Maryland vs. Nebraska: Keys to victory, HuskerOnline score predictions for Saturday

Can Nebraska (5-4, 3-3) get its sixth win of 2023 and become bowl-eligible? The Huskers will take on a struggling Maryland (5-4, 2-4) team that has lost its last four games.

As things get closer to kickoff, here are today’s keys to victory for Nebraska against the Terrapins.

The Huskers enter today’s game as a slight 2.5-point underdog against Maryland. Today’s game can be streamed on Peacock.

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Nebraska is playing a game on Peacock for the first time. Here are 4 things I can't wait to see 🌽 🏈

Stream #BigTenSaturday Maryland vs. Nebraska on Nov 11 at 12 pm ET on Peacock. pic.twitter.com/hWDgCPtU5Y

— Peacock (@peacock) November 9, 2023

KEYS TO VICTORY: Maryland vs. Nebraska

KEY 1: Win the red zone

A big key today will be Nebraska’s defense in the red zone. Tony White’s crew has to force field goals and not allow touchdowns. Against Northwestern they were brilliant in this area, where a week again at Michigan State, they struggled.

KEY 2: Play the wind

Winds could potentially be a factor today again, this time out of the south. Hopefully, the wind works as an advantage for NU, limiting Maryland with what they want to do for two quarters.

KEY 3: Haarberg needs to be a quick blinker

When quarterback Heinrich Haarberg makes quick reads and gets rid of the football, he’s been effective. He must be a quick blinker on Saturday for this NU offense to succeed.

KEY 4: Create QB pressures on defense

Nebraska’s defense needs to force the issue. They have to create quarterback pressures and not let Taulia Tagovailoa have time to make his reads downfield. If they can get him off-balanced, they will force a few turnovers.

KEY 5: Get the crowd engaged early

11 a.m. games are tough. Fans have a hard time getting to Lincoln on time, and there is very little opportunity to get up for the game. NU has to do something early in this game to engage the crowd and get things going.

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Back at Home This Weekend🇺🇸#GBR x #WhatsNExt! pic.twitter.com/CNqHqjI55L

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) November 9, 2023

EXPERT TAKE

Sean Callahan – HuskerOnline Pubisher

Nebraska will come out hungry. Tony White’s defense will get back on track and get after Maryland’s offense. It should also be a big day for Haarberg with his legs. The Terps have struggled against mobile quarterbacks.

Nebraska 27, Maryland 23

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Steven Sipple – HuskerOnline columnist

I’m going to venture away from personnel matchups and scheme and point to two factors that should favor Nebraska: Sheer want-to and coaching. Nebraska, one would think, is hungrier to reach bowl eligibility. Maryland has been there, done that. As for coaching, you have to feel good about Matt Rhule having his team better prepared than Mike Locksley. Rhule has done an excellent job pushing the injury-riddled Huskers to this point.

Nebraska 27, Maryland 25

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Robin Washut – HuskerOnline senior writer

Nebraska might be the underdog today, but to me, this one is a total coin flip. If the Huskers can ever figure out how to stay out of their own way, they can compete with anyone left on their schedule. I think NU plays a clean enough game and finally locks up a bowl bid.

Nebraska 24, Maryland 21

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Andy Kendeigh – KETV ABC-Omaha

Turnovers are such a hot-button topic at Nebraska but Maryland has had major turnover issues as of late. In Maryland’s 5-0 start, the Terps’ turnover margin is +9, but during its four-game skid, Maryland’s margin is -8.  In fact, the Terps have forced just one turnover in the past four games.  Hang on to the ball, you win this game and become bowl-eligible.

Nebraska 24, Maryland 20

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Jim Rose – 1110 KFAB Radio-Omaha

Didn’t see that MSU thing coming.  Didn’t figure on the Blackshirts having an out-of-body experience and going conservative in a game.   Lesson learned.   Coach Tony White will turn these dudes loose and knock the Terps back into the Chesapeake Bay.  

Nebraska 24, Maryland 10

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Mike’l Severe – Big Red Wrap-Up

The Huskers have to be ready for Maryland’s tempo and the amount of guys who touch the ball. The Terps have six players with 20 or more catches, four with 30 or more. Tagovailoa is a great ball handler and the offense features a lot of waggles and boots, the contain guys have to do their jobs. If Nebraska can pressure Taulia up the middle, while defending the large amount of WR screens by fighting through the blocks, they will end the day bowl-eligible.

Nebraska 24, Maryland 23

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HuskerOnline Week 11 Score Predictions

Week 11	Sean Callahan	Steven Sipple	Robin Washut	Andy Kendeigh	Jim Rose	Mike’l Severe
Maryland at Nebraska	27-23 Nebraska	27-25 Nebraska	24-21 Nebraska	24-20 Nebraska	24-10 Nebraska	24-23 Nebraska
Michigan at Penn State	27-24 Michigan	28-13 Michigan	35-20 Michigan	27-24 Penn State	31-27 Michigan	31-30 Penn State
Rutgers at Iowa	13-12 Iowa	17-16 Iowa	7-4 Iowa	8-5 Iowa	13-10 Iowa	16-10 Rutgers
Minnesota at Purdue	31-24 Minnesota	21-17 Purdue	17-14 Minnesota	24-21 Minnesota	24-20 Minnesota	27-23 Minnesota
Utah at Washington	38-34 Washington	41-24 Washington	31-28 Washington	42-28 Washington	35-21 Washington	40-23 Washington
Tennessee at Missouri	34-31 Tennessee	35-28 Missouri	38-34 Missouri	42-38 Tennessee	28-24 Missouri	33-28 Missouri

HuskerOnline Pick Standings

Picker	Straight Up	Vs. Spread	Cumulative
Sean Callahan	43-17	34-26	77
Jim Rose	42-18	34-26	76
Andy Kendeigh	40-20	35-25	75
Mike’l Severe	39-21	29-31	68
Robin Washut	40-20	29-31	68
Steven Sipple	37-23	30-30	67

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Sean Callahan can be reached at [email protected] and is heard daily at 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media’s Big Red Wrap-Up Tuesdays at 7 pm.