Know Your Foe, Nebraska vs. Michigan State: The Receivers vs. Defensive Backs

Let's compare the Nebraska wide receivers against the Michigan State defensive backs.

Nebraska wide receivers Jacory Barney Jr., Dane Key, and Nyziah Hunter line up against Cincinnati in Kansas City. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska hosts the Michigan State Spartans at Memorial Stadium this Saturday, and the battle in the air will be crucial.

With quarterback Dylan Raiola throwing the ball effectively through four games, the Huskers' trio of wideouts—Jacory Barney Jr., Dane Key, and Nyziah Hunter—have been key in stretching the field and creating explosive plays. Meanwhile, Michigan State's secondary has shown flashes of promise but struggles against the pass, ranking outside the top 100 nationally.

Let's Start with Nebraska: The Wide Receiver Trio

Nebraska's receivers have been a bright spot in 2025, returning Barney's reliability with the big-play potential of transfers Key and Hunter.

Barney continues to be Raiola's favorite target in his sophomore year as he leads the group in volume, using his quickness to rack up yards after catch.

Nebraska wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. celebrates after scoring a 26-yard touchdown in the second quarter against Michigan on Sept. 20, 2025. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Key, a senior transfer from Kentucky, brings veteran reliability with elite route running and has already made multiple timely catches for the Nebraska offense in the first four games. He is not only a great pass catcher, but he has also shown the ability to set the edge and block when called upon.

Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key hauls in an 18-yard catch against Akron. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Hunter, a sophomore transfer from Cal, has excelled at contested catches and stretching defenses vertically. If Nebraska wants to have continued success in the pass game, they need to continue to get the ball to number 13 early and often.

Nebraska wide receiver Nyziah Hunter brings down a 24-yard catch during the Kansas City Classic at Arrowhead Stadium. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

In Dana Holgorsen's offense, this group forces defenses to play honest, but Michigan State's pass defense will test their ability to win one-on-one battles. Together, they've combined for 50 receptions and 724 yards through four games, helping Nebraska rank among the nation's top passing attacks at 351.8 passing yards per game.

Know your Foe:

Let's look at the WR position and compare Nebraska and Michigan State.#GBR #Huskers #MichiganState #Spartans #GoGreen #NBNR pic.twitter.com/mnvyihBwuR

— No Block💥No Rockᴺᴮᴺᴿ (@NBNRPodcast) October 2, 2025

PLAYER	REC	YDS	TD	AVG	PFF Grade
Jacory Barney	21	301	3	14.3	81.0
Dane Key	16	226	3	14.1	70.3
Nyziah Hunter	13	197	1	15.2	62.0

Now Let's Look at Michigan State: The Secondary and Pass Defense

Michigan State's defensive backs have been a mixed bag in 2025, providing solid run support but struggling in coverage against passing offenses with a PFF coverage grade of 69.2. The Spartans' pass defense has allowed 263.5 yards per game (115th nationally) and has two interceptions total, putting pressure on coordinator Joe Rossi to scheme creatively. Raiola has been elite this year at picking apart defenses, and with their speed at receiver, Nebraska could add to the problems the Michigan State secondary has had this season.

Sep 20, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Michigan State Spartans defensive back Malik Spencer (43) celebrates a defensive play against the Southern California | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Nebraska's offense ranks second nationally in passing offense with an overall PFF grade of 75.0. With Dylan Raiola's accuracy on display in the first four games, the Huskers could feast on the weak Michigan State pass defense. In their most recent loss to USC, the Spartans held quarterback Jayden Maiava to under 300 passing yards, but he still threw for three touchdowns. Can Michigan State's secondary rise to the occasion in Lincoln, or will Barney, Key, and Hunter light up the scoreboard?

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