WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – Nebraska (3-1, 0-1) will look to bounce back today against a Purdue team (1-2, 0-0) that has lost its last two games.

As kickoff approaches, here are today’s keys to the Huskers’ victory against the Boilermakers.

NU enters Saturday’s game as a 10-point favorite over Purdue. Today’s game is scheduled for an 11 a.m. CT kickoff Peacock.

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KEYS TO VICTORY: Nebraska vs. Purdue

KEY 1: Huskers must establish the run

Purdue ranks 132nd nationally and last in the Big Ten in stopping the run, allowing 269 yards per play and 5.6 yards per carry. NU must address this weakness and establish a ground game.

KEY 2: Tackling and gaining an advantage over the defense

On the other hand, we have seen NU struggle to establish the edge on defense and have very little to no impact from the two hard-hit safeties. Isaac Gifford And DeShon Singleton. NU must play with discipline on the edge, and Singleton and Gifford must make their presence known.

KEY 3: Protect Raiola in the pocket

With possibly no Micah Mazzccua again on the offensive line and a redshirt freshman Gunnar Gottula at left tackle, NU could be down three of the top seven offensive linemen they started the season with. The line needs to be locked because Purdue will storm the house Dylan Raiolatrying to awkwardly bag him.

KEY 4: The kicking game

The kicking game is a bit of a mystery heading into today. Purdue hasn’t attempted a field goal this season and NU will again opt for a walk-on transfer Johannes Hohl at kicker. With wind and possible rain, it is out of the question what this phase of the match will look like for both teams.

KEY 5: Play four quarters

Nebraska has to show up today and play four quarters at Purdue. Even if the Huskers get off to a fast start, they should finish and leave the field in third place defensively. You can’t give the Boilermakers early opportunities to build momentum.

EXPERT TAKE

Sean Callahan – HuskerOnline Publisher

Purdue will come into this game desperate for a win after two straight losses. Nebraska will be motivated to stop the series after two questionable weeks in a row at the front. The difference will be Dylan Raiola’s arm. The Huskers will figure out a way to shut down the Boilermakers in West Lafayette today.

Nebraska 27, Purdue 20

Steven Sipple – HuskerOnline columnist

This can’t be a tough game for Nebraska, right? Purdue is a mess. Purdue is on track for a 2-10 season. But Purdue has two good running backs, and if you’ve seen Nebraska’s tackles over the last two weeks, you have to think the Boilermakers can do some damage. But it won’t be nearly enough.

Nebraska 35, Purdue 23

Robin Washut – HuskerOnline senior writer

It may seem strange to label a Week 5 trip to struggling Purdue as a must-win game for Nebraska, but that has quickly become the reality. The Huskers enter West Lafayette as favorites on the tough road, but they also carry a lot of questions and concerns. If the defense can get back to normal and the running game can keep drives on track, NU should right the ship against the Boilermakers.

Nebraska 28, Purdue 17

Andy Kendeigh – KETV ABC-Omaha

Get a lead and maintain that lead. Don’t give Purdue any life on an early homecoming on Saturday. The key will be winning the scrimmage, something the Huskers failed to do against Illinois. Nebraska is only 12 minutes behind its 240 minutes of regular-season football this season, and taking control early is paramount. A nice rebound effort is expected in West Lafayette.

Nebraska 31, Purdue 14

Jim Rose – 1110 KFAB Radio-Omaha

Well, that Illinois game didn’t exactly follow the script. Hopefully the Big Red learned a few things about the value of being the most physical team on the field. Purdue was raided by other schools this offseason, so the roster is a bit thin. The Boilers can move the ball between the 20s, but they can’t stop anyone between the tackles. If the Huskers commit to the run and give Dylan’s arm the day off, this won’t come close.

Nebraska 38, Purdue 20

Mike’l Severe – Large red closure

I suspect Purdue will see a pretty pissed off bunch when Nebraska comes to town. It doesn’t take much film study to see how much Purdue struggles to stop the run. So far this year they have allowed 32 runs of 10+ yards, the next worse in the B1G is 17, and that’s in three games. I think we’ll see some Haarberg QB options run as well. The Boilers’ one plus is their special teams, which are pretty solid. NOW Purdue should wear down in the second half.

Nebraska 38, Purdue 10

HuskerOnline Week 5 Score Predictions

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Sean Callahan can be reached at (email protected) and can be heard daily on 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during football season. He can also be seen on KETV channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and appears every week on Nebraska Public Media Big red closure Tuesday at 7 p.m.

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