Nebraska football hosts Northern Iowa: Game preview

The game begins at 6:30 p.m. and will be televised on the Big Ten Network.

1. Feed Dowdell: Sophomore running back Dante Dowdell has shot out to a fast start, averaging 5.2 yards per carry and scoring three touchdowns in Nebraska’s first two games. The powerful, tough runner should be called upon for a big contribution against a Northern Iowa defense that is battle-tested up front.

2. Ball to Barney: One of Nebraska’s best offensive weapons is a true freshman whose speed stands out above the rest. NU’s win over Colorado, in which Jacory Barney Jr. caught six passes and ran the ball twice, was a glimpse of what the wide receiver is capable of. The more often he has the ball in his hands, the better the Nebraska offense is.

3. Clean pocket: Quarterback Dylan Raiola has displayed a strong pocket presence thus far, not having held onto the ball for too long or taken too many hits. That’s not only crucial for Raiola’s season-long health but also for his comfort level in leading the Husker offense. Having protected Raiola well so far, the Nebraska offensive line will look to keep it up.

4. Let it fly: So long as he has time to throw, Raiola should push the ball down the field. He nearly connected with Jaylen Lloyd for a big touchdown pass last week, and NU has the pass-catchers to take the top off a defense. Targeting the Northern Iowa secondary in this way could open things up underneath as well.

1. Persistent pressure: Nebraska found a winning formula against Colorado with a four-man pass rush that got home time and time again. A week after totaling six sacks, can the Huskers make their pass-rushing presence felt again?

2. Stop the run: Northern Iowa’s bread and butter on offense is the run game, led by standout running back Tye Edwards. The Panthers don’t want to be an offense that drops back and attempts 30 passes per game — but if Nebraska can eliminate its rushing success, Northern Iowa will have to do just that.

3. Prevent penalties: A sloppy second half last week irked Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule, especially in the number of penalties the Huskers were whistled for. Giving free first downs and letting the UNI offense off the hook would be an easy way to close the gap between the teams, so it’s something Nebraska must avoid.

4. No big plays: Not known as a particularly explosive offense outside of its rushing attack, Northern Iowa may need a big play or two if it hopes to keep pace with Nebraska. Making the Panthers earn every yard and every point will be a key focus for the Blackshirts.

298.5: Rushing yards per game averaged by Northern Iowa this season.

36: Rushing yards per game allowed by the Nebraska defense, the fourth-best mark nationally.

14-0: Nebraska’s all-time record against FCS opponents.

RB | No. 14 | Sr.: While Dowdell has dominated the early downs at running back, it’s Johnson who Nebraska turns to on third downs. The senior has caught eight passes this season, including a touchdown last week, while averaging over 4 yards per carry.

DL | No. 93 | So.: A pass-rushing specialist, Wallin has played 11-12 snaps over the last two weeks but is yet to record his first tackle or sack. Could that change this week? Wallin is a key contributor for Nebraska up front.

Northern Iowa run game against Nebraska defense

If Nebraska can stop the run, it’ll have no worries about winning the football game. But if it can’t, Northern Iowa will play the game how it wants to play — a four-quarter grind that goes down to the end. UNI’s previous rushing success, albeit at the FCS level, is highly impressive but the Panthers haven’t faced run defenders like Nash Hutmacher or John Bullock yet.

It’s a testament to the level of play Raiola has provided thus far that he’ll be counted upon to be a difference-maker all season long. Raiola has as many career starts (two) as his Northern Iowa counterpart, Aidan Dunne — but what they’ve gone through during those starts has been drastically different. Dunne, playing in front of fewer than 10,000 fans, has completed just over half the passes he’s attempted this season. Raiola, who’s played in front of 86,000-plus, has completed 73.7% of his throws.

Nebraska 38, Northern Iowa 10

Just as in the Huskers’ last two games, this is another contest that the Nebraska defense should leave its mark on. Northern Iowa will challenge NU in a different way than its previous opponents, but a fairly one-dimensional offense means that the Huskers know what they need to do to win. Raiola and the new-look Nebraska offense have started the year on a roll and should put together another solid performance. If Nebraska gets out to a fast start, this one could get over early — but if they struggle early on, UNI could gain a foothold in the game. So long as the Blackshirts play to their level, Nebraska should end its nonconference schedule with a 3-0 record.