Nebraska Football: Game-by-game predictions for 2020 season
Scouting Report. player. 882. Pick Analysis. Oct. 3. Evanston (Ill.). Northwestern Wildcats. 5
While there’s a chance Nebraska is sitting at 2-2 after four weeks, they’ll luckily open the lone soft spot of their schedule, starting with a trip to Evanston to take on Northwestern.
After falling to the Wildcats in 2017 and 2018, Nebraska got back in the win column last season with a 13-10 victory at home. Northwestern went onto finish the season just 3-9 with one conference win.
Pat Fitzgerald has more rebuilding to do to get his Wildcats back to bowl contention and while Northwestern isn’t too far from Nebraska from a talent perspective, the Huskers should have enough to get a much-needed win.
Final Score: Nebraska 23, Northwestern 20 (3-2, 1-1)
Scouting Report. Lincoln (Neb.). player. 807. Pick Analysis. Oct. 10. Illinois Fighting Illini. 6
Illinois is coming off a surprise season that saw them reach its first bowl game since 2014 and knock off then-No. 6 Wisconsin for the signature win of the Lovie Smith era in Champaign.
Still, the Fighting Illini could not slow down the Huskers in their matchup as Nebraska beat Illinois 42-38 on the road.
In 2020, Illinois will likely again be in contention for a bowl bid and should give the Huskers a tough fight in Lincoln, but with the game on the road and Nebraska still likely to be in desperation mode, this feels like a game Big Red will win in close fashion.
Final Score: Nebraska 38, Illinois 37 (4-2, 2-1)