Electric Nebraska?

At the end of every hard-earned day people find some reason to believe. Previewing Nebraska-USC.

Courtesy Nebraska Athletics

A week ago, Bruce Springsteen released¹ the electric versions of the songs from Nebraska, his famously spare and bleak 1982 album that few liked upon its release, but everyone loves now. I’ve always been Springsteen-agnostic—particularly on a sportswriter scale—except for Nebraska. Love that one. I’m rarely happier than when “I’m Goin’ Down” comes on, but dark, unforgiving Springsteen is more my vibe.

I was very interested in electric Nebraska, but I didn’t expect to like it. Turns out, I did. Wouldn’t trade it for the original, but it’s interesting on its own merits.

Looking at Nebraska-USC, I’m having a hard time deciding with version of Nebraska gives the Huskers the best chance Saturday. Both teams to beat the Trojans so far, Illinois and Notre Dame,² scored 34 points. The Irish are the only team to hold USC under 30 this season. This is the “electric” option.

The Illini and Irish did this, however, running the football at least 35 times while averaging 4.9 and 6.9 yards per carry respectively. From a numbers perspective, USC³ doesn’t have many weaknesses but the ones that show up call for a brutalist approach. Powered by a night crowd ready to make an impact, could the Huskers’ blunt-force their way to the biggest win of the Matt Rhule era?

Notre Dame and Illinois were able to do both—score points and be the more physical team—which shows it’s possible, but that doesn’t mean it’s easy. The Blackshirts will have to slow down one of the best offenses in the country. The degree to which they can determines how much the offense has to keep pace.

Electric or stripped-down? Let’s see if three keys to Huskers-Trojans gets us any closer.