football

Nebraska's defense has gotten off to a solid start under first-year defensive coordinator John Butler. They've only allowed 18.7 points per game, which ranks 31st in college football. The Cornhuskers' run defense has allowed 151.3 yards per game this season, which ranks 81st-best, and their pass defense ranks No. 1 in the entire country with only 118 yards allowed per game.

Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers running back Darius Taylor (1) warms up before the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

The Gophers have struggled to run the football all season. They might have to figure out a way to change that on Friday night, because nobody has been able to pass the football on Nebraska all season.

Get pressure on Dylan Raiola

Nebraska's star sophomore quarterback has shown significant improvements this season, but Raiola has still struggled under pressure. His adjusted completion percentage plummets from 83.6% in a clean pocket to 58.6% when he's facing pressure, and his Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade goes from 77.1 to 36.4. Minnesota needs to generate pressure if it wants to get Nebraska's improved offense out of its rhythm.

Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) celebrates with wide receiver Nyziah Hunter (13) after scoring a touchdown during the first half against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Start fast

The Gophers have dug themselves into an early hole in both of their Big Ten wins against Rutgers in Purdue. The Scarlet Knights jumped out to a 14-0 lead and Purdue led 10-0. Minnesota cannot afford to do the same thing against a team like Nebraska.

Aggressive decision making

The key to any upset in college football is stealing possessions. Minnesota cannot sit back on its heels and expect Nebraska to make mistakes in this matchup. The Gophers need to lean on their home crowd and be the aggressor. Between fourth-down decisions and pushing the ball down the field, Minnesota needs to leave it all on the field on Friday night.