Surprises were the general rule in the first nearly full weekend of Big Ten conference play, and that includes your Nebraska Cornhuskers.
Nebraska (4-0) outscored host Michigan State, 31-13, a margin perhaps not expected by many — including generally top bettors — and perhaps not by the Huskers themselves. The Huskers were 5.5-point favorites on FanDuel.
Nebraska wasn’t perfect – few college football teams are; that’s the nature of the game – but the Huskers showed plenty of it, big playmaking ability on offense and a swarming defense.
* Nebraska’s first three games: nine sacks
* Nebraska vs. Michigan State: six sacks
* Nebraska’s first three games: 16 tackles for loss
* Nebraska vs. Michigan State: 10 tackles for loss.
Against the 2-2 Spartans, Nebraska achieved defensive coordinator Rob Aurich’s lofty goal of three turnovers in each game.
* Nebraska’s first three games: two interceptions and a fumble recovery
* Nebraska against Michigan State: two interceptions and a fumble recovery
Michigan State, which entered the game presented as a run-oriented machine, was held to 39 yards rushing.
Despite Michigan State’s accepted rebuilding status, the final score was expected to resonate throughout the Big Ten. Conference teams have to wonder if and when Nebraska will regain its role as one of the best teams in the country, and while this result alone isn’t enough for that kind of status, it should get people’s attention.
The Huskers face struggling Maryland on Saturday, then the real test – defending national champion Indiana at Memorial Stadium on October 10.
This is the game that will determine how much the rest of the Big Ten will sit up and take notice.
Shockers at the conference
We’ll take a look at how Nebraska’s opponents fared heading into the first weekend of October, where the stakes are higher and the Cupcakes have returned to their own conference play.
As the scores rolled in on Saturday – as well as the Bloomington clash on Friday night – almost everyone had some level of surprise.
October 3: Maryland at Memorial Stadium
Poor Maryland, after a scoreless first quarter against visiting UCLA, lost 54-3. UCLA could be a season-long problem for teams expecting a breeze. New coach Bob Chesney, who took the same path from James Madison to the Big Ten as Indiana coach Curt Cignetti, has the Bruins at 4-0 and looks like a serious player in the Big Ten.
Maryland coach Mike Locksley needs a turnaround to possibly save his job. The Terps are 2-2 and Locksley is 39-51 in nine years at Maryland with a long season looming.
October 10: Indiana at Memorial Stadium
Mighty Indiana, one of the great college football stories of the last two years under Cignetti, is coming to Lincoln and we wouldn’t be surprised if ESPN’s “College GameDay” comes too. However, Georgia will also be at Alabama on October 10.
The game could be a 6-0 battle of teams, assuming the Huskers win against Maryland and the Hoosiers win at Rutgers this weekend.
Indiana defeated Northwestern Friday night, 29-23, with the visiting Wildcats scoring 16 points in the fourth quarter. The close margin was surprising.
That’s not how reigning national champions usually behave. The Hoosiers drafted eight players – including first overall pick Fernando Mendoza – and lost 15 others to the portal. Indiana reloaded and brought in quarterback Josh Hoover from TCU.
Mendoza won the Heisman Trophy, but there is an obvious drop in favor of Hoover. This could be an October 10 game.
October 17: Oregon at Autzen Stadium
Speaking of shocks, yes, it was old friend Dylan Raiola leading the Ducks (3-1) against host USC (4-1) after quarterback Dante Moore was knocked unconscious by a vicious late hit.
Raiola, who transferred after starting 22 games over the past two seasons for Nebraska, completed 19 of 25 passes for 289 yards and two touchdowns as the Ducks beat USC, 41-27.
With Moore rushed to the hospital and the Ducks already losing this season to Oklahoma State, 39-31, Oregon’s season could have been saved by one Mr. Dylan Raiola.
Losing to Oklahoma State is not the way a national title contender behaves. Nor was USC’s performance against the Ducks, as the Trojans gained title buzz.
So much for Raiola’s gap year behind Moore.
October 31: Washington at Memorial Stadium
Washington, another CFP contender, lost at home to Minnesota, 27-24, with the Huskies’ 14-point fourth-quarter rally falling short.
I don’t know what to think of this result. Both teams are 3-1, but this one certainly looked like a Washington win. The Huskers don’t have to worry about recent foe Minnesota this season.
November 7: Illinois at Gies Memorial Stadium
No surprises here. The Illini fell to 2-2 with their 42-19 loss to Ohio State. Maybe the Buckeyes (3-1) will end up being the class of the Big Ten, but they have a long and rocky road ahead of them.
November 14: Rutgers at SHI Stadium
Poor Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights, despised across the country for losing to UMass — which is now 4-0, by the way — won their first game of the season Friday night against FCS Howard, 58-7.
November 21: Ohio State at Memorial Stadium
Ohio State, which inexplicably blew a 23-3 lead at Texas and lost 24-23, looked like its normal, powerful state against Illinois. The Buckeyes’ schedule includes road games at Indiana and USC before home games against Oregon and Northwestern before the Nebraska game.
November 27: Iowa at Kinnick Stadium
Iowa won at Michigan, 20-19, on the final play of the game. It was pretty amazing to see Iowa, historically not known for its offensive prowess, drive 91 yards in 1:46 — aided by a stupid personal foul penalty on Michigan and a tipped pass — to win on a 16-yard touchdown pass.
It was the Hawkeyes’ first road victory against a ranked Big Ten team since 2015.
Iowa (4-0) is one of four undefeated teams in the conference along with Nebraska, Indiana and UCLA.
Rest of the Big Ten
Two Big Ten teams that weren’t on Nebraska’s schedule also provided a shocking result.
No. 13 Penn State squandered a 17-point lead when visiting Wisconsin and lost 24-20. The Nittany Lions, considered by many College Football Playoff contenders given their poor schedule, lost to a Badgers team whose coach, Luke Fickell, isn’t even sure his job is guaranteed next season.
A stunning result, from both parties.
Purdue’s 49-10 loss to Notre Dame wasn’t surprising at all. These are two programs at very different levels.
If the early season results mean anything, this looks like a memorable Big Ten season that might not be conceded to Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon. One of these three teams could ultimately win the conference title, but it seems like a fun path to get there.
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