Nebraska will try to win in Lincoln against Iowa for the first time since 2011, when the two teams square off for the 15th annual Heroes Trophy Game. <\/p>\n
As things get closer to kickoff, here are today\u2019s keys to a Husker victory over the Hawkeyes. <\/p>\n
NU enters today\u2019s game against Iowa as a 6-point underdog. Kickoff for Friday\u2019s game is set for 11 a.m. CT on CBS. <\/a><\/p>\n BLACK FRIDAY DEAL: Get 50% on Black Friday only as a new HuskerOnline subscriber<\/a><\/p>\n KEYS TO VICTORY: Iowa vs. Nebraska<\/p>\n KEY 1: Get TJ Lateef involved early <\/p>\n One thing about the Penn State game plan I didn\u2019t like was that it didn\u2019t really involve QB TJ Lateef<\/a> and his legs early. I would love to see Dana Holgorsen<\/a> come out with a few plays on the opening drive to utilize Lateef and his mobility to get Iowa\u2019s defense out of balance. <\/p>\n KEY 2: Get off blocks in the run game<\/p>\n Last week at Penn State, Nebraska\u2019s defense had assignment busts, and they didn\u2019t do a good job of getting off blocks in the run game. If that happens against Iowa, it could be a long Black Friday for Huskers fans. NU needs to play with much better technique and discipline against the run game today. <\/p>\n KEY 3: Be creative with Emmett Johnson <\/p>\n The best offensive football player on the field today is running back Emmett Johnson<\/a>. Iowa is fully prepared for him to get 20 to 25 offensive touches. It will be important for Holgorsen to be creative in how he gets the football to Johnson. <\/p>\n KEY 4: Limit Gronowski\u2019s run in the red zone <\/p>\n Meanwhile, Iowa\u2019s best offensive weapon is its quarterback, Mark Gronowski<\/a>. Between designed runs and scrambles, he\u2019s been averaging between eight and 10 runs per game, and he\u2019s carried it as many as 12 times in a game this season. Last week against Michigan State was the only game this season in which Gronkowski did not score a rushing touchdown. He has 13 of the Hawkeyes\u2019 22 rushing touchdowns on the year. <\/p>\n KEY 5: Finish <\/p>\n Each of the last two seasons under head coach Matt Rhule<\/a>, Nebraska has had the ball in the fourth quarter with a chance to beat Iowa. In 2023, Chubba Purdy<\/a> threw an interception that allowed a game-winning field goal to happen for Iowa. In 2024, the Hawkeyes forced a strip sack on Dylan Raiola<\/a> to set up a game-winning field goal. You have to think it\u2019s going to be something similar this year. The Huskers must finish today. <\/p>\n<\/p>\n Expert takes<\/p>\n Sean Callahan \u2013\u00a0HuskerOnline Publisher<\/a><\/p>\n Matt Rhule wants this football game. You could see it in his eyes throughout the week, how locked in he is and what this game means for the 2025 season. TJ Lateef\u2019s legs will give Iowa problems, and the Hawkeye ground game is not nearly as good as what the Huskers saw last week at Penn State in terms of NFL talent at running back. Nebraska figures out a way to pull off the upset. <\/p>\n Nebraska 23, Iowa 20<\/p>\n Steven Sipple \u2013\u00a0HuskerOnline columnist<\/a><\/p>\n Less than a week after Penn State hammered Nebraska with 231 rushing yards on 5.9 yards per carry, the Huskers face a team in Iowa that is statistically better than the Nittany Lions as a rushing outfit. How well will Nebraska hold up? Iowa is awfully physical and very comfortable in close games, as Matt Rhule pointed out this week. This will be another close one.<\/p>\n Iowa 27, Nebraska 21<\/p>\n Robin Washut \u2013\u00a0HuskerOnline senior writer<\/a><\/p>\n In what is arguably the most important game yet of the Matt Rhule era, Nebraska will have its hands full against rival Iowa today. I don\u2019t like NU\u2019s matchup in stopping Iowa\u2019s outside zone and QB run game. I also worry about TJ Lateef facing a Hawkeye defense that makes you earn everything and baits you into mistakes. This one will come down to the wire, and, like usual, I think Iowa finds a way to steal it at the end.