5 things to know about Nebraska football vs. Maryland

Nebraska football will make the trip to Maryland on Saturday for a battle between 4-1 teams. The Huskers and Terrapins have identical records overall and in the Big Ten (1-1).

Maryland probably should be 2-0. Nebraska might feel the same way. Yet, the Terps built a 20-point lead over Washington last week, only to see it slip away in the fourth quarter.

Maryland has a promising freshman quarterback, an underrated roster, and a seasoned head coach. This won’t be a cakewalk by any stretch of the imagination. With that in mind, here are five things to know about Nebraska football vs. Maryland, including the odds and how to watch.

Nebraska vs. Maryland odds

The line has been shifting toward Nebraska football, which is a seven-point favorite, according to Vegas oddsmakers. The over/under is 47.6. The moneyline for the Huskers is -258, and for Maryland it’s +210.

Nebraska vs. Maryland: How to watch

The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network. Kickoff is set for 2:30 PM CST. The radio broadcast can be streamed at Huskers.com. All the streaming services should work too (FUBO, YouTube TV, etc).

Maryland’s pass rush

Pass protection has not been a strength of Nebraska’s. In two Big Ten games, the Huskers have allowed 12 sacks. That doesn’t bode well for Saturday, against a Maryland defense with 19 sacks.

You might look at the soft non-conference schedule and attribute that to the sack total. That was part of it. Yet, Maryland has nine sacks in two Big Ten games, compared to 10 in non-conference play.

Wisconsin, a team that just surrendered one sack to Michigan last week, allowed five to Maryland the week before. The offensive line needs to play better. But the protection, which includes Dylan Raiola identifying things pre-snap, as well as the backs, has to be better.

The entire pass protection operation needs to improve. Raiola needs to get rid of it quicker, too. Nebraska won despite giving up five sacks last week, but it’s hard to do that week in and week out.

A great defensive matchup for Nebraska football

This game is probably going to come down to Nebraska’s pass defense (fewest pass yards allowed in college football) against freshman QB Malik Washington.

Washington was a top-100 recruit coming out of high school. He’s one of the best recruits Mike Locksley has ever signed. So far, he’s exceeded expectations.

Washington is passing for 254 yards per game. He’s also got nine touchdowns compared to two interceptions, in addition to having the most pass attempts in the Big Ten this season (183). Terps can’t run the ball. They attempt 28.6 runs per game for just 93.2 yards, and an average of 3.3 yards per attempt.

Washington has 11 rushing attempts for 22 yards and three scores. He will run but doens’t do it much. Maryland’s leading rusher is averaging 209 yards per game (DeJuan Williams).

Nebraska needs to guard against Washington using his legs. Yet, it feels like a pass defense that held Aidan Chiles under 100 yards passing and Bryce Underwood to 105, can hem in Washington.

John Butler has given quarterbacks fits this season. Nebraska has allowed one touchdown pass compared to three interceptions. Washington might have a strong day against Nebraska. But it won’t be easy.

Turnover margin will be key

One reason both teams are 4-1 is their turnover ratio. Nebraska is plus 1.2 per game. Maryland is plus 1.4 per game. Maryland has forced 10 turnovers in five games. Like the Huskers, Maryland has just three giveaways.

The Huskers have nine takeaways compared to three giveaways. That means Nebraska is +6 and Maryland is +7. The Terps were even on takeaways against Washington. Nebraska was plus one against Michigan State, and if the Huskers can win the turnover battle Saturday, there’s a good chance they win the game.

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