Nebraska begins Big Ten Conference play on Saturday, traveling to East Lansing, Mich., to take on the Michigan State Spartans. Game time is set for 4 p.m. CT (5 p.m. local) with BTN providing the telecast.
The matchup is the Big Ten opener for both teams, and marks Nebraska's third trip to East Lansing since 2021. Each of the Huskers' past two trips to Spartan Stadium have ended in three-point losses.
The Huskers come into the contest with a 3-0 record, after a 34-7 victory over North Dakota on Saturday night at Memorial Stadium. The win capped an impressive non-conference slate, as the Huskers outscored the three opponents by a combined 104 points. It also marked the third straight season Nebraska has completed non-conference play unbeaten.
Nebraska has excelled on both sides of the ball early in the season. The Husker offense ranks in the top 12 nationally in scoring, rushing and total offense, while the Blackshirt defense is in the top 16 in the country in scoring, passing and total defense.
Michigan State heads into the Big Ten opener with a 2-1 mark after a 27-10 road loss at No. 3 Notre Dame on Saturday. The Spartans opened the season with victories over Toledo and Eastern Michigan in East Lansing. Michigan State has allowed just 295.7 yards and 18.0 points per game during non-conference play, while featuring a balanced offensive attack.
The Spartans are guided by Pat Fitzgerald who is in his first season in East Lansing, but his 18th season as a Big Ten head coach after leading the Northwestern program from 2006 to 2022.
Huskers-Michigan State Have History of Close Games
Saturday's game is the 15th all-time meeting between Nebraska and Michigan State. The Huskers own a 10-4 advantage in the series, with Nebraska leading 5-4 since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011.
- Saturday's game will mark the third meeting in the past six seasons in East Lansing. Nebraska's only victory in East Lansing since joining the Big Ten was a come-from-behind 28-24 win in 2012. Overall, Michigan State leads in East Lansing, 3-2.
- The past six meetings have been decided by a total of 26 points, with the margin in five of those games being five or fewer points. MSU has won the past two games in East Lansing by three points apiece (2021 in OT, 2023).
- Nebraska's 39-38 victory over No. 6 Michigan State in Lincoln in 2015 was just the third time in school history an unranked Nebraska team defeated a top-10 opponent.
- Nebraska topped 200 yards in both rushing and passing in each of the first three games. It marks the first time Nebraska has reached that statistical milestone in three straight games since 2016. Nebraska has now topped 200 yards in both categories five times in Rhule's tenure.
- Nebraska surpassed 500 yards in each of the first two games, marking the first time NU had topped 500 yards of total offense in back-to-back games since last September against Akron and Houston Christian. Nebraska just missed a third straight 500-yard game with 493 yards of offense against North Dakota. The Huskers have now topped 500 yards five times under Matt Rhule.
- The Huskers have 23 offensive plays of 20 yards or more through three games, a total that ranks in tied for second nationally. Nebraska's 10 rushing plays of at least 20 yards also ranks second in the nation.
- Rule has led the way on the ground, averaging 109.7 yards per game, including a pair of 100-yard games. In the opener, he had 122 rushing yards on 15 carries with two rushing TDs. He added two catches for 47 yards, including a 24-yard touchdown reception. Rule had 88 yards on eight carries in the first half against Bowling Green, including a 59-yard touchdown run in week two. He added 119 yards and two touchdowns against North Dakota. Rule ranks second in the Big Ten and seventh nationally in rushing yards per game. He is the only freshman in the nation averaging better than 70.0 rushing yarrds per game.
- Rule has six touchdowns through three games (5 rush, 1 receiving), the most by a Husker through three games since Taylor Martinez also had six in 2011. Rule ranks sixth nationally in scoring.
- Nelson carried 10 times for 64 yards and a 29-yard touchdown against Ohio. He also caught two passes for a team-high 65 yards, with a 51-yard fourth-quarter touchdown that gave NU a comfortable margin. He accounted for 82 yards (48 rush, 34 receiving) against Bowling Green, and rushed for 54 yards against North Dakota.
- Nelson has 166 rushing yards and 106 receiving yards through three games. He is one of only three players in the nation with at least 100 rushing and 100 receiving yards.
- Mozee has totaled 126 rushing yards on 24 carries, including a TD run against Bowling Green.
Blackshirt Defense Off to Strong Start
The Husker defense has been strong during non-conference play, and was particularly strong against Bowing Green and North Dakota. NU allowed each of the past two opponents just seven points on a second-half touchdown.
- Against Bowling Green, Nebraska allowed only 169 total yards, the fewest by the Blackshirts since allowing 160 yards to Houston Christian last season. North Dakota picked up only 205 yards against the Huskers, including just 127 yards through three quarters.
- Nebraska allowed Bowling Green just nine first downs, while North Dakota picked up 10 first downs against the Blackshirts. North Dakota had just two first downs in the first half. This is the first time Nebraska has allowed 10 or fewer first downs in consecutive games since the first two games of the 1999 season.
- Nebraska is allowing 225.7 yards per game to rank sixth in the Big Ten and 11th in total defense. The Huskers rank seventh nationally allowing only 118.0 passing yards per game, and have allowed just 11.7 points per game to rank 16th nationally.
- The Huskers are tied for fifth nationally with just five plays of 20 yards or more allowed. Nebraska allowed a 68-yard play on Ohio's first play from scrimmage in the season opener, and a 20-yard pass play later in the first quarter against the Bobcats. However, over the past 11 quarters Nebraska has allowed just three plays of 20 yards or more.
- After the season's opening quarter, Nebraska has been difficult to move the ball against. In the past 11 quarters, Nebraska has allowed a total of 541 yards on 156 snaps, an average of 3.5 yards per play.
- The Husker defense has excelled on third down, allowing opponents to convert just 23.1 percent through three games, and ranks eighth nationally in that category. North Dakota was 1-of-12 on third-down conversions against the Huskers.