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How To Watch, Stream & Listen
Rutgers (1-2) At Nebraska (1-2)
Where: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska (Seating Capacity: 90,000)
Kick-off: Saturday, September 23rd at 3:30 p.m. ET
TV: BTN
Stream: BTN2GO
Radio: Rutgers IMG Sports Network with Chris Carlin, Ray Lucas, Eric LeGrand, and Anthony Fucilli - WCTC 1450-AM, ESPN NY 98.7-FM, WENJ 97.3-FM, WNJE 920-AM, Sirius 83, XM 83
Current Spread: Nebraska - 12
Series History: Nebraska leads 2-0, winning 42-24 in 2014 and 31-14 in 2015.
SB Nation Nebraska Site: Corn Nation
The Big Ten opener for Rutgers is a major test and despite a disappointing 1-2 record in non-conference play, there are signs that this team is better than last season. A better than expected performance against #7 Washington and the most complete victory over an FCS school the program has had in years were book ends to the terribly disappointing loss to Eastern Michigan. How Rutgers responds in an environment that is one of the best in college football will tell us a lot about this team today.
On the Nebraska side, it’s been a very interesting week, to say the least. Athletic Director Shawn Eichorst was fired after the Cornhuskers have also started 1-2 this season. Last week, Nebraska had their own debacle at home against a team from the MAC, as Northern Illinois won 21-17.
It’s fair to be concerned that Nebraska will be extra motivated today, on homecoming no less, as they are essentially playing for head coach Mike Riley’s job. It could be the worst time possible to visit Lincoln. At the same time, Rutgers has nothing to lose in this game, as they are a double digit underdog and have lost fourteen consecutive Big Ten games.
One other interesting storyline is the matchup between Rutgers offensive coordinator Jerry Kill and Nebraska defensive coordinator Bob Diaco. You can read more about it here. Let’s hope at the end of this game, Diaco regrets never meeting with Kill while he was the head coach at UConn.
To find out more about the tense situation with Nebraska football heading into this game, we spoke with our friends at Corn Nation to find out more.
One key player on the Nebraska side is quarterback Tanner Lee, who leads the FBS with seven interceptions. We take a closer look at him here.
On the Rutgers side, special teams play has been much improved the past two games and that unit could be a huge factor in today’s contest. Field position is going to be critical for Rutgers on the road. That is just one of many keys to the game we review in our game preview, as well as a full injury report for both teams.
As for our staff predictions, there is plenty of optimism coming into this game.
If you are the gambling type or want a preview of the rest of Big Ten action today, check out our full conference preview, including picks against the spread, here.
Today’s game marks the start of Big Ten play and is a huge opportunity for Rutgers to pickup a statement win against Nebraska. Let’s hope we see their best performance of the season so far!
Conference play starts Saturday on BTN with @Huskers hosting @RFootball. Cram Session at the battle for 1-0 in the B1G. pic.twitter.com/9NreKw5iDq
— Big Ten Network (@BigTenNetwork) September 22, 2017