HuskerMax Staff Predicts Double-Digit Nebraska Win at Minnesota

The national stage has once again lent its spotlight to the No. 25 Nebraska football team.

Featured on FOX for its nationally televised Friday night matchup, the Huskers finish out their two-game road swing with a trip to Minnesota, where they'll look to break a five-game losing streak to the Golden Gophers, which dates back to 2018. Extend that further, and NU hasn't won in Minneapolis since a 48-25 blowout win in 2015, where Nebraska also wore its all white uniforms.

Dealing with a short week and the distraction of Matt Rhule, Penn State rumors, Nebraska will once again have the attention of the college football world with an opportunity to further confirm its turnaround cement its spot as a contender to reach the College Football Playoff.

Before reigniting an old Big Ten West rivalry, the HuskerMax and Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI crew make their official predictions. In total, the average score is 31-20 Huskers.

The panel didn't anticipate such a high-scoring matchup as the average prediction was 17 points off. However, Cole Stukenholtz came away with his second win of the season with a 33-26 score, which was only six points off the actual 34-31 final.

2025 Closest Predictors by Week

Week 1 vs. Cincinnati: Bob Frady
Week 2 vs. Akron: Jay Stockwell
Week 3 vs. Houston Christian: Bob Frady & Jay Stockwell
Week 4 vs. Michigan: Cole Stukenholtz & Chris Fort
Week 6 vs. Michigan State: ThotDoc
Week 7 at Maryland: Cole Stukenholtz

*Indicates closest in previous week's prediction and how many "wins" over the season. Ties will result in wins for all parties.

Prediction	Predictor
Nebraska 28-20	Kaleb Henry
Nebraska 31-28	Geoff Exstrom
Nebraska 37-20	Josh Peterson
Nebraska 31-17	Spencer Schubert
Nebraska 24-20	Jeremy Purnell
Nebraska 31-20	ThotDoc*
Nebraska 31-24	Matt McMaster
Nebraska 31-20	Mike Cavallo
Nebraska 26-20	Tad Stryker
Nebraska 34-17	Eric Hess
Nebraska 27-20	Cole Stukenholtz**
Nebraska 31-21	Jan Mudder
Nebraska 38-21	Jay Stockwell**
Nebraska 31-24	Bob Frady**
Nebraska 28-21	David Max
Nebraska 27-21	Chris Fort*
Nebraska 30-16	Jared Hall
Nebraska 28-13	Mike Delaware
Nebraska 31-21	Kyle Byers
Nebraska 35-17	Connor Kavulak
Nebraska 31-24	Adam Carriker

Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson (21) returns to his hometown in the midst of a breakout season. | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

The Why

Josh Peterson: Not only does Nebraska move past the drama of the week, they roll. For the second straight season, they end a long losing streak vs. a former Big Ten West school in dominating fashion. Emmett Johnson rushes for 150+ and Dylan Raiola doesn't turn the ball over. Nebraska is 6-1.

Spencer Schubert: Raiola's great season continues with multiple passing TD's and the Blackshirts come out looking to prove something after Maryland put it on them a bit.

Jeremy Pernell: The Gophers are 106th nationally in total offense, and this is one of the worst rushing teams (115th) PJ Fleck has had during his nine years in Minneapolis. They have a fairly stingy defense, however, and have found a way to win multiple games this season that they shouldn't have. They stole last week's game away from Purdue despite being outgained 456-to-262 thanks to 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter. They also beat Rutgers two games prior, when they were outplayed as well. Both games were at home. Nebraska hasn't beaten Minnesota on the road since 2015 and hasn't beaten the Gophers since 2018, having lost the last five. If the Huskers weren't playing back-to-back road games and coming off a short week, I'd have more confidence in them coming out ahead. Even so, I think Nebraska finds a way to win a closer game than most expect.

ThotDoc: Last year, after opening the season 5-1, the Huskers went to Indiana and wore the all-white uniforms and lost 56-7. This year, they are 5-1 and are going to Minnesota and wearing the all-whites. Note: These Gophers are not those Hoosiers. Huskers break the curse of the "surrender whites."

Mike Cavallo: The Huskers will snap the five-game losing streak to the Golden Gophers with a balanced offensive attack and elite pass defense. Nebraska is +6 in the turnover margin on the season, while Minnesota has struggled to generate consistent offense.

Tad Stryker: Nebraska is starting to play well in the fourth quarter. Emmett Johnson and his offensive line are trending up. Minnesota's running game is trending down, so for these reasons, I'm bullish on the Huskers. If they play clean and win the turnover battle, they'll prevail by double figures.

Eric Hess: Minnesota is good in many areas, but great in none. The game is played closer than the final score indicates, but Raiola and the Husker offense are able to put another team away in the fourth.

Cole Stukenholtz: In a game of limited possessions, the Huskers are efficient enough to outscore the Gophers. Special teams helps Nebraska win the field position battle, and a late INT seals it.

Jan Mudder: It's back and forth, so Husker fans can't decide if Fleck will tap into the jinx again. Instead, Nebraska flexes and puts the game away.

Jay Stockwell: Nebraska has a license to kill all Gophers just like Carl Spackler. And they don't even need a reason.

Bob Frady: Gophers are buck-toothed varmints who have been eating our corn far too long. Time to eradicate that pest.

David Max: Nebraska has lost six of the last seven games against Minnesota and is 4-8 since joining the Big Ten. With that being said, it's going to be 5-8. The 9-point spread is once again very generous. Once again, it will be another one-score game. This time with Nebraska on top.

Chris Fort: I was prepared to chalk this up as a loss before the season, but Minnesota, while a far more disciplined team than the one Nebraska faced last week, just doesn’t have the same skill talent the Huskers do. They'll find a way to keep it close - Fleck's teams are as resourceful as they come. But Dylan and the Huskers' offensive firepower will make enough big plays to keep the Gophers at bay.

Jared Hall: Going into the season, I just felt like Nebraska would win this game. Emmett Johnson is going to continue his All-Big Ten play. I've heard Minnesota's offense line has issues, and I don't think this is a typical PJ Fleck team.

Mike Delaware: Going into the season, I said PJ Fleck is Nebraska's daddy, and Nebraska would lose this game. But after seeing how resilient this team is, I am going to say Nebraska wins.

Kyle Byers: I also predicted this as a loss at the beginning of the year, but I am going to say Nebraska wins this game.

Connor Kavulak: The way the spread looks right now I think Nebraska will take care of business.

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