LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) – When Nebraska (5-5, 2-5) and Wisconsin (5-5, 3-4) face off in a Big Ten conference bout Saturday, it will be like looking in the mirror.
Yes, the similarities between these teams run far deeper than the color palette.
Both squads exceeded expectations early in the 2024 season, each stringing together solid wins and even earning conference championship contender status for a brief moment. But then both teams faltered… and faltered, and faltered again.
Alas, neither team has won a game in the last 30 days.
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GAME INFO
WHERE: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
WHEN: 2:30 p.m., Saturday, Nov. 23
WATCH: Big Ten Network
LISTEN: Huskers Radio Network
VEGAS ODDS: Wisconsin +1, O/U 41.5
And both head coaches — Nebraska’s Matt Rhule and Wisconsin’s Luke Fickell — are in their second year with their current employer, both of whom were brought in to turn their respective programs back toward the success of old. Both of whom seem to be slightly behind schedule on said objective, depending on who you ask.
Again, the similarities are striking, and that’s without even mentioning the fact that both teams sit at 5-5 and need one more win to achieve bowl eligibility. That’s where one of the few differences can be exposed, though. Wisconsin’s last bowl appearance came, well, last year. In fact, they’ve played in a bowl game every season since 2002.
For Nebraska, it’s been a long, arduous eight-year bowl drought, which could all come to an end inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday. But the Huskers haven’t won a game since it beat Rutgers 14-7 at home on Oct. 5. Four consecutive losses followed. Still, as Husker fans know so well, not all losses are the same.
Nebraska’s 56-7 blowout loss to Indiana left a gross taste in the mouths of Big Red Nation, but then, the Huskers lost three straight games by one score, including a near upset of No. 4 Ohio State. There are no moral victories, though, and fans have grown far too used to seeing one-score losses.
Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson (9) pursues Purdue quarterback Hudson Card (1) in the backfield during an NCAA football game on Saturday, Sept. 28, 2024, in West Lafayette, Ind. (AP Photo/Doug McSchooler)(Doug McSchooler | AP)
But despite all the ire and hand-wringing present around the Husker program over the past six weeks, they still have a chance to do something no Nebraska team has managed to do since 2016, and that’s make a bowl game.
To do so in front of their home crowd on senior day would be a cherry on top.
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“I think the veteran guys, those senior guys are locked in,” Rhule said in his press conference Thursday. “There’s 30 seniors. There’s a lot of guys who’ve been here for five or six years, so this means a lot to them. The gravity of the situation is not lost on them and I know how much they’d like to win. I know how much they’d like to be the ones who broke through.”
This will be the second game in which Nebraska’s play-calling duties are in the hands of Dana Holgorsen, who Rhule hired last week to be the team’s new offensive coordinator, demoting Marcus Satterfield to tight ends coach.
Though, according to Rhule, it wasn’t necessarily the X’s and O’s that were the problem, and Holgorsen has echoed that.
“[Holgorsen] is putting a lot of pressure on the guys to make the plays,” Rhule said. “He’s been very direct with them. If they want to win, they’re going to have go make plays. They’re going to have to catch balls, break tackles, make long runs, make big blocks against an excellent defense, score touchdowns in the red zone. It’s not the plays that do it, it’s the players that do it. We want our players to believe that players win games.”
Wisconsin poses a unique challenge to Nebraska in that, again, they’re very much alike. The Badgers don’t really boast any major firepower on offense. Halfback Tawee Walker is their best playmaker, having found the end zone 10 times this year with an average of just under five yards per carry.
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Wisconsin cornerback Ricardo Hallman (2) returns an interception 95-yards for touchdown as Rutgers quarterback Gavin Wimsatt, left, chases during the first half of an NCAA college football game Saturday, Oct. 7, 2023, in Madison, Wis. (AP Photo/Andy Manis)(Andy Manis | AP)
But this year’s Wisconsin squad hangs its hat on the defensive side of the ball — namely, the secondary. The Badgers rank in the top 10 nationally in both passing yards allowed and passing yards per game. Cornerback Ricardo Hallman is one of the top-rated NFL Draft prospects at his position.
Last week, the Badgers held Oregon quarterback and Heisman candidate to just 218 yards, no touchdowns and an interception.
“They’re an excellent defense,” said Rhule. “They’ve got guys who can cover. They’re going to play man [coverage]. They’ve got a great safety, linebackers who can run, excellent pass rush. They held Oregon to 16 points and they were really good in the red zone against Oregon, so it’s probably as good of a defense as we’ll see all year.”
Radio: Sunday’s game will be carried on the Huskers Radio Network with Kent Pavelka and Jake Muhleisen on the call, including KLIN (1400 AM) in Lincoln, KXSP (590 AM) in Omaha and KRVN (880 AM) in Lexington. The pregame show begins an hour before tipoff and will also be available on Huskers.com and the Huskers app.
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TV/Online: Sunday’s game will be on BTN with Kevin Kugler and Stephen Bardo on the call. It will also be available online on the Fox Sports app.
