‘We’re just playing now for each other’: Husker defense out to prove it belongs vs. explosive Buckeyes | Football

That’s not to say the Blackshirts have been perfect, of course. Purdue rushed for more yards against NU than it had against any other Big Ten opponent this year and the Huskers only forced two sacks and didn’t get a turnover on 47 dropbacks from quarterback Aidan O’Connell.

Rogers’ point, though, is that the defense surrendered 21 points — Purdue’s other score was an interception returned for a touchdown. Illinois scored nine nonoffensive points, and also the Sooners returned a blocked PAT for two points. Michigan State scored the tying touchdown on a punt return. In all, Nebraska’s defense has given up 21 points or fewer seven times in nine games, including four times in games the Huskers lost.

“You’ve seen what we can do against teams that have explosive players and we know what we can do against those teams,” Rogers said. “In the D-line room, when we go over the scouting report and we see, oh, top five (running back), everyone’s eyes light up because it’s a great challenge for us. That’s why you come here. That’s why you come to the Big Ten. You want to go up against really good offensive linemen and really good running backs.

“We want to stop the run and then get after the quarterback when we can.”

OSU will stress the Husker defense in ways that even OU didn’t. Walker might be the best back in the Big Ten, but Buckeye freshman TreVeyon Henderson isn’t far behind. And even though the Spartans’ explosive receiving duo of Jayden Reed and Jalen Nailor may go under the radar nationally, they’re not as dangerous as OSU’s trio of Garrett Wilson, Chris Olave and Jaxon Smith-Njigba.