<\/p>\n Iowa 27, Nebraska 24<\/p>\n Andy Kendeigh \u2013\u00a0KETV ABC-Omaha<\/a><\/p>\n The difference between 8-4 versus 7-5 will come down to two things for Nebraska, winning special teams and stopping the run.\u00a0 \u00a0The Huskers are greatly improved on special teams and must contain the best return man in the country and Iowa\u2019s biggest weapon in Kaden Wetjen.\u00a0 If they can and if they can make enough stops, Nebraska will go bowling in the Sunshine State.<\/p>\n Nebraska 13, Iowa 11<\/p>\n Jim Rose \u2013\u00a01110 KFAB Radio-Omaha<\/a><\/p>\n Progress is a squishy word around Lincoln these days.\u00a0 Some evidence of a program on the rise exists only to be tampered with by performances like last Saturday night at Penn St.\u00a0Think about it:\u00a0The Cincy win is losing luster by the week, MSU pushed \u2018em around for 2 \u00bd quarters, Michigan, USC were dud performances, the NW game was won with an interception and a kick return; and I still can\u2019t process what the f\u2014k happened at Minnesota.\u00a0 Seems though all would be forgiven with a win over the neighbors who have been anything but neighborly winning 9 of the last 10 meetings.\u00a0I think it\u2019ll happen cuz we\u2019ll get some big plays if we try \u2018em.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Nebraska 24, Iowa 17<\/p>\n Mike\u2019l\u00a0Severe \u2013\u00a0Big Red Wrap-Up<\/a><\/p>\n You may ask yourself, how will the Huskers beat a team that\u2019s greatest strength appears to be Nebraska\u2019s biggest weakness.\u00a0Iowa runs outside zone at one of the highest rates in the B1G and Nebraska has allowed a 16.2% big play rate vs that run concept (that\u2019s crazy). So here is your answer, most of these matchups come down to a late drive and a special teams success or failure.\u00a0Nebraska has already shown they can win late possession games this season and the ST is greatly improved. If NU can just limit the explosive plays (BTW Iowa is 17th in the B1G in 20+ and 30+ yard plays) and not make a mistake on special teams they will squeeze out an 8th win.\u00a0 \u00a0<\/p>\n Nebraska 17, Iowa 13<\/p>\n HuskerOnline Week 14 Score Predictions<\/p>\n Week 14Sean CallahanSteven SippleRobin WashutAndy KendeighJim RoseMike\u2019l SevereIowa at Nebraska (+6)23-20 Overall standings<\/p>\n PickerStraight UpVs. SpreadCumulativeRobin Washut58-2039-3997Sean Callahan55-2336-4291Mike\u2019l Severe49-2941-3790Jim Rose52-2638-4090Steven Sipple49-2936-4285Andy Kendeigh48-3036-4284<\/p>\n Sean Callahan can be reached at\u00a0[email\u00a0protected]<\/a>\u00a0and is heard daily at\u00a06:45 am and 5:05 pm\u00a0<\/a>on\u00a0Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB<\/a>\u00a0in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on\u00a0KETV Channel 7\u00a0<\/a>in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media\u2019s\u00a0Big Red Wrap-Up<\/a>\u00a0Tuesdays at 7 pm.<\/p>\n
Nebraska27-21
Iowa27-24
Iowa13-11
Nebraska24-17
Nebraska17-13
NebraskaOhio State at Michigan (+10)27-20
Ohio State24-17
Ohio State28-17
Ohio State17-10
Ohio State35-28
Ohio State27-10
Ohio StateOregon at Washington (+6.5)31-27
Oregon27-21
Oregon38-31
Oregon27-17
Oregon 42-21
Oregon27-24
WashingtonWisconsin at Minnesota (-1.5)17-13
Wisconsin21-20
Wisconsin14-10
Minnesota14-10
Wisconsin20-17
Minnesota23-20
Wisconsin Northwestern at Illinois (-7)27-23
Illinois 34-32
Illinois 30-20
Illinois 24-14
Illinois28-24
Illinois 31-21
Illinois Texas A&M at Texas (+2.5)34-27
Texas A&M31-28
Texas A&M35-31
Texas A&M31-28
Texas35-31
Texas 28-27
Texas A&M<\/p>\n