3 keys for Nebraska football to beat Rutgers

Over the next three weeks, we’re going to find out a lot about this Nebraska football team. Up next is Rutgers, but two other undefeated teams are on the schedule after that.

First up are the Scarlet Knights. Rutgers is 4-0 coming into this matchup. The Scarlet Knights won seven games last season and they added a veteran quarterback in former Minnesota starter Athan Kaliakmanis.

Kaliakmanis has beaten the Huskers two years in a row. He came off the bench in 2022 to win the game, while leading Minnesota for a come-from-behind win last season too. Kyle Monangai is the star running back that Nebraska football fans need to know because he’s as good a back as there is in the Big Ten.

The winner of this game feels like it will be ranked, but more importantly, the Huskers would get a fifth win. After this, they have just two home games so they need to take advantage, and here are three keys to a Nebraska football win on Saturday against Rutgers.

Contain Kyle Monangai

Monangai has had three games with over 100 yards rushing this season. The talented back is averaging 6.1 yards per rushing attempt and has 589 yards in four games to go along with six touchdowns.

Monangai ran all over Washington in the Big Ten opener last week but Rutgers still goes down if the Huskies don’t miss three field goals. Virginia Tech is the only team that has held him under 100 yards. He got 84 on 26 rushes in that game, which is what Nebraska needs to do.

The run defense was great last week, holding Purdue to just 1.6 yards per attempt. Both Purdue running backs were held to fewer than four yards per attempt. That’s a big ask this week, but the Blackshirts can do it. They have to tackle and the EDGE players will be critical, but they need to hold Monangai in check to win this week.

Nebraska can survive a 100-yard game if it takes 25 attempts to get there, but if Monangai goes for 150 yards and is ripping off explosive runs, the Huskers will be in trouble.

Don’t lose the turnover battle

It’s easy to point to turnovers as a key to the game, but it feels even more important this week. Nebraska and Rutgers are a combined 9-1 this season. Rutgers has three giveaways in four games. Nebraska has three in five games. Both teams have been exceptional at taking care of the ball.

Nebraska and Rutgers are each doing a good job of taking the ball away too. Rutgers is forcing 1.3 turnovers per game, while the Huskers are getting 1.6 takeaways per game.

Lose the turnover battle and Nebraska is going to lose the game. Yet, if the Huskers have the edge or it’s even,  I don’t think Rutgers is good enough to overcome it.

Be competent in the kicking game

Rutgers head coach Greg Schiano’s teams have always done well on special teams. They have been particularly good at blocking kicks. Considering that Nebraska football had two kicks blocked last week, it’s a major concern. You have to worry about punts too.

A blocked punt is a great way to a lose a game like this, which I expect to be close. The Huskers have the advantage at quarterback. They also have more playmakers at the skill positions on both sides of the ball, especially if Tommi Hill can play.

Rutgers might have an edge in the ground game, but Nebraska has a stable of backs too and Emmett Johnson looks like a different dude. He just needs more carries and I hope he gets them this week after being named co-RB1.

All of this is to say Saturday’s game is going to be tight. If the Huskers can execute in the kicking game they should win the game. They are the better team.

But if you leave points on the field by missing field goals or having blocked kicks or returns that lead to points by the other team, it could move the needle as it did against Illinois.

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