Michigan Knows This Isn't the 'Same' Nebraska

For the past few decades, Nebraska's been down and their opponents have known it. That's not the case this Saturday with Michigan coming to town.

Michigan acting head coach Biff Poggi had nothing but praise to offer up for a Nebraska team he'll be facing Saturday in Lincoln. | Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images

It's a tale as old as time.

For Nebraska fans, that saying has been more than a lyric to a popular Disney classic, and for the first time in nearly a decade, they're looking to reverse roles of who's Beauty and who's the Beast.

Outside of an obsessed fan base, very few people have considered Nebraska a serious contender for anything when it comes to football. Opponents also fit in that category, when you look at lopsided losses as recent as last year, when Indiana had their second and third stringers going up against the Huskers by the third quarter.

Nebraska's reputation has been beyond damaged from the glory years of the '90s, but it's a challenge Matt Rhule and his coaching staff have taken on. In case you've been living under a rock, you're probably well aware that NU is now in year three under Rhule, and he's got a pretty good track record with program turnarounds around this time in his tenure.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule has a chance to put Nebraska football back on the map with a win over No. 21 Michigan on Saturday. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

However, part of making that turnaround involves beating several teams you've been losing to for quite some time. On Saturday, Rhule and company can start changing course with a marquee win over No. 21 Michigan, but the Wolverines aren't coming in expecting the Nebraska they've been accustomed to over the last decade.

"I don't care who you play," acting Michigan head coach Biff Poggi said. "The results are the results, and they've got it going. Matt is a tremendous coach. You've all seen the statistics where Matt's been in his third year. He's got the football team. He's won them over. He's got the staff he wants, and he's got a lot of good players."

It's tradition for the opposing coach to, at the minimum, claim that the team they're about to play is a "good football team." Former Husker coach Bill Callahan made a living off that singular quote during his stint in Lincoln, but for Poggi — he went well beyond the expectation when talking about the threat Nebraska poses his Wolverines on Saturday.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola will need to be sharp in all facets of the game Saturday if NU stands a chance of upsetting Michigan. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Earlier this week, Poggi told Michigan media that he's watched all of Nebraska's tape through the first three games of the year, and he already knows Nebraska's success can't be pinned on just one player, but at the top of that mountain is quarterback Dylan Raiola.

"Man, he's a really good player isn't he," Poggi said. "He's been one for a really long time too. I thought he had a great high school career, obviously was highly rated. I thought he played really well in his first year at Nebraska. I think he's very polished and very dangerous."

When pressed on what makes Raiola dangerous, Poggi asked where the media would like him to start.

Acting Michigan coach Biff Poggi is praising Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola this week for having such a high football IQ. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

"He has a huge football IQ," Poggi said. "He's one of the few young guys who can actually sit in the pocket and make the right reads. I mean, the kid can throw the football. He finds open windows, and he's a good enough runner that if you are undisciplined in your lanes, he can extend the play and keep your defense on the field."

While Nebraska will certainly be leaning on Raiola in their upset bid against the Wolverines, they'll also be looking to control time of possession. To do that, Poggi said he wouldn't be surprised to see a solid dose of Emmett Johnson in the game. Much like with what he had to say about Raiola, he doubled down with praise of Johnson.

"I love their running back," he said. "His yards after contact are ridiculous and has unbelievable balance. When you think about Nebraska, these are the things that this team has. They're big and physical on the offensive line. They have really good body up receivers."

Nebraska defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel is one of the many new faces in the trenches for the Huskers this season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

If you ask any Husker fan about their biggest concern heading into the game, you'll hear a lot about Nebraska's defensive front. After being anchored by Nash Hutmacher and Ty Robinson at defensive tackle last year, Nebraska's got some new faces in new places.

Saturday will also mark their first test against a Big Ten offensive line. In years past, the results have been mixed at best for a Nebraska team that still has nightmares of giving up long run plays to the likes of Wisconsin, and yes...Michigan.

Poggi has a different view of the defensive front for NU, and it's rooted in respect.

"Defensively there's a lot of movement," he said. "Their defensive line is as stout as can be and they take great pride in their defense there. They're real good — look at what they've done."

Nebraska defensive back Malcolm Hartzog Jr. intercepts a pass against Cincinnati to seal NU's 20-17 win in the season opener. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The Blackshirts certainly have looked the part through three games, helping Nebraska to blowout wins over inferior opponents in both Akron and Houston Christian over the past two weeks. What's probably the most impressive performance of the non-conference season is what the team did against Cincinnati.

The Bearcats did run for more than 200 yards in the game thanks to QB scrambles late in the game (which will be a big concern once again Saturday), but they also held Cincinnati to a mere 69 yards passing and just 271 yards of total offense in the narrow 20-17 Nebraska win.

After a season opening loss to Nebraska, Cincinnati hasn't been stopped offensively. They've racked up more than 1000 yards of offense over the two games since. | Frank Bowen IV/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Since then, the Bearcats have rolled up 439 yards (333 passing) against Bowling Green and 605 total yards against Northwestern State to improve to 2-1 on the year. While the sample size is small, Nebraska holding the Bearcats at bay through the air means a strong Michigan run game will likely be the ticket for UM on Saturday.

All this week, Nebraska has preached playing the man, not the brand. It's an admirable approach at staying level-headed in one of the biggest games in Lincoln in recent memory, but that's just it — it's one of the biggest games in Lincoln in recent memory.

The players have listened to the media talk about it all week, as have the coaches. Pressure will undoubtedly be on the Huskers to compete at an all-new level Saturday when Michigan rolls into town, but the Wolverines will be under their own pressure. After dropping an earlier game at Oklahoma, UM can't afford a second loss this early in the year if they want to keep their college football playoff hopes alive.

After being bottled up against Oklahoma, Michigan can ill afford a second loss this early in the year if they hope to make a playoff run. | BRYAN TERRY/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Both teams enter with plenty to play for on Saturday, which will be the second of three games Michigan coach Sherrone Moore will be suspended and unable to coach from the sidelines over the next two seasons. That's one of the many reasons Poggi is zeroed in on the Huskers this week, and particularly trying to slow down Raiola.

"When you watch the tape, you realize that everybody rallies around him," Poggi said. "It's kind of his football team, it looks like from the film."

If Raiola leads Nebraska to victory over No. 21 Michigan on Saturday, he'll have more than a football team — he'll have an entire state.

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