Offense

The Wildcat offense fell apart last week against the Mizzou Tigers. The normally strong running game of junior Daniel Thomas was contained by the Tiger defense, and the passing game of quarterback Grant Gregory was unable to score a touchdown all day. Instead, the Wildcats settled for field goals on four separate drives, while turning the ball over on downs at the Mizzou 1-yard line late in the game. If the Wildcats hope to beat Nebraska, they will need to score in the red zone early and often.

The Nebraska offense has also struggled this season, scoring only 7 points in a loss to Iowa State and just 10 points in a win against the Oklahoma Sooners. The Huskers have been slowed by injury, with running back Roy Helu Jr. missing part of the season. However, last week against the Kansas Jayhawks, Nebraska put up 31 points in Lawrence. The Cornhuskers are similar to the Wildcats in that they do not pass often. Quarterback Zac Lee has struggled throughout the season and is usually not their first option.

Defense

The Wildcat defense, which had easily been the most consistent part of the team all season, gave up far too many points in last week's 38-12 loss. The team also struggled to contain the passing attack of the Tigers, allowing Danario Alexander to catch 10 balls for 200 receiving yards and three touchdowns. While the game was closer than the final score indicated, the play of the defense was not good. Against Nebraska, they will have to keep the game low-scoring if the Wildcats hope to win. They will also need to prevent big plays through the air.

The Nebraska defense has been consistent all season long, holding their opponent's offenses in check throughout the year. Nebraska's opponents are averaging just 11 points per game, with the season high coming against Texas Tech, in a 31-10 loss. Nebraska has been especially strong against the run, giving up only six rushing touchdowns this season and allowing just more than 90 yards per game on the ground. The defense is led by a pair of strong defensive tackles, Jared Crick and Ndamukong Suh. This season, Crick has 60 tackles while Suh has 56.

Special Teams

The K-State special teams performed well against Missouri, with kicker Josh Cherry gaining confidence and converting on four field goals. His solid day earned him the Big 12's special teams player of the week award heading into the most important game of the season. Kick returner Brandon Banks had a good day returning the ball against Missouri, but as most teams are not kicking the ball to him, he is not as much of a threat to score a touchdown. He will need to make the most of his opportunities should the Cornhuskers decide to kick the ball in his direction. Also performing well for the Wildcats is punter Ryan Doerr, who is kicking the ball well and not making costly mistakes. If the Wildcats play mistake-free, they should win the special teams battle.

The Cornhusker special teams have fared well this season despite not having much big-play potential. The Huskers have not returned any kickoffs or punts for touchdowns, with their only special teams touchdowns coming from a blocked punt that was scooped up and returned for a score. Their kicker, Alex Henery, is 15-18 on the season kicking field goals, while going 0-2 on attempts of more than 50 yards. Henery also handles punts for the Huskers, and has had one blocked this season. Adi Kunalic, the Huskers kickoff specialist, has 23 touchbacks this year, meaning if they choose to, they can avoid a Banks return altogether. The return game of the Cornhuskers has been average this season, with the unit averaging 22.8 yards per kickoff and just 10.7 yards per punt.

Prediction

Nebraska 17, K-State 7

Despite the fact that the Wildcats are 16.5-point underdogs, this should be a close game, as neither team can score enough to blow out the other. The Wildcats may not end up winning, however, they should be prepared to put up a fight.

- Compiled by Grant Guggisberg