Game Day Guide: Nebraska at Maryland

Nebraska’s first true road game of the year arrives later than usual — mid-October, five games in — and it comes with a familiar mix of questions and opportunity.

SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland, circa 2019. It also rained during this matchup between the Huskers and Terps. (Photo by Erin Sorensen)

Nebraska’s first true road game¹ of the year arrives later than usual — mid-October, five games in — and it comes with a familiar mix of questions and opportunity. The Huskers (4–1, 1–1 B1G), head east to face Maryland, another 4–1 team coming off a collapse it’s still trying to explain.

For Nebraska, this trip is a test of growth. The Huskers found answers in last week’s 38–27 win over Michigan State, rallying from a touchdown deficit late in the third quarter with a 24-point burst that showed what balance and belief can look like when it clicks.

Saturday will tell whether that carries outside Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska at Maryland

When: Saturday, Oct. 11 | 2:30 p.m. CT
Where: SECU Stadium, College Park, Maryland
TV: Big Ten Network (Guy Haberman, Jake Butt, Brooke Fletcher)
Radio: Huskers Radio Network (Kyle Crooks, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
Streaming audio: Huskers.com / Official Huskers App
Records: Nebraska 4–1 (1–1 B1G); Maryland 4–1 (1–1 B1G)
Rankings: Nebraska RV; Maryland NR
Series: Nebraska leads 2–1 (1–0 in College Park)
Last meeting: Maryland 13–10 (2023)

Let’s set the scene

It’s been 44 days since Nebraska last left home. The Huskers opened with a neutral-site win over Cincinnati, then spent a full month in Lincoln. That stretch built confidence and continuity, but also a challenge: how will this team respond without the safety net of Memorial Stadium?

“This is about eliminating distractions,” Matt Rhule said. “We don’t want any excuses.”

Rhule’s first true road trip of the season comes at a moment that feels like a pivot point. Nebraska has momentum after erasing Michigan State’s lead last week but Maryland, still stung by a 24–20 loss to Washington after leading 20–0, is desperate to prove it’s not the same old Terrapins.

This one pairs two 4–1 teams with very different vibes: Nebraska finding its footing, Maryland trying not to lose its balance.

Rhule on the moment

Rain.² Focus. Resilience. Those were the themes of Rhule’s final media session before the trip east.

With weather expected to play a role, Nebraska practiced this week with wet footballs and adjusted its travel to minimize disruption.

“We’ve got a great staff that’s prepared for everything,” Rhule said. “We’d love to take everyone, but it’s about bringing the 74 who are ready.”

He also confirmed that senior nickelback Malcolm Hartzog Jr. is doubtful to play.

“It’s just not in his best interest,” Rhule said. “We haven’t decided if he’ll travel, but I highly doubt it.”

Rhule singled out players like Carter Nelson and Jamir Conn for stepping up on special teams.

“They’ve found ways to make an impact,” Rhule said. “That’s the standard now.”

Storylines to remember

The first road test comes late and loud

Nebraska is the last Big Ten team to play a true road game this season. That’s unusual but it can also be a gift if handled right. The Huskers spent five weeks learning themselves and now they’ll find out how well those habits hold under travel fatigue and unfamiliar air.

SECU Stadium won’t be the toughest environment Nebraska will walk into this season, but quiet crowds can be tricky. Nebraska needs to create its own juice.

The nation’s best pass defense meets its biggest test

Numbers don’t lie: Nebraska leads the nation in pass defense at 91.8 yards per game, 27 yards clear of second place. Opponents are completing just over half of their passes and the Huskers have allowed one passing touchdown all year.

Maryland, on the other hand, throws early and often. Freshman quarterbackMalik Washington has already attempted 183 passes — most in the Big Ten — for 1,257 yards, nine scores and just two interceptions. He’s the best pure passer Nebraska’s faced yet.

Pass protection is the pivot

For as good as Nebraska’s been defensively, the offense still needs cleaner protection. Quarterback Dylan Raiola has been sacked 12 times in conference play. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said the blame is shared: protection breakdowns, missed assignments from backs and Raiola occasionally holding on too long. Whatever the cause, it’s now a trend and Maryland’s front has 19 sacks in five games.

If Nebraska can stay ahead of the chains and give Raiola time, he can exploit a defense that’s more aggressive than airtight. If not, it could be a long afternoon.

The run game needs to travel

Forecasted rain means balance matters. Nebraska’s run offense ranks 101st nationally but Emmett Johnson is emerging as a steady weapon with eight touchdowns in five games. Against Michigan State, he scored three times (even as the offense leaned pass-heavy).

Maryland’s rush defense (24th nationally) will test that patience. If Johnson and company can set the tone early, Raiola won’t have to do it all himself.

Special teams can shift the game again

It’s not often Nebraska wins with special teams but last week was different. The Huskers blocked a punt, recovered a fumble and flipped field position all night.

Maryland has already given up one blocked kick this season and now every opponent knows Nebraska can change games in that phase. This is definitely an area to keep an eye on.

What the numbers say

+6 — Nebraska’s turnover margin through five games, eighth-best in the country.
91.8 — Passing yards allowed per game, No. 1 nationally.
36 — Tackles for loss, a jump from 24 a week earlier.
8 — Touchdowns by Johnson this season, tied for eighth nationally.
16.4 — Average punt return yards, good for 13th in the country.
–1 — Punt return yards allowed by Nebraska opponents all season.

Health, availability, odds and ends

Hartzog’s status is doubtful, but otherwise Nebraska expects a full travel roster. Receiver Demitrius Bell remains sidelined with a hamstring issue after rehabbing a serious knee injury.

Maryland will be without starting left tackle Stanton Ramil and could miss linebacker Wayne Matthews III, its second-leading tackler.

Nebraska enters as a 5.5-point favorite, with rain and wind expected at kickoff.

At this point in the season, the Huskers have won the games they should win and looked competitive in the one they didn’t. Maryland sits in that dangerous middle ground where the Terps are good enough to win if you let them hang around but vulnerable enough to fall apart under pressure.

Rhule’s message all week has been clear: stay locked in, stay steady and keep building the identity that’s finally taking shape.

If Nebraska’s defense travels — and if the offense protects long enough for Raiola to settle in — this team should be boarding the plane home at 5–1. If not? Well, let’s not go down that road just yet.

Either way, Saturday in College Park will tell us a lot.

1. Yes, Nebraska played Cincinnati in Kansas City to start the season, but that might as well have been a home game for the Huskers.

2. I’ve continued to keep an eye on the forecast, and it’s looking pretty certain there will be some rain Saturday afternoon. How much? To be determined.