As we venture into Week 12 of the 2014 college football season, the Nebraska Cornhuskers find themselves atop the Big Ten West division standings posting an 8-1 record, with their only blemish being a road loss at Michigan State. Coming off of a bye week, the No. 13 Cornhuskers will travel to Camp Randall energized to play a game that may have Playoff implications for the team.
When hitting on all cylinders, the Nebraska offense has proven to be one of the most potent in all of college football, ranking 12th in the FBS in points per game with 40. In fact, Nebraska has eclipsed the 30-point plateau in all but one game this season.
Much like Wisconsin, the main cog of Nebraska’s offense is its running game. The offense relies heavily upon the success of its running back Ameer Abdullah, who is thought to be one of the best in the business at his position. Anyone who watched Nebraska face off against Purdue two weeks ago witnessed just how instrumental Abdullah is to that offense, as Imani Cross, who received a bulk of the carriers after Abdullah exited the game due to injury, rushed for only 66 yards on 20 attempts.
While the Cornhuskers rank 83rd in the NCAA in passing yards per game, junior quarterback Tommy Armstrong Jr. makes up for it by making dynamic plays with his feet. Nebraska’s option-style offense is beneficial for Armstrong, because it allows him to showcase his tremendous athleticism.
The tandem of Abdullah and Armstrong have greatly attributed to Nebraska’s eight-ranked rushing attack. While strong offensive showings have remained steady for the most part, Nebraska has been plagued with penalties at points this season. Teams can get away with committing penalties against rather lackluster opponents like Purdue, but fundamentals must be sharp to beat quality opponents like Wisconsin.
The Nebraska defense has played at a high caliber in most of its games. The defensive unit as a whole is listed inside the top 25 nationally in a number of major defensive categories, including points allowed (16th), yards per play (21st), and total defense (25th).
The most impressive part of this defense is their ability to stalwart opposing offenses on third down and stifle potential scoring opportunities. In fact, the Cornhuskers’ defense allows third down conversions on only 26 percent of all opposing drives, rendering them the second-best third down defense in the country.
The Cornhuskers’ defense appears to have a knack for taking the ball away, as they have intercepted 11 passes this season, tied for second-most in the Big Ten. This means that the sometimes shaky duo of Joel Stave and Tanner McEvoy must focus on making wise decisions with the ball in their hands.
