Worth the Weight

Like 100%-certified Nebraska hero Bud Crawford just did, now is the time for Matt Rhule and his Huskers to step up in weight class

Transfer portal addition Williams Nwaneri scoops and scores a Houston Christian fumble during the Huskers’ 59-7 win over Houston Christian as the well-belted fighting pride of Omaha, Nebraska, U.S.A. Bud Crawford looks on.

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I don’t consider myself any sort of boxing historian, but nobody has ever done what Bud Crawford did on Saturday night. The native son, a Nebraskan through and through, stepped up two weight classes (and technically three) and took the fight to one of the greatest fighters in boxing history, Mexican Canelo Alvarez (I do know that much). It’s debatable, and doesn’t necessarily matter now, but the judges were generous with the scoring.

It was domination. The look, and bruises, were all over Canelo’s face.   

Nebraska football fans do know something about taking dominating things for granted. The winning seasons, the bowl streaks, the domination of the Kansases and Kansas States and Iowa States of the world who have had – and this is not debatable – a far better last two decades than the Huskers.

But if, like Bud, you’re also a Nebraskan through and through, don’t ever take for granted that the greatest fighter of this generation was prancing around the ring – too smart, too prepared and just too good – even though I’m sure he went through hell to get there. Putting on thirty pounds while retaining speed to go toe-to-toe with one Canelo ranks a 10 out of 10 on the degree of difficulty scale.

Going through hell sounds familiar. It’s time for the Huskers to apply Bud’s blueprint and start throwing punches against college football’s upper class. No, this shouldn’t be anything close to resembling the Michigan team that came to Lincoln in 2023, but they have resided in CFB’s upper division for 10 years. What say you, Matt Rhule? Actually, Rhule has said a lot – which I like – but now it’s time to do it on the field.    

With that being said, on to our weekly edition of “Four Downs.” Saturday’s game against Michigan is a big one, although I push back on the fact that is “make or break,” but we’ll get to that. Hut-hut-hut-hut.

Williams Nwaneri, a transfer portal addition, scoops and scores a Houston Christian fumble during the Huskers win last Saturday in Lincoln.

FOUR DOWNS

1. Honestly, there isn’t a ton to say about Nebraska’s 59-7 win over Houston Christian on Saturday – although it’s worth being said that they took care of business. We said it last week … the goal was to get in, get a lead, and get out, and they did just that. With the long-awaited return of the red pants, nonetheless! (Although I don’t think beating Houston Christian exorcising the demons of the 1986 Oklahoma game. I’m pretty sure that was my first memory as a human being, so no, I will never get over it.)

2. Saturday’s big game in Lincoln will give us some legitimate insight into the most pressing offseason questions. The two biggest questions, of course, being attached to the defensive line and special teams. I’m not terribly worried about the special teams this year – the hiring of special teams coach Mike Ekeler was worth every penny the moment he signed on.

What I am still worried about is the defensive line. Special teams are more easily fixed, or can at least be vastly improved by expert coaching, a couple good kickers and a punt returner who is willing to field all the punts (just catching the damn punt is typically worth 15 yards; any sort of return of that is gravy; you don’t have to be Johnny Rodgers to be a good punt returner). Maybe the special teams situation is not quite that simple, but it appears we are four for four on those fronts (although I probably just jinxed it). But an offensive and defensive line situation is something else entirely. Sure, it’s possible to come up with a brilliant defensive coaching scheme, but you’ve got to have big bodies to execute the plan. Michigan has bigger bodies and more of them. As fans we tend to get caught up in the flash and dash of the quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers, but the truth is that games are won from the inside out. Show me a struggling quarterback and I’ll show you a shitty offensive line. Show me some struggling linebackers and I’ll show you a shitty defensive line.

All that is to say the worst-case scenario for the Huskers on Saturday is Michigan pushing us around on the opening drive and we are behind 7-0 before we even know it. That is very possible. The important thing to remember is that this year it feels like we have the weapons to fire back. Nebraska might have to – and is capable – of winning in a shootout.

3. Now that all my soapboxing about how important interior line play is, let’s succumb to some flash and dash. Saturday’s game will be a matchup of a pair of five-star quarterbacks – Michigan’s Bryce Underwood looks like he’s off to a good start – but I do think Dylan is ready to have is moment. (Whether the defense is up to the task … well, we already covered that.) Our guy also has the benefit of an entire season under his belt. Yeah I’m biased but is criminally underrated from a national perspective, and sadly a lot of it has to do with the love for his idol, Patrick Mahomes. It seems to be a turnoff for most of them, but as I’ve said before, what in the hell is so wrong about being 20 years old and having an idol? My best friend directed me to a Nebraska-Michigan prediction from ESPN’s Matt Barrie on the “Dusty and Danny” podcast, and according to the most trustable source I’ve ever known, Barrie said “until Dylan Raiola stops with the Patrick Mahomes cosplay, give me Michigan.” Man. What? That’s what you’re basing your prediction on? Thanks for the professional and thoughtful insight, clown.

4. The entire season doesn’t hinge on Saturday. I know, I know – in the moment, it’s going to feel like it, one way or the other. But we are still in the process of detoxing ourselves from the college football we’ve known all our lives, where yes, one game could dictate the entire season. Such is not the case in the world of 2025 college football, with a 12-team playoff and expanded conferences dictating a gradual progression towards the professional game, where winning four out of every five is just fine. If we win – then hell, yes – you should celebrate; if we lose, don’t panic. Speaking of processes, unlike Michigan, who just won the national championship in 2023, we are also in the process of getting better as a program.     

Keep an eye on Nebraska running Emmett Johnson on Saturday against Michigan – this could be his big breakout game.

The thing everybody seems to be talking about…

Running back Emmett Johnson is going to have to be an absolute dawg on Saturday. A lot was made of his 32-touch performance against Cincinnati in the opener – too much for anyone to sustain for an entire season – but Rhule and offensive coordinator Dana Holgerson played it smart, lightening the load the last two weeks. Playing the likes of Akron and Houston Christian made it easy to do. Saturday will be a much different story; expect a lot of an as-well-rested-as-you-can-be Emmett Johnson. Winning will require another throwback performance.

The thing that nobody seems to be (happily) talking about…

It’s an interesting game to ask your fellow Huskers brethren which of the streaks that signify Nebraska’s fall from prominence is the most distasteful: The end of the streak of nine-game winning seasons in 2002 … the end of the bowl streak in 2004 … the impossible lack of draft picks  … we could go on. But possibly the worst? We haven’t beaten a ranked team since 2016. That’s nearly an entire decade of mostly losing – in when we do finally win, it’s rarely all that impressive.

Saturday’s game won’t necessarily turn the ship around completely. But defending our turf against a blue-blood and recent national championship that Nebraska is capable of jumping up in weight. It’s not a three-class jump, like we saw Bud do. But nobody has ever done what we just saw Bud do. But in terms of Nebraska moving forward, it’s at least a start.