Nebraska Football Receives Votes in Coaches Poll Following Northwestern Win

After failing to garner any votes following a road loss at Minnesota, Nebraska football received votes in the coaches poll rankings heading into the Huskers' home tilt with USC.

Nebraska wide receiver Dane Key races 39 yards for a score against Houston Christian. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska football is once again just on the outside of the top 25 rankings following a Big Ten Conference home win.

The Huskers (6-2, 3-2 Big Ten) received votes in this week's USA Today Coaches Poll, failing to crack the top 25 in the coaches and the Associated Press top 25 rankings. The Big Red did not receive votes from the AP for back-to-back weeks after earning the No. 25 spot prior to NU's 24-6 road loss at Minnesota.

Emmett Johnson runs the ball against Northwestern. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska has now received votes from the coaches' rankings in nine of the 10 weeks of the in-season polls. The Huskers are the 38th-highest rated team in this week's coaching poll, as the Big Red were as high as 27th prior to the Minnesota loss.

Nebraska had continually lost votes in the Associated Press rankings despite early-season success, losing votes in each of the Huskers' home blowout wins over Akron and Houston Christian. Following the loss to Michigan, Nebraska failed to garner any votes in back-to-back weeks, but resurfaced in the "receiving votes" category as the 30th-ranked program by the Associated Press after the Huskers' 38-27 home win over Michigan State on Oct. 4. Nebraska then climbed another five spots after the road victory at Maryland to No. 25, but failed to earn recognition in back-to-back weeks after suffering the second loss of the season.

Along with the top-25 rated teams in the coaches poll, Iowa, USC, Tulane, Washington, South Florida, LSU, James Madison, Pittsburgh, San Diego State, North Texas, TCU, and UNLV received more votes than the Huskers. Nebraska did receive more votes than Arizona State and Wake Forest, and received more votes in the coaches poll than Boise State, but failed to earn a vote in the AP ranking compared to the Broncos.

The Big Ten Conference remained in the driver's seat of the top 25 rankings as No. 1 Ohio State and No.2 Indiana continued their hold at the top two spots. No. 6 Oregon added a third team for the Big Ten in the top 10, while No. 21 Michigan and RV/No. 23 USC gave the conference its fourth and fifth top 25 representatives. Iowa, USC, Washington, Nebraska, and Illinois earned votes in the polls.

Indiana Hoosiers defensive back Devan Boykin (12) celebrates with defensive backs Louis Moore (7) and Jamari Sharpe (22) after an interception during the second half against the UCLA Bruins at Memorial Stadium. | Robert Goddin-Imagn Images

The Southeastern Conference controlled the middle of the top 10 rankings at No. 3 Texas A&M, No. 4 Alabama, and No. 5 Georgia remained in the center of the top teams while No. 8/7 Ole Miss gave the SEC four top 10 spots. No. 11/9 Vanderbilt, No. 14 Tennessee, No. 18 Oklahoma, No. 19/20 Texas, and No. 20/19 Missouri pushed the SEC's total ranked conference teams to nine programs. LSU dropped out of the top 25 rankings after a loss to Texas A&M, and remained the only other SEC team to receive votes in each poll.

The Atlantic Coast Conference remained with two top 10 spots as No. 7/8 Georgia Tech and No. 9/10 Miami (FL) remained set, while No. 15 Virginia and No. 17/16 Louisville earned top 25 nods. Pittsburgh continued receiving votes in this week's rankings, while Wake Forest received a vote in the coaches' poll.

The Big 12 Conference's leader stayed the same as No. 10 BYU led the pack, followed by No. 13 Texas Tech, No. 16/17 Cincinnati, No. 22 Houston, and No. 24 Utah. TCU and Arizona State received votes in this week's rankings.

No. 12 Notre Dame was the highest-rated non-Power Four program in this week's poll, as No. 23/RV Navy and No. 25 Memphis jumped into the top 25. South Florida, previously ranked in the polls, fell out but received votes alongside other Group of Five conference programs, Tulane, James Madison, San Diego State, North Texas, UNLV, and Boise State.

Nebraska has lost 28 games in a row against competition ranked by the Associated Press Top 25, including the week four loss to Michigan. The Huskers' last top 25 victory was against No. 22 Oregon in 2016. The Big Red will have at least one top 25 battle remaining in its current schedule, as the Huskers host RV/23 USC on Saturday and RV Iowa on Black Friday.

Nebraska aims to break the losing streak to Associated Press-rated teams on Saturday as the Huskers host USC at 6:30 p.m. CDT from Lincoln's Memorial Stadium. Nebraska has designated the contest as a "blackout" with the Huskers wearing alternate black uniforms for the matchup. The contest will be televised on NBC and broadcast across the Huskers Radio Network and its affiliate stations.

USA Today Coaches Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Georgia Tech
8. Mississippi
9. Miami (FL)
10. BYU
11. Vanderbilt
12. Notre Dame
13. Texas Tech
14. Tennessee
15. Virginia
16. Cincinnati
17. Louisville
18. Oklahoma
19. Texas
20. Missouri
21. Michigan
22. Houston
23. Navy
24. Utah
25. Memphis

Associated Press Top 25

1. Ohio State
2. Indiana
3. Texas A&M
4. Alabama
5. Georgia
6. Oregon
7. Mississippi
8. Georgia Tech
9. Vanderbilt
10. Miami (FL)
11. BYU
12. Notre Dame
13. Texas Tech
14. Tennessee
15. Virginia
16. Louisville
17. Cincinnati
18. Oklahoma
19. Missouri
20. Texas
21. Michigan
22. Houston
23. USC
24. Utah
25. Memphis

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