Four Questions for the Nebraska Football Team Headed Into the Bye Week

The Nebraska football team lost 30-27 on Saturday to a Michigan team that frankly looked more talented and more physical than the Huskers. It was a disappointing outcome for Husker Nation, as the Big Red has now lost 28 consecutive games to ranked opponents, to go along with six consecutive losses in conference openers.

There is plenty of season left, however, and still an opportunity for Nebraska to take another step forward in Matt Rhule’s third year at the helm. With that in mind, we look at four questions for the Nebraska football team headed into the bye week.

How Much Can the Run Defense be Fixed in Season?

It was a concern going into the season, and it remained a concern going into the game against the Wolverines. After losing senior stalwarts Nash Hutmacher, Ty Robinson, and John Bullock, and losing major contributors like Jimari Butler and Mikai Gbayor to the transfer portal, we knew it would be a transition year for the defense. Not to mention the fact that the unit has a new coordinator in John Butler to go along with several new position coaches.

Considering all of that change, Nebraska’s young defense is doing some things really well. They own the #1 pass defense in the country, and are in the top 25 in scoring defense and total defense. Defending the run, of course, has been their biggest challenge. Is this something that can be fixed in the middle of the season? Or at least improved? If Nebraska wants to topple some Big Ten teams they haven’t beaten in several years (like Minnesota and Iowa in particular), they are going to have to be able to stop the run.

How Concerned Should We Be About the Offensive Line?

The offensive line was perceived as one of the strengths of the team coming into the season. It has a heavy veteran presence, with guys like Henry Lutovsky, Justin Evans, Teddy Prochaska, and Turner Corcoran, to go along with two transfers who were expected to be immediate impact guys: guard Rocco Spindler from Notre Dame and tackle Elijah Pritchett from Alabama.

It was concerning to see quarterback Dylan Raiola running for his life most of Saturday afternoon. On top of that, Nebraska is averaging around 145 rushing yards per game at 4.2 yards per carry. Not terrible, but certainly not a dominant rushing attack. Some of that has to do with the offense clearly leaning more heavily on the pass this year, with Raiola looking fantastic through four games and having numerous receiving weapons at his disposal. But we all know, the further we get into Big Ten play, the more important it’s going to be to 1) be able to run the ball and 2) be able to protect the quarterback. To me, the offensive line is an open question at the moment.

Special Teams – Blip on the Radar, or Lingering Concern?

Special teams play has unequivocally been better in 2025. Better than anything we’ve seen in a long time. Still, it was concerning to see a missed field goal, and a misplay on a punt return that pinned Nebraska back and stalled one drive before it even got started. These are the kind of small mistakes that can flip a big game when the margin for error is tiny. Were these miscues just a blip on the radar, or do we need to buckle up for another roller coaster season of holding our breath every time one of the special teams units comes on the field? I am pretty confident in new coordinator Mike Ekeler’s ability to get every special teams unit functioning at a high level in short order, but after the last several years of misadventures in the third phase, Husker fans can be forgiven for shielding their eyes the next time the Big Red attempts a field goal.

How Do the Huskers Bounce Back?

After the bye week, Nebraska will welcome Michigan State to Lincoln. Like the Huskers, the Spartans have a bye week on Saturday, and then will come into Lincoln with a 3-1 record, having just gone 3-0 in the non-conference and then lost their Big Ten opener to USC, 45-31. This looks like a much improved Michigan State team, and it certainly will not be a cake walk for Nebraska. Quarterback Aidan Chiles is completing 68% of his passes, having thrown for 868 yards and nine touchdowns with just one interception so far on the season. Chiles is also the team’s second leading rusher, having carried the ball 40 times for 158 yards and two touchdowns. After a couple of down years, head coach Jonathan Smith has the program in East Lansing trending up, and the Huskers will have to come out of the bye week ready to meet the challenge.

As always, GBR for LIFE.

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