Problems Revealed in Nebraska's loss to Michigan.

Going into the matchup at 3-0, there was still a lot to learn about Nebraska, especially against a team like Michigan. The wins over Akron and Houston Christian were fun, but Michigan was the first real measuring stick for success this season against Big Ten talent.

Michigan entered the game ranked No. 21, and a win for Nebraska would have been huge for the program. Beating teams like Akron or Houston Christian doesn’t earn national respect, even in blowouts. Beating Michigan would’ve meant something. It’s the kind of win that actually turns heads.

Instead, the Huskers fell 30-27, extending their losing streak to 28 straight games against AP-ranked opponents.

Teams like Michigan don’t just win, but they expose every subtle flaw and make it glaring. So what did they reveal about Nebraska?

Tackling

Saying tackling is key to strong defense is like saying bread is important in a sandwich. In this game, though, there was no bread to hold it together. Michigan tore through the defense, racking up 286 rushing yards, averaging 8.7 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns on the ground.

"You have to be able to tackle and tackling is a lost art in today's game," said defensive coordinator John Butler. "If you become a great tackler, you will clearly separate yourself."

Justice Haynes just showed off his big-play ability again 💥

The RB sprints 75 yards to put No. 21 @UMichFootball back on top.

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/hUfwBFVxp7
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 20, 2025

No one on Nebraska’s defense really stood out because tackling and filling gaps were struggles across the board. Justice Haynes’ big plays showed just how much skill difference there was, especially with his 75-yard touchdown. Even Michigan’s sophomore running back Jordan Marshall joined in with a 54-yard rushing touchdown.

On top of that, missed assignments and poor execution allowed Michigan quarterback Bryce Underwood to rush for 61 yards and a touchdown on just eight carries. And unfortunately, this isn’t new. Cincinnati’s quarterback Brendan Sorsby ran wild in the season opener too.

Poor Protection

A glance at Dylan Raiola’s stat line of 308 yards and three touchdowns might fool some into thinking the offensive line held up. That wasn’t the case. Raiola was sacked seven times and spent most of the game under constant pressure. The porous offensive line struggled to slow Michigan’s aggressive pass rush, forcing Raiola to rush throws or simply try to escape without losing more yards.

The Huskers are into Michigan territory after this nice play.

📺: CBS pic.twitter.com/Whfh2MWOS1
— Big Ten Football (@B1Gfootball) September 20, 2025

This clip pretty much sums up the game. Raiola was fighting for his life on every dropback, and the offensive line had no answers for Michigan’s relentless pass rush.

Run Game

If the offensive line is struggling in pass protection, it’s not doing the run game any favors either. Nebraska managed just 43 rushing yards on 31 attempts. Emmett Johnson had 65 yards on 29 of those carries.

“It’s not fair to Emmett to ask him to be out there that many snaps,” Rhule said. “We need somebody out there to take some more reps so we have fresher bodies at that position.”

Truthfully, even a solid No. 2 running back wouldn’t have made much of a difference in this one with how poorly the line was playing. Long term, though, the coaches need to find someone to take pressure off Johnson and help share the load.

This bye week comes at the perfect time to regroup. There’s no need to treat this game as the end of the world. Nebraska has eight more games this season. Michigan simply revealed where the Huskers are right now and what they need to fix to take the next step. This team has made progress compared to past years. Improvement, however, never ends. Good teams always find something to get better at. It's up to Nebraska to decide what kind of team they want to be.

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