Nebraska enters the final quarter of the regular season with a 5-4 record and a four-game losing streak.
The Huskers are now preparing for a road game against Rutgers, a team currently holding a 2-7 record, according to Cornhuskers Wire.
This matchup marks the first contest under interim offensive coordinator Glenn Thomas following the firing of Dana Holgorsen.
Thomas has spent three seasons with the program and is tasked with improving an offense that has struggled to score during the current skid.
The Rutgers defense has allowed at least 28 points in every Big Ten conference game played this season, per the Scarlet Knights team data.
Despite potential offensive opportunities, Nebraska faces significant defensive challenges due to injuries.
Key defensive players Andrew Marshall, Anthony Jones and Owen Chambliss are ruled out for the upcoming game.
The status of Rutgers quarterback AJ Surace remains uncertain, which could lead to third-string quarterback Sean Ashenfelder starting.
Ashenfelder previously saw action in a loss against Northwestern, where he recorded 36 passing yards and one interception.
The Scarlet Knights will also be without star wide receiver KJ Duff, who has accounted for nearly 40 percent of the team’s receiving yards, as reported by Cornhuskers Wire.
Rutgers is expected to rely on its running game, with Antwan Raymond and Clay Thevenin combining for over 140 rushing yards per game.
Nebraska remains under pressure to secure a win to keep bowl game hopes alive.
However, the unpredictable nature of the injuries and roster changes makes the outcome difficult to forecast.
Analysts suggest that the game will likely be decided by a narrow margin of one or two key plays.
The current prediction for the contest is a 24-20 victory for Rutgers, per expert score prediction reports.