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McMaster’s Keys to the Game: Nebraska Football vs. Northern Iowa

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McMaster’s Keys to the Game: Nebraska Football vs. Northern Iowa


The Nebraska Cornhuskers welcome the Northern Iowa Panthers in a game that can take the Huskers to 3-0 for the first time since 2016. While on paper this should be an easy victory for the Big Red, the Panthers bring a style of play and a backfield talented enough to crash the party at Memorial Stadium.

Here are Matt McMaster’s keys to the game.

After Nebraska’s dominant win over the Colorado Buffaloes last week, the Huskers enter Saturday’s contest ranked No. 23 (AP) in the country. While this is not the end goal for Big Red, it’s a step in the right direction and a distinction they haven’t received in five years. 

The team’s early-season success has brought the nation’s attention and high expectations. With that comes pressure that can crumble a team. 

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But they also possess momentum that the program hasn’t had in ages. The positivity flowing around the buildings in Lincoln hasn’t been there since the Bo Pelini era. The easiest way to lose the positive stigma is to have a letdown week against an FCS opponent. 

A loss against Northern Iowa would destroy the program’s momentum and perceived progress over the last few weeks. Even a close win deteriorates what NU has accomplished this season. 

The Huskers need to take the momentum from the win over the Buffaloes and roll it into their performance against Northern Iowa. They need to take the confidence instilled from rewriting the biggest wrong of last season and turn it into another masterclass on both sides of the ball. 

I’m always on the side of deferring to receive the ball in the second half if you win the coin toss, but not in this game. Nebraska needs to make this a boat race.

The Northern Iowa offense is a boa constrictor that gives opposing defenses a slow and painful death. This team likes to dominate up front. 

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Over their first two games, they’re averaging an astounding 298 rushing yards. The Panthers want to suffocate opponents on offense. They want to take the ball, pound it up the middle, tire you out, and drain the clock. They do this with two elite backs, Tye Edwards and Amauri Pesek-Henderson. Henderson and Edwards are elite FCS backs, averaging over 6 yards per carry. Nebraska’s gap integrity must be at its best, or the Huskers will get gashed all night by these two. 

While UNI’s rushing game is elite, the passing game is far from it. The Panthers have 215 passing yards in two games. They simply don’t have the quarterback or outside weapons to compete on the outside against FBS opponents, let alone one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten.

While UNI’s style of play works for them, it’s not meant to get into shootouts. If the Huskers are aggressive early on offense, they can force the Panthers to veer away from their preferred style of play.

This is going to be a physical game on defense for the Cornhuskers. The Panthers’ goal is to play 130 snaps of smash-mouth football. They want to bring the fight and wear down this elite Nebraska defense. 

NU must use its depth to its advantage and constantly rotate guys in and out on all three levels. This is crucial due to the nature of the UNI offense as the Panthers want to punish teams defensively, making every run easier and easier for their elite backs. 

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How UNI plays exposes teams that need more depth to ensure that the players on the field are always fresh. The Blackshirt coaching staff will play a significant role in ensuring they’re divvying up snaps correctly, not to make things easier on the Panther run game. 

Failure at this will not only lead to a long day on defense but even injuries. 

Kickoff at Memorial Stadium Saturday is slated for 6:30 p.m. CDT. The game will be televised on Big Ten Network, with Huskers Radio Network affiliates providing coverage across the state.

MORE: I-80 Club’s Saturday Morning Coffee: Nebraska Football Finishes the Non-Con

MORE: Nebraska Volleyball Burns Top 25 Opponent, Sweeps Arizona State

MORE: Gallery: Nebraska Volleyball Sweeps Arizona State

MORE: McMaster’s Big Ten Football Power Rankings After Week 2

MORE: Nebraska Unveils $165M Osborne Legacy Complex

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following HuskerMax on X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.





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Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Powerball, Pick 3 on March 2, 2026

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The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Monday, March 2, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 2.

Winning Powerball numbers from March 2 drawing

02-17-18-38-62, Powerball: 20, Power Play: 2

Check Powerball payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Powerball Double Play numbers from March 2 drawing

21-28-58-65-67, Powerball: 25

Check Powerball Double Play payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 2 drawing

7-5-8

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 2 drawing

03-08-09-17-25

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Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 2 drawing

Red Balls: 14-26, White Balls: 17-18

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 2 drawing

Month: 05, Day: 03, Year: 23

Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 2 drawing

28-41-42-50-55, Bonus: 02

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • 2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska

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NioCorp to start work on its minerals mine in southeast Nebraska


NioCorp announced Monday that it plans to start work on its critical minerals mine in southeast Nebraska.

The project, which the company is calling its mine portal project, will involve building a main entrance to the Elk Creek underground mine and will serve as the primary access point for personnel, equipment, and materials for the underground mining operations. It also will include excavating bedrock, drilling and blasting to establish the twin mine ramps, on-site access road construction, and construction of on-site supporting infrastructure.

The project, which will cost nearly $45 million, is set to get underway before the end of the month. It marks the first time Colorado-based NioCorp will actually start any significant work on the main mine, from which the company hopes to extract niobium, scandium, titanium and other minerals.

“Given the size of this excavation work, the portal project really marks the beginning of a major pre-construction activity at the Elk Creek Project site and is an important step toward preparing for underground development,” Scott Honan, the company’s president and chief operating officer, said in a release.

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Mark A. Smith, Niocorp’s chairman and CEO, called the project, “a significant milestone.”

Niocorp has spent more than 15 years trying to develop the mine on land in Johnson County, about 65 miles southeast of Lincoln.

The company still needs to raise a significant amount of money to make the $1.2 billion mine a reality, though. In December, NioCorp said it had raised about $360 million, or a little more than a quarter of the total cost. It is still waiting for approval of a $780 million debt financing application from the Export-Import Bank of the United States.



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Nebraska Lottery results: See winning numbers for Pick 3, Pick 5 on March 1, 2026

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The results are in for the Nebraska Lottery’s draw games on Sunday, March 1, 2026.

Here’s a look at winning numbers for each game on March 1.

Winning Pick 3 numbers from March 1 drawing

7-6-5

Check Pick 3 payouts and previous drawings here.

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Winning Pick 5 numbers from March 1 drawing

04-20-28-30-39

Check Pick 5 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning 2 By 2 numbers from March 1 drawing

Red Balls: 02-10, White Balls: 25-26

Check 2 By 2 payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning MyDay numbers from March 1 drawing

Month: 11, Day: 28, Year: 38

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Check MyDay payouts and previous drawings here.

Winning Millionaire for Life numbers from March 1 drawing

10-11-12-35-56, Bonus: 04

Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.

Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results

When are the Nebraska Lottery drawings held?

  • Powerball: 9:59 p.m. CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Mega Millions: 10 p.m. CT on Tuesday and Friday.
  • Pick 3, 5: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lucky For Life: 9:38 p.m. CT daily.
  • 2 By 2: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • MyDaY: By 10 p.m. CT daily.
  • Lotto America: 9:15 p.m CT Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.
  • Millionaire for Life: 10:15 p.m. CT daily.

This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a USA Today editor. You can send feedback using this form.



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