Report card from Nebraska’s windy 38-27 win over Michigan State

Nebraska (4-1, 1-1) returned from its bye week and faced Michigan State (3-2, 0-2) this past weekend, with both teams looking to bounce back from their first loss. Despite an uneven outing, due to high wind, the Huskers earned a 38-27 victory.

Nebraska struck in all three phases, scoring big plays, snatching turnovers and delivering game-changing special teams moments. Even with some mistakes, the Huskers did enough to put together a solid outing.

Advertisement

Michigan State also stayed in the fight until partway through the third, finishing with 240 yards of total offense while Nebraska finished with 261. However, the Huskers’ big plays in each phase ensured they would secure the victory.

However, there is room for growth for this team, especially if it wants to return to the postseason and establish itself. Here is Nebraska’s report card from its 38-27 win over Michigan State.

Quarterbacks: B-

High winds limited quarterback play on the day, but even taking that into account, Dylan Raiola still found himself in an unbalanced outing. He finished 16-of-24 for 194 yards with a touchdown but also coughed up a series of mishaps.

Advertisement

Raiola missed several throws that, even the wind, got away from him. He also threw an interception right to a Spartan defender, which Michigan State turned into a touchdown, taking the lead 21-14. Raiola also suffered five sacks, some of which could have been avoided.

But even taking that into account, Raiola still helped rally the Huskers in the third, which he started by hitting a 45-yard strike to Jacory Barney, leading to a touchdown a few plays later.

Weather-wise, this isn’t going to be the only challenging game for Raiola. But in terms of dealing with the wind and buckling down when needed, he delivered a good outing. If he continues to bring that grit and avoid making any more costly mistakes, he can certainly make October a big month.

Running Backs: A-

Emmett Johnson bounced back from his lackluster outing against Michigan, earning 120 all-purpose yards. He rushed for 87 yards and three touchdowns on 13 carries and hauled in six catches for 37 yards. Johnson also busted out three separate double-digit runs, two of which resulted in touchdowns.

Advertisement

Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee also churned out some yards off just four combined carries between the two. Nelson earned an 11-yard gain on his lone carry while Mozee tallied nine yards on three carries.

Though the team didn’t finish with 100 yards rushing, the group struck when needed and helped the offense cap off drives and battle the wind. Plus, no costly mistakes emerged from the backfield, so if they continue to put in the work, the run game can return to the form it had back in early September.

Wide Receivers: A-

With Raiola only completing 16 passes and a few throws being carried off by the wind, Nebraska’s wide receivers did not see many massive plays. But the few they did see resulted in massive breaks for the Huskers.

Advertisement

Barney’s aforementioned 45-yard play did help jumpstart Nebraska’s second-half surge, helping the team start an eventual 24-0 run. He only finished with two catches for 47 yards, but his 45-yard catch was a major play.

Nyziah Hunter, however, also brought a big play, turning a screen pass into a 59-yard touchdown with one shoe on. He led the aerial attack with four catches for 93 yards.

Nebraska’s receivers will likely get more action in future games, especially if the wind isn’t as aggressive as it was this past week. So long as the group makes big plays and helps Raiola move the ball, the offense will be an aerial force to be reckoned with.

Offensive Line: C+

The Nebraska offensive line recovered a little from its rough outing against Michigan. The key phrase being, a little. Michigan State nearly doubled its season sack total in the game by getting to Raiola five times, and although the run game did enough to secure the win, there were a few drives that fell apart due to the pressure.

Advertisement

The second quarter especially saw slip-ups in the trenches, with a drive that started on Michigan State’s 26-yard line getting pushed back to Nebraska’s 42 due to back-to-back sacks, a false start penalty and a bad snap.

Another drive started on Michigan State’s 44, but an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty put Nebraska in a 3rd and 16 situation, leading to another missed opportunity. Tack on two failed fourth-down conversions, and one could see this is only a tad better than what the pipeline allowed two weeks ago.

But again, like the Michigan game, the line did just enough for Raiola to make big plays. Plus, the line helped form holes for Johnson to break out a few of his big runs, and did a great job on Hunter’s screen pass in order for it to become a touchdown.

The pipeline still needs improvement, but when compared to Michigan, this is a step in the right direction.

Advertisement

Defensive Line: B

The defensive line stepped up this week, getting to the backfield and putting pressure on Aiden Chiles, thereby limiting the run game. Michigan State only finished with 84 rushing yards on 38 carries, a massive improvement for the Blackshirts compared to Michigan.

The front line also got to Chiles on multiple occasions, finishing with 3.5 sacks. Williams Nwaneri led the way, earning five tackles and 1.5 sacks. Cameron Lenhardt delivered three tackles and one sack, while Elijah Jeudy tallied two tackles and one sack.

But the line did allow a few short runs to get through when they needed a stop, resulting in touchdowns each time. Michigan State also finished the day 4-of-5 on fourth down, with a few of the conversions coming from the line.

Advertisement

Much like the pipeline, this is a better showing than compared to Michigan, but there is still much room for growth when it comes to stopping the run.

Linebackers: B

The second level also improved following a lackluster Michigan game, with Javin Wright and Vincent Shavers especially making plays behind the line. Wright led Nebraska in tackles, delivering 10 on the day. He also led the team in tackles for loss, earning 3.5. Shavers, meanwhile, earned nine tackles and two tackles for loss.

But Michigan State did get a few runs in, with Chiles even slipping by a linebacker, breaking into the second level and scoring on a fourth down play.

Advertisement

With almost every quarterback left on Nebraska’s schedule known for taking off, the Huskers need to get better at keeping them contained. Otherwise, games may slip away due to one missed tackle.

Defensive Backs: B+

Though Michigan State finished with 156 yards passing and a touchdown, the second team to crack 100 on Nebraska’s secondary, it took two quarterbacks to reach that mark. Chiles finished 9-of-23 for 85 yards and two interceptions.

DeShon Singleton snatched both picks in back-to-back drives, doubling his career total in the process. He also finished with six tackles on the day, while Donovan Jones led the group with seven.

Advertisement

But the final drive, along with a few solid passes, did bring down the grade for the secondary. Even though Alessio Milivojevic put together a solid drive for Michigan State at the end, Nebraska really shouldn’t have allowed such an efficient drive that took less than two and a half minutes.

The road only gets tougher from here for the defensive backs, with almost every team left on the schedule leaning on the passing game. However, if they continue to hold quarterbacks to under 100 yards passing, the Blackshirts may help the offense not worry about scoring 30 points or more to win.

Special Teams: A

A major factor in Nebraska’s win arose from its special teams department. The third phase delivered two key plays on the day, resulting in 10 points for the Huskers. The first being a blocked punt by Jamir Conn, which Carter Nelson then took back for a score.

Advertisement

The other key moment occurred in the third quarter, when Mozee recovered a muffed kickoff, leading to a Nebraska field goal that gave them the lead. The Huskers’ momentum picked up from there, turning their 24-21 lead into a 38-27 win.

Kyle Cunanan hit one field goal on the day, but from 27 yards out. Barney also broke a couple of big punt returns, including a 57-yard run that set Nebraska up deep within enemy territory. However, he also took one back for a score, but it was called back due to a Nebraska penalty. The Huskers didn’t score on that drive, which made the penalty all the more crucial in the moment.

This was the only downside to the special team’s play, even taking into account the high winds that limited Archie Wilson’s punts. But considering the special team’s mishaps from past seasons, this group, without a doubt, has taken major steps forward.

Contact/Follow us@CornhuskersWire on X, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.

This article originally appeared on Cornhuskers Wire: Nebraska football report card from Michigan State victory