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

Nebraska (3-5, 2-3) will try to bounce back today against Minnesota (5-3, 2-3).

The Gophers are fresh off an impressive 31-0 win over Rutgers, while the Huskers fell to Illinois 26-9 and lost quarterback Casey Thompson in the process.

As things get closer to kickoff, here are today’s keys to victory for Nebraska over Minnesota, along with the HuskerOnline score predictions for Saturday. NU currently sits as a 14.5 underdog for today’s game against the Gophers.

Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT, and the game can be seen on ESPN 2.

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KEYS TO VICTORY: Minnesota vs. Nebraska

KEY 1: Develop a sound plan at quarterback

If Thompson does not play today, what is the plan at quarterback? Will we seed both Logan Smothers and Chubba Purdy for Nebraska? Mark Whipple needs to develop a plan using their skillsets to get Minnesota off-balanced.

KEY 2: Force Tanner Morgan into throwing situations

The Gophers have one of the best third-down conversion rates in the country on offense. A lot of it is because they do a great job of getting into third-and-short situations. NU has to find a way to get Minnesota quarterback Tanner Morgan into throwing situations.

KEY 3: Find ways to get Trey Palmer involved

Since wide receiver Trey Palmer’s breakout game at Purdue on Oct. 15, he’s had just one catch for 1 yard. The Huskers have to get No. 3 going today if they want to have a chance to win this game.

KEY 4: Third down on both sides

Not only will third-down defense be key for the Huskers but getting their offense into manageable third-down situations will be equally important. The Gophers have one of the best third-down defense rates in the country.

KEY 5: Wake the crowd up right away

The kickoff temperature is going to be in the low 40s. When many people drive into the stadium, it will be pitch black out with daylight savings coming on Sunday. This crowd needs something to get them going. Last week’s loss to Illinois took a lot out of the fanbase. They cannot have another showing like that today vs. Minnesota.

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EXPERT TAKE

Sean Callahan – HuskerOnline Pubisher

I do not expect to see Casey Thompson in this football game on Saturday. Minnesota’s ball-control offense will be too much for the Huskers. The Gophers will pull away in the second half behind Tanner Morgan and Mo Ibrahim.

Minnesota 31, Nebraska 17

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Steven Sipple – HuskerOnline columnist

Minnesota will grind out long drives and play well enough on defense to leave town with a comfortable win. With an unsettled quarterback situation, the Huskers will struggle to gain 200 yards. As for the Gophers’ offense, Mohamed Ibrahim will get his 17^th straight 100-yard rushing game, but it won’t be easy against an NU defense that’s still rallying hard to the ball.

Minnesota 24, Nebraska 13

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Robin Washut – HuskerOnline senior writer

This game was already going to be tough for Nebraska even before losing its starting quarterback to injury. Now the Huskers will be hoping Chubba Purdy and Logan Smothers can keep the ship afloat after a disastrous performance last week when Casey Thompson went down. Until they prove otherwise, I just can’t trust NU’s available quarterbacks and the offensive cast around them to pull off an upset.

Minnesota 31, Nebraska 14

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Andy Kendeigh – KETV ABC-Omaha

No matter who plays quarterback the Huskers have to take care of the football, especially against Minnesota.  Since Mickey Joseph took over, Nebraska’s won the turnover battle once.  Once in five games!  For the season Nebraska is -6, Minnesota is plus 3.   The Golden Gophers play ball control and don’t turn it over.   Unless that changes, I don’t see how Nebraska snaps a 3-game losing streak against Minnesota.

Minnesota 23, Nebraska 10

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Jim Rose – 1110 KFAB Radio-Omaha

The Thompson injury is the X-factor here.  With him, the deep ball is there.   Minnesota’s offense plays keep away. Against Rutgers, it opened the game with 19-play and 13-play drives that soaked up the whole quarter plus.   Gotta get turnovers and capitalize. 

Minnesota 24, Nebraska 20

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Mike’l Severe – Big Red Wrap-Up

It hard to envision the Husker offense having any success without Casey Thompson in the lineup. Hopefully, whatever Coach Whipple does it involves a mix of Smothers running and Purdy trying to pass. In terms of the defense, Nebraska has been awful on third down and the Gophers are number one in the FBS. Combine that with how good the Minnesota defense has been overall, fourth in the country in points allowed, this one might get ugly.

Minnesota 30, Nebraska 14

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HuskerOnline Week 10 Score Predictions

Week 10	Sean Callahan	Steven Sipple	Robin Washut	Andy Kendeigh	Jim Rose	Mike’l Severe
Minnesota at Nebraska	31-17 Minnesota	24-13 Minnesota	31-14 Minnesota	23-10 Minnesota	24-20 Minnesota	30-14 Minnesota
Iowa at Purdue	27-17 Purdue	24-21 Iowa	24-17 Purdue	24-17 Purdue	20-14 Purdue	23-17 Purdue
Maryland at Wisconsin	34-30 Wisconsin	24-23 Wisconsin	23-21 Wisconsin	31-24 Wisconsin	31-24 Maryland	28-24 Maryland
Tennessee at Georgia	31-30 Georgia	37-34 Georgia	28-27 Tennessee	34-31 Georgia	42-35 Georgia	35-28 Georgia
Texas at K-State	27-23 Texas	27-24 K-State	35-33 K-State	31-28 K-State	28-24 K-State	31-27 Texas
Clemson at Notre Dame	34-27 Clemson	31-21 Clemson	34-30 Clemson	24-21 Notre Dame	31-28 Notre Dame	24-20 Clemson

HuskerOnline Score Prediction Standings

Expert picker	Straight Up	vs. The Spread	Cumulative Total
Jim Rose KFAB/iHeart Radio	27-16	25-18	52
Mike’l Severe Big Red Wrap-Up	33-10	17-26	50
Andy Kendeigh KETV ABC-Omaha	27-16	19-24	46
Sean Callahan HuskerOnline	26-17	18-25	44
Steven Sipple HuskerOnline	24-19	20-23	44
Robin Washut HuskerOnline	24-19	16-27	40