It wasn’t pretty, but the Nebraska football team (4-1, 1-1) found another way to win as the Huskers pulled away late in an eventual 38-27 victory over Michigan State.
Plagued by offensive staleness and overall slopiness, Nebraska saw its 14-0 advantage disappear before its eyes as MSU scored 21 unanswered points off a pair of rushing touchdowns from Spartan quarterback Aidan Chiles. But not even two minutes after trailing for the first time, NU’s Emmett Johnson tied the game with a 23-yard sprint to the end zone for a score. A fourth-quarter field goal minutes later gave Nebraska the lead back at 24-21 before Nyziah Hunter broke open a screen pass for a 59-yard touchdown to put the game on ice.
While flashbacks of past collapses flooded the minds of Husker fans everywhere, NU didn’t break and won a contest that most past teams wouldn’t have come back from. That may be life in the new Big Ten, especially as NU continues to grow as a program. In what was essentially a five-game home swing to begin the season, Nebraska hits the road for the first time with a pair of programs that have been tough outs in 2025.
Here’s all you need to know as the Huskers visit Maryland in hopes of winning its first road game of the 2025 season.
How to Follow Along
Maryland Scout
Head Coach
Head Coach Mike Locksley | 8th season at Maryland; 11th as HC | 37-42 (.468) at Maryland; 39-68 (.364) Career record as HC | Broyles Award (2018) | Previous HC at New Mexico | Previous assistant at Alabama, Maryland, Illinois, Florida, Army, Pacific, Navy Prep and Towson State.
2024 Finish
2024 Record & Awards
4-8 (1-8 B1G, 17th) | All-Big Ten: 1x First Team, 4x Honorable Mentions.
All-Time Series
Key Departures
Top Returners
Impact Transfers/Newcomers
Key Storylines
Can Nebraska’s offensive line improve after its shuffling at tackle?
While the unit up front of the Huskers played better against Michigan State than its in-state counterpart, the Nebraska offensive line still had plenty of leaks, with quarterback Dylan Raiola going down for five sacks last Saturday. Granted, the second-year signal caller could’ve released the ball sooner, but it was still very up-and-down against the Spartans.
The Huskers seem content with Elijah Pritchett starting at left tackle after moving sophomore Gunnar Gottula to the right side. At the very least, it’ll create stability for each player to grow comfortable and improve with each contest. Pritchett has all the talent in the world, but being disciplined will be key for the Alabama transfer as NU faces a young Maryland defensive front that has plenty of playmakers, such as Sidney Stewart and Zahir Mathis.
Another tough test for freshman sensation Malik Washington.
With 12 total touchdowns in his first five career games, Washington is the only P4 true freshman with those numbers, which speaks to the special kind of start he’s having in College Park.
The Maryland native had his roughest outing against a Huskies team with tall defensive backs, but he still went 30-for-49 with 219 yards, one touchdown, and one interception, despite the Terrapins blowing a 20-0 lead in the 24-20 loss. With some mobility (three rushing TDs), Washington could create some problems for the Blackshirts, but we’ll see what defensive coordinator John Butler can draw up. With NU’s pass defense still among the country’s best, Washington won’t have an easy time.
Overall, this matchup suits Nebraska as Maryland brings in the second-worst rushing offense in the conference (3.1 Yds/Att), so as long as the Husker defensive front holds, NU can control the game.
Will travel and/or Nebraska’s slow start last week have any impact?
With head coach Matt Rhule bringing his team to College Park a day earlier than usual, the Huskers aren’t taking any chances when it comes to travel having an impact on the game. With that sentiment becoming a big talking point in the last few weeks, NU is taking a careful approach in their first true road game of the season.
It’ll be interesting to see if last week’s sloppy start was a one-off or the start of a discouraging trend. Washington did their best reenactment last Saturday against Maryland when they went down 20-0. While the Huskies eventually came back for a 24-20 win, the Huskers can’t have that same approach as the Terrapins appear to be a much better team than Michigan State near the halfway point of the 2025 season.
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