Jarek’s Pre-tipoff Thoughts: Ok, eventually Nebraska has to win a game in the conference again, right? This will be a big game for Connor Essegian, the former Badger who gets to play against his old team at his old home. The rest of the Huskers will have to match his intensity levels, as it is a different breed of animal to face a former team. If, and it’s a big if, they can do that, Nebraska just might have a chance. Nebraska’s last road game, which was Maryland, was a much better performance on the road than any other this season. Hopefully that momentum continues. Having said all of that, I just don’t see Nebraska winning, making the Conference losing streak 6 games. Prediction: Wisconsin 91 Nebraska 76.
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The style of play used by the Buckeyes – a full court press and pressure defense has flustered the Huskers in their most recent matchups. The Buckeyes try to take their opponent out of the game early and has an offense that comes at you from every position on the floor.
Can the Huskers stay composed and handle the early punches from the Buckeyes? Will they be in position to pull off one of their patented fourth quarter surges?
RV/25 Nebraska Cornhuskers vs. 12/12 Ohio State Buckeyes Sunday, January 26, 2025, 2 p.m. (CT) Pinnacle Bank Arena – Lincoln, Nebraska Special Event: Pack PBA Giveaway: ”For Three” Roller Banners (500) Live TV: B1G+ Live Radio: Huskers Radio Network (1:30 p.m.)Matt Coatney (PBP), Jeff Griesch (Analyst)Lincoln (107.3 FM), Huskers.com, Huskers App Live Stats: Huskers.com (statbroadcast – public)
Nebraska Cornhuskers (12-7, 2-6 Big Ten) at Wisconsin Badgers (15-4, 5-3 Big Ten)
Madison, Wisconsin; Sunday, 1 p.m. EST
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BETMGM SPORTSBOOK LINE: Badgers -7.5; over/under is 151.5
BOTTOM LINE: No. 18 Wisconsin faces Nebraska after John Tonje scored 24 points in Wisconsin’s 85-83 loss to the UCLA Bruins.
The Badgers are 10-1 on their home court. Wisconsin is sixth in the Big Ten scoring 82.5 points while shooting 47.1% from the field.
The Cornhuskers have gone 2-6 against Big Ten opponents. Nebraska is 0-3 in one-possession games.
Wisconsin makes 47.1% of its shots from the field this season, which is 5.7 percentage points higher than Nebraska has allowed to its opponents (41.4%). Nebraska averages 5.3 more points per game (76.4) than Wisconsin gives up (71.1).
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The Badgers and Cornhuskers match up Sunday for the first time in conference play this season.
TOP PERFORMERS: Max Klesmit is averaging 10.4 points for the Badgers. John Blackwell is averaging 17.7 points over the last 10 games.
Brice Williams is scoring 18.5 points per game with 3.7 rebounds and 2.5 assists for the Cornhuskers. Juwan Gary is averaging 13.9 points and 4.5 rebounds while shooting 42.5% over the past 10 games.
LAST 10 GAMES: Badgers: 7-3, averaging 82.1 points, 31.6 rebounds, 15.5 assists, 4.5 steals and 2.1 blocks per game while shooting 48.8% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 73.0 points per game.
Cornhuskers: 5-5, averaging 73.2 points, 32.6 rebounds, 13.5 assists, 7.1 steals and 2.8 blocks per game while shooting 46.6% from the field. Their opponents have averaged 70.4 points.
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The Associated Press created this story using technology provided by Data Skrive and data from Sportradar.
Wisconsin will look to bounce back after failing to sweep its games out west with a home game on Sunday afternoon against a spiraling Nebraska squad.
The Badgers have asserted themselves as one of the best teams in the Big Ten this season, and with that comes taking care of business against the likes of a bottom feeding team in the conference like the Cornhuskers.
Can Wisconsin return home and win in a big way?
Let’s find out below.
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Moneyline
Total: 151.5 (Over -105/Under -115)
Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook
Nebraska
Brice Williams: The veteran forward has struggled to shoot in Big Ten play, down to 32% after flirting with 40% shooting from behind the three-point line in non conference play. While he is a consistent scorer, it hasn’t been as efficient which has coincided with the Cornhuskers overall Big Ten struggles.
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Wisconsin
John Tonje: One of the best newcomers to any team in the country, Tonje responded to his quiet effort against USC last weekend in which he scored zero points to pour in 24 points on six three-point makes against one of the best defenses in the nation in UCLA. While it was a loss, Tonje is the straw that stirs the drink for the Badgers high octane offense.
Nebraska has struggled on both sides of the floor in Big Ten play, and I don’t see it getting better in this matchup against Wisconsin.
The Cornhuskers compact defense yields the three-point shot, allowing opponents to post a near-49% three-point rate this season that ranks in the top 10 in the country. However, this plays right into the hands of Wisconsin, a fantastic three-point shooting team (85th in the country) on a top 40 rate in the nation.
With the ability to run its preferred offense, the Badgers should dictate the terms of this one while also contending nicely on the defensive side of the floor. The Cornhuskers’ three-point shooting is limited and is reliant on getting to the rim, but that’s tough to come by on the Badgers, who rank top 80 in the country in average shot proximity, per Haslametrics.
Nebraska has been competitive despite being mired in a five game Big Ten losing streak, losing its last three games by five points or less, but the matchup edges side with Wisconsin that I can’t look past laying it with the home team.
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PICK: Wisconsin -7.5
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