Why Nebraska-Rutgers means everything to the direction of the Huskers’ season

Are Nebraska fans sleeping on the importance of Rutgers' visit to Memorial Stadium this Saturday? Don't, say Connor and Mitch, because the outcome of this game might mean everything to Matt Rhule's team in where it plans to go in 2024.
Up after the bye next week are trips to Indiana and Ohio State. The Huskers don't want to be in position to take a losing streak into November. And the only way to avoid negative momentum as they go back on the road in two weeks ... is to beat Rutgers. We discuss what's at stake this week. Also, Nebraska released a new episode of "Chasing 3" on Wednesday night, providing plenty of insight into what's happening with the return of linebacker Javin Wright from a difficult preseason diagnosis. And it covered Rhule's mindset before, during and after the Huskers' road victory against Purdue.
For your next listen, check out the Locked On College Football podcast! From NIL deals to never ending conference realignment rumors, Spencer McLaughlin gets you ready for an exciting season on the gridiron! Click HERE to listen now. Part of the Locked On Podcast Network. Your Team. Every Day.
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[@nathanmonico5080]

It’s not that fans are bored or not interested. I believe a lot of us are so hopeful but are cautiously optimistic. We’ve had are hopes up for so long and have been burned so many times. We are just call it we will believe it when we see it. It is safe to say husker fans suffer from a fan form of ptsd

[@Scokat87]

Every game is important.

[@michaelam7731]

This game is huge. Regardless. I don’t think anyone is missing that fact…

[@ChosenPlaysYT]

Some of the lack of enthusiasm is because our games are so sloppy with unbearable officiating. You can’t even celebrate a big play when you’re watching because the refs love just making phantom calls to bring it back, which really dampens the excitement of watching. Then the fact that we actually have a unit that’s worse than high school football is just insane. There is no reason for our kicking to be THIS bad. We could do student tryouts for snap, hold, and kick, that would produce better results.

[@chrisowen3264]

Stop blaming the refs it’s embarrassing to listen to. The bottom line is the team is improving but they’re still undisciplined and lack the culture to win games against teams on their level. People should be optimistic about the direction of the program but need to stop the constant bitching about anyone other than the team and coaches being responsible for the loses.

[@ChosenPlaysYT]

@@chrisowen3264 Could you quote me where I blamed the refs for a loss? Did you even razz what I said? When something is terrible or wrong it’s not the virtuous thing to just ignore it and refuse to talk about it.

[@wisrdb]

I just want to say for the most part I love Rhule. With that said over the last yr and coming on a half now we have been out coached, give him time to figure out the big Frost couldnt do it. Say what you want about Bo he didnt get outcoached he got outsized. We cant even kick a fieldgoal. Coaching needs to do better. We have very talented players. Not hating all love for N lets go. Shumano is a very smart coach N the big, Rhule has his hands full.

[@mparker2699]

this is a must win gm and yes it's HUGE!

[@Lukuigi]

This whole mantra “regular season doesn’t matter as much anymore” that the big wigs in sports media are using in reference to CFP, is just dumb. Maybe for teams like Georgia, Bama, Ohio St, who get a few loses and have the luxury of being regarded as top 5 teams preseason. But for teams like us, the playoff isn’t even guaranteed with 2 losses. Now that we’ve already taken our first conference loss we would have to win out besides at OSU. This Rutgers game is huge.

[@matthewpurtle1073]

It feels like we’re on the verge of failure again. Should have beat Illinois. Didn’t. Left at least 14 points on the field but fell apart at the end. Purdue should have been a 1st half blowout with backups finishing the game. Feels like we might lose the next 2 games when we should be 7-0 into week 9. Yeah, sense of excitement replaced with stressful sense of impending loss. We’ve been conditioned to feel like this. But I do think we turn around in the next couple of games. Rutgers should be won by more than 10 and won in the first 3 quarters. I think We are better than Indiana. We should at least compete with Ohio state. Our team has it in them.

[@NOCOHusker]

Maybe you should move east. We don't need "fans" like you

[@BrothersPelini]

The schedule looks/is a lot different looking from preseason. This stretch of Illinois, Rutgers, Indiana was supposed to be our "easy" part, now looking at USC, Wisconsin, and Iowa they may be the worse trio of games. Only time will tell, but the conference looks like a log jam of teams that all could beat each other. Question: which trio of games is tougher?

[@chrisowen3264]

All of those games are winnable games. But it’s also a stretch that could be 2-4 or 1-5 even.

[@ChrisGiddens-h8e]

Question for the mailbox. Do you think Nebraska can reach the Ohio State level in the next couple of years? Can we get the elite recruits needed for that?

[@mikef3896]

People aren't as excited right now bc of some of the issues that we have seen during the past few games. They have yet to play all 4 quarters, poor clock management, penalties, sloppy tackling, poor run blocking, the meltdown in the Illinois game, and the worst field goal unit in the country. We've seen it all before, and until its proven on the field, people are always going to be hesitant that this team can pull off wins in crucial moments.

[@huskerjpg]

Y'know, y'know, y'know. It never ends.

[@chrisowen3264]

Every game is a test this team has a little more room for error this year but they still aren’t good enough to just show up and win without playing a clean game against most of the schedule left.

[@surajmainali29]

If Nebraska team think they have taken a step forward and have gotten better this year, then Rutger game is the real test

[@NOCOHusker]

If the team has taken a step Rutgers won't be a challenge. Rutgers isn't a test of anything but patience

[@Trusted_Advisor]

if you want to get back to where Nebraska fans want - then every game should be competitive and almost all should be won. I know Ohio State is potentially the best team in the country but we should be FEARED by OSU when we come to play there. That's when we'll know "we're back". EVERY GAME matters.

[@stank.nooner2987]

Mailbag: How many Mario Kart red shells does the Nebraska kart have to have this game to avoid the Rutgers bananas and green shells and get the W?

[@LockedOnNebraska]

Leave us a question for the mailbag. Answers on the Friday show.

[@michaelam7731]

GBR🎉

[@michaelam7731]

Talking to the wrong ppl… 🧐

[@smanigal]

This episode feels like a doomsday prediction. Stop it!! 😂

[@NOCOHusker]

Funny how most of the comments are by ppl that arent qualified to coach a little girls soccer team yet they know what the issues are with a D-1 college football team 😂😂😂

[@RidleyHolmes-sr2tw]

Nebraska 34-13. Rutgers is a Divion II football team. Schiano will be coaching at East St. Louis Female Technical College next year.

[@michaelam7731]

This 4-4 talk.. cmon.. Debbie downers for real.

[@DuffySZN-TK]

Literally like what… smh

[@LockedOnNebraska]

Or... they could be 6-1 going to Ohio State. Our point is that this game is extremely important in setting the stage for the second half of the season.

[@THEPOSSUMNUTS]

Run… the damn… ball