Idaho State @ Nebraska preview
Memorial Stadium
No. 22 Nebraska gets its final non-conference tune-up before Big Ten Conference play when the Cornhuskers host Idaho State. Nebraska will be looking for its 31st consecutive winning non-league record dating back to 1981 while ISU looks to snap a 17-game losing streak against FBS opponents. The offenses figure to excel; Nebraska is second in the Big Ten, and Idaho State leads the Big Sky Conference and ranks third overall in the FCS.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: None
ABOUT IDAHO STATE (1-1): The Bengals had an open date last week. ISU, which dropped its opener at Air Force before beating Black Hills State, is led by quarterback Kevin Yost, who leads the Big Sky in total offense (407 yards per game) and passing (401.5). Yost has passed for 803 yards and four TDs with just one interception. Wide receiver Derek Graves hauled in 15 passes in both games this season, the first player in Big Sky history to achieve that. The last time the Bengals beat a FBS team was in 2000, a 27-24 win at Utah State.
ABOUT NEBRASKA (2-1): The Huskers bounced back from a loss at UCLA two weeks ago with an easy home win over Arkansas State last week. Nebraska has rushed for more than 250 yards in all three games this season, leading the Big Ten and ranking No. 8 in the nation. Sophomore I-back Ameer Abdullah has filled in for injured All-America candidate Rex Burkhead, averaging more the 122 yards per game and going for back-to-back 100-yard games. Junior quarterback Taylor Martinez is 10-1 as a starter in September during his career.
EXTRA POINTS:
1. In 11 career September games, Martinez has passed for 1,892 yards and 13 touchdowns while rushing for 1,093 yards and 17 touchdowns.
2. This is the first meeting between Nebraska and Idaho State, but it will mark the second time in three years the Huskers have played a team from Idaho. Nebraska beat Idaho 38-17 in 2010.
3. Idaho State coach Mike Kramer is the only current coach in Division I football to coach three different teams from the same conference (Eastern Washington, Montana State, and Idaho State).
PREDICTION: Nebraska 55, Idaho State 17