Hurdle on the half shell

Previewing Nebraska-Maryland as the Huskers make their first true road trip to face a better-than projected Terrapin team.

Courtesy Nebraska Athletics

Nebraska wasn’t at its best last week with the wind in its face, but it still found a way to beat Michigan State with a late scoring surge. That’s the great thing about winning without your A-game—it allows the Huskers (4-1, 1-1) to enter its first true road game with the wind at its back.

Maryland would take it. The Terrapins were on the other end of a late scoring surge last week, allowing 21 fourth-quarter points to cross-country travelers Washington in a 24-20 loss. The Terps enter Saturday with the same record as the Huskers, looking for redemption

While Maryland might be a bit better than offseason projections so far—or maybe Wisconsin¹ is just that much worse?—the perceived difference between Huskers and Terps hasn’t changed much. The SP+ ratings would’ve made Nebraska about a 6-point road favorite back in February, and ESPN’s FPI, released in June, had it around 5. The actual line Wednesday night was around Nebraska -6.5.

Good job, advance power ratings.

Now get out of the way because there’s a game to play and I’ll be surprised if it’s easy for Nebraska.