Nebraska @ Oklahoma State preview

Last Meeting ( Oct 13, 2007 ) Oklahoma State 45, Nebraska 14

No. 13 Nebraska invades Boone Pickens Stadium Saturday, for a top-20 showdown with undefeated Oklahoma State. The game marks the first real test of the season for the Cowboys, who sport a stellar record versus non-stellar foes. The Huskers (5-1, 1-1 Big 12) are coming off a stinging defeat at the hands of Texas.

Led by quarterback Brandon Weeden, Oklahoma State (6-0, 2-0 Big 12) wields the second best passing offense in the nation. But the Cowboys are hardly one-dimensional. They also feature Kendall Hunter, a running back that some call the best in the country. Hunter already has racked up 830 yards this season, averaging 6.1 yards per carry in the process.

Those stats would stand out even more, if OSU didn’t also have the nation’s leader in receiving yards. Wide receiver Justin Blackmon currently holds that title. He’s also first in touchdowns scored with 13. Obviously, the Pokes know how to move the ball, and they know how to score. But they haven’t faced a top-100 defense in their first six games. That changes Saturday.

Nebraska’s Blackshirt defense has been extra stingy this year. The Huskers rank ninth nationally in total defense and have the top-rated pass defense in the country.

This could have been a matchup of unbeatens, if the Huskers had been able to snag even half of their eight dropped passed against the Longhorns last week. Nebraska is built to run, but they struggle when they are forced to throw. Quarterback Taylor Martinez is a human lightning bolt in the ground game, but more like a dim light bulb when forced to throw to his suspect receivers.

The Huskers hope to heal their offensive woes against a Cowboy offense that has not fared well against the run. Martinez and his band of running backs have had their best games on the road, and their offense has shown the ability to put up points when the ground attack is working.

A win by Oklahoma State launches them from unproven commodity to top-10 material. Nebraska needs to get over their Texas-sized hangover from last week, and prove that their early-season hype was legitimate. For two teams trying to step into the circle of national contenders, games like this can define the season.