The Nebraska Cornhuskers produced their “get right” play last week in a 28-10 win over Purdue after an overtime loss to No. 24 Illinois to open Big Ten play. Rutgers, one of the first feel-good stories of the college football season, enters Saturday’s game undefeated at 4-0 under Greg Schiano and looks to spoil the game. Huskers‘homecoming weekend.

There will be countless stories to come from this game regardless of the outcome, but for NOW a win would put the Huskers one win away from their first bowl berth since 2016.

The Husker Max And Nebraska Cornhuskers SI crew make their predictions. The average score is 24-18 Nebraska.

Last week’s best prediction for Nebraska at Purdue came from Redcast Abbie with a 31-10 win for the Huskers. That was a total of three points away from the actual 28-10 NU victory.

*Indicates closest to last week’s prediction and how many “wins” there are throughout the season.

The why

Austin Jacobsen: Expect a back and forth game full of unique mistakes and opportunities for both sides. Rutgers took advantage of Washington’s mistakes to pull out a win last week – without committing a single turnover. If Nebraska shoots itself in the foot, the Scarlet Knights will pounce and take advantage. Regardless, the best player on the field remains Dylan Raiola, who can make a winning move at the right time.

Eric Hessen: Nebraska has a strong day with the ball and weakens Rutgers’ defense. Kyle Monangai has his worst game of the season thanks to a strong performance by the Blackshirts

Josh Peterson: The Huskers move one win away from a bowl berth with a gritty win over previously undefeated Rutgers. Emmett Johnson finally hits double-digit carries and Nebraska burns the clock at the end of the game to hold on for a one-point win.

ThotDoc: This could be a four-quarter battle and the Huskers will be tested. The game will be won or lost in the trenches, just like the Illini game. The hope is that Nebraska has learned from that experience and will start a new winning streak at home, believe it or not, by a field goal.

Cole Stukenholtz: The Huskers special teams struggle continues and the Scarlet Knights hold off Raiola’s comeback bid late.

Jay Stockwell: Greg Schiano, who Matt Rhule deeply respects, brings to town a reset Rutgers team that is very evenly matched, if not a slight statistical favorite. Nebraska will continue to build resilience, take care of the ball and win by a field goal with its dying kicking game.

Middle-aged ball coach: It will be cruel. Monongai is too good to be stopped, so they move the ball and score, but Raiola’s arm will make the difference. Rutgers is a close-knit team.

David Max: Both teams have strong defenses and the turnover battle will be crucial.

Chris Fort: Nebraska is more talented, but Rutgers plays the kind of football that frustrates the Huskers. They flex in the red zone, stop fourth downs and generally create chaos on defense. Their running game will also test the Blackshirts. If NU had a kicking game, I’d say Big Red. But they don’t.

Matt McMaster: This game will be a tough battle that will lead to the very end. In games like this you need special elite teams, NU has the exact opposite. This match will come down to who can execute in the third phase of the game, I’ll put my money on Rutgers to do that.

Bold prediction: Nebraska misses a field goal to tie the game in the fourth.

Tad Stryker: This would be a nice but unnecessary win if the goal is simply to make a bowl, but it is imperative if the Huskers want to take a measurable step toward becoming a major program again this year. I bet Nebraska’s seniors want it so bad they’re going to make it.

Find more predictions at HuskerMax.com.

MORE: Nebraska Basketball offers four-star sharpshooter Jacob Webber

MORE: McMaster’s Big Ten Football Pick’em: Week 6

MORE: Nebraska football always hopes to remain undefeated against Rutgers

MORE: Nebraska Football’s Dylan Raiola has shown maturity amid growing pains

MORE: Nebraska Football Commit Dayton Raiola Previews Visit prior to Rutgers Game

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking it Nebraska Cornhuskers at SIsubscribe to HuskerMax on YouTubeand visiting HuskerMax.com daily.