Predictions: Huskers vs. Spartans – Corn Nation

Mike: Do we find out this week if last week’s “close but no cigar” performance by Nebraska against Oklahoma was just an anomaly or something to build on?

Patrick: Time to get taken to “The Woodshed”.

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

The biggest game of Frost’s tenure? An opportunity to start 4-2 (assuming Nebraska beats NW).

Jill: Nate, you should know by now that we can assume nothing about the Huskers.

Wisconsin (-6) vs. Notre Dame at Solider Field, Chicago

Patrick: University of Wisconsin 9 University of Notre Dame 7

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

I’m not sure if Notre Dame stole Florida State’s soul in week 1, but they have not been overly impressive since that week. It’s possible that Florida State might not win a game this season. Wisconsin showed something against a really good Penn State team.

Wisconsin by 10.

Mike: Neither school has a great offense, but Wisconsin has a decent defense. Bucky 23, Flatulent Stereotypes from Ireland 13

Jill: On a neutral field, I’ll pick the team I know a little bit more about. Follow me for more insightful analysis! Badgers by 7.

Illinois (+11) at Purdue

Patrick: Purdue University 24 University of Illinois 21

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

Illinois is 1-3. Goodness, how did we lose to them? It’s infuriating. Purdue by 3.

Mike: But is David Bell going to be able to play for Purdue? I’m betting not, and so I’d take the points. Purdon’t 24, Ill 20

Jill: At this point, I don’t think the Illini believe in themselves anymore. Bert is making beating Nebraska look more and more like a fireable offense (all around) every week. Boilers 27 Illini 18

Iowa State (-7) at Baylor

Patrick: Iowa State University 32 Baylor University 17

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

Iowa State’s only loss so far this season was to a currently ranked top 10 team. Baylor, on the other hand, is Baylor, though they did beat an impressive Kansas team by 38. Iowa State wins by 17.

Mike: Both teams have stout defenses and great running backs. Iowa State’s problem is that they have a quarterback that turns the ball over. Baptists 27, Circular Winds 20

Jill: I still have a kneejerk response to pick against Baylor no matter what. Clones 34 Bears 24

UCLA (-4) at Stanford

Patrick: University of California Los Angeles 38 Stanford University 27

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

Chip Kelly is doing what we thought Frost would do and that’s build a winner. Yes, UCLA lost to Fresno State last week. That’s a good Fresno State team who only lost to Oregon by 7. Both have had to adapt and Frost probably took two years too long to do so.

UCLA gets back on the saddle and beats Stanford by 10.

Mike: Remember when David Shaw was a big time coach? Well, not this week. Kelly’s team will have a Chip on their shoulder. Ucla 38, Weird Tree 23

Jill: I’m getting too old to stay up for #PAC12AfterDark. However, it will be fun to see if Chip Kelly can keep UCLA on this upward trajectory. Bruins by 10.

Nebraska (+5) at Michigan State

Patrick: Michigan State University 13 University of Nebraska 10

Nate M: I could be brown, I could be blue, I could be violet sky. I could be hurtful, I could be purple, I could be anything you like.

Can Nebraska stop Michigan State from running the ball? Michigan State’s Kenneth Walker III is currently averaging 8.6 yards per rush on 57 attempts. I think that is the key to the game. If both teams play clean team football then I think Nebraska wins. However, we can’t have nice things. I think Michigan State could be slightly overrated. In the game against Miami it was turnovers that were the difference. Nebraska played close and should have beat a top 5 team in Oklahoma. Maybe Oklahoma is overrated? It’s possible. But when trying to decide whether Nebraska is going to beat Michigan State I go back to one thing. Nebraska lost to Illinois.

Michigan State 34 – Nebraska 30.

Mike: I think Nebraska’s defense is better than Michigan State’s, and Nebraska’s offense has more talent than Sparty’s. I’m making the homer pick here: Huskers 28, Sparty 24

Jill: I’m going back and forth on this one. Nebraska’s rush defense hasn’t shown they can stop the ground game and MSU’s is on a whole different level than any they have seen this season. With this game being in East Lansing, I think the Huskers need a mistake-free game and some big plays to win. Depending on the Huskers to play mistake-free is a bad bet. Sparty by seven.