The first major Big Ten matchup of the season will take place this Saturday, as the No. 21 Michigan Wolverines travel to Lincoln to face the Nebraska Cornhuskers. While the winner will gain a valuable early conference victory and build momentum for Big Ten play, the stakes are high as a loss would be a disappointing result for either team hoping to have a strong season.
The biggest downside of a loss may actually come from the negative narrative that the media and many fans will love to push, especially with the current state of both the Michigan and Nebraska programs.
The Wolverines already have a loss this season, and we've seen just how harsh and critical the response can be when they don't look good. The story of that loss to Oklahoma was largely centered around a conservative game plan that did not work out, and that criticism was warranted. However, we should see a much different approach from the Michigan offense in this game, and as long as the Wolverines go out swinging, it would help soften the blow and reduce the negative reaction.
If they were to lose though, the outside negative noise will grow louder, especially surrounding head coach Sherrone Moore, despite the fact that he’s not even coaching in this game. It almost feels like a lose-lose situation for Moore: if Michigan loses, that’s obviously not great, but if they win, the story will be that the team is better off without him on the sideline.
On the other side, we have Nebraska, a program that appears to be trending upward in year three under Matt Rhule, but one that still hasn’t gotten that big program-defining win. It hasn't just been during the Rhule-era though, as it feels like forever since Nebraska has shown up in a big game. In fact, the last time the Huskers beat a ranked opponent was back in September 2016, when they defeated No. 22 Oregon.
This matchup is the perfect opportunity to finally break through, as they have a ranked Michigan team coming to Lincoln without its head coach and starting a freshman quarterback. And if Dylan Raiola and Nebraska can’t capitalize on this opportunity, I can only imagine the backlash from critics and Husker fans and how 2025 is going to be just another disappointing, mediocre season.
Everyone has said this Nebraska team is actually different, and there's no better chance to prove that than with a strong showing against a Michigan team that Nebraska hasn't beaten since 2013.
While neither team is currently regarded as one of the top in the country or even the Big Ten, both still have high hopes for this year, making this game a potential make-or-break moment. The negative reaction to the loser will be intense, with the story being the losing program is dead, which is why this game feels like a must-win for both teams.
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