By Danielle Daniels
GAME NOTES
NEBRASKA at OHIO STATE
Oct. 26, 2024 | OHIO STADIUM
COLUMBUS, OHIO | 11 AM CT
HUSKERS
Record: 5-2, 2-2 Big Ten
Last Game: at No. 16 Indiana (L, 56-7)
Rankings: AP – RV/Coaches – RV
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NU Record: 57-52 (9th Year)/10-9 (2nd Year)
Vs. Ohio State: 0-0
BUCKEYES
Record: 5-1, 2-1 Big Ten
Last Game: at Oregon (L, 32-31)
Rankings: AP – 4/Coaches – 4
Head Coach: Ryan Day
Career/OSU Record: 61-9 (7th Year)/Same
Vs. Nebraska: 3-0
SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Series: Ohio State leads, 9-1
At Columbus: Ohio State leads, 6-0
Last Game: Ohio State, 26-17 (in Lincoln, 2021)
Win Streak: Ohio State, 7 games
BROADCAST INFO
TV – Fox (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt, Jenny Taft)
RADIO – Huskers Radio Network (Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
INTERNET AUDIO – Huskers.com
APP AUDIO – Official Huskers App
The Matchup
Nebraska continues a difficult two-game road trip, taking on a second straight ranked opponent away from Lincoln on Saturday. The Huskers will travel to Columbus, Ohio, to take on Ohio State, with game time at Ohio Stadium set for 11 a.m. CT (Noon ET). FOX will provide the television coverage of the contest, and Saturday’s game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network and the Huskers App.
The Huskers stand at 5-2 on the season and 2-2 in Big Ten play following a 56-7 loss at No. 16 Indiana on Saturday afternoon. Nebraska cut the Indiana lead to 14-7 midway through the second quarter of Saturday’s game, however two touchdowns in the final four minutes of the first half gave Indiana full control. The Hoosiers did not look back in the second half en route to the victory. Nebraska had been very strong in the turnover margin department in the first half of the season, but a -4 turnover difference at Indiana played a big part in the result.
Ohio State will come into Saturday’s game with a 5-1 overall record and a 2-1 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Buckeyes are ranked No. 4 in both the Associated Press Poll and coaches poll heading into the second half of their season. Ohio State was off last week following a one-point loss at third-ranked Oregon on Oct. 12.
Coach Ryan Day’s team features one of the nation’s most potent offenses, as the Buckeyes average 43.5 points and 503.0 total yards per game to rank among the top 10 nationally in both categories. Ohio State’s defense is also among the nation’s best, allowing 11.0 points and 254.3 yards per game to lead the Big Ten and rank in the top five nationally in both categories.
Series History
Nebraska and Ohio State will meet for the 11th time overall on Saturday, and the first time since 2021. The Buckeyes own a 9-1 advantage in the series, including winning the past seven meetings.
• Nebraska and Ohio State met for six straight seasons between 2016 and 2021 with the Buckeyes ranked in the top 10 in each of those matchups.
• At least one of the teams has been ranked in all 11 matchups, including this week’s game. In 10 of the 11 matchups Nebraska has faced an Ohio State team ranked 12th or higher in the AP poll, including nine Buckeye teams ranked in the top 10.
• Nebraska was ranked in three straight matchups between 2011 and 2016, including 2011 when the No. 14 Huskers picked up their lone win in the series, a 34-27 comeback victory in Lincoln. The Huskers rallied from a 21-point third-quarter deficit in that game to mark the largest comeback in school history.
Huskers Face Another Ranked Road Test
Saturday’s game against the fourth-ranked Buckeyes marks Nebraska second straight game against a ranked foe.
• The matchup in Columbus will be Nebraska’s third overall game against a ranked opponent this season, including matchups with No. 24 Illinois and at No. 16 Indiana.
• With Ohio State ranked No. 4 this week, Saturday’s game will mark the sixth straight season Nebraska has faced a top-five opponent.
Nebraska Posts Best First Half of Season Since 2016
Nebraska opened the season with three consecutive non-conference victories, marking its first 3-0 start to the season since 2016. It was also the first time Nebraska was unblemished in nonconference play since 2016. The Huskers’ 5-1 mark at the midpoint of the season was also NU’s best six-game record since 2016, when Nebraska began the season with seven wins.
• The 5-2 start through seven games marks only the second time in the past 10 seasons Nebraska has had five or more wins through seven games.
• The Huskers’ 5-1 first half of the season marked the 10th time since 2000 Nebraska has been 5-1 or better through six games.
• Nebraska was ranked in both national polls for two consecutive weeks (Sept. 8, Sept. 15). Nebraska rose as high as 22nd in both polls. The No. 22 AP ranking was Nebraska’s highest since being ranked 17th entering the 2016 regular-season finale at Iowa.
• The Sept. 20 game with Illinois was the first matchup of two AP ranked teams at Memorial Stadium since 2013 (vs. UCLA) and the first Big Ten games between two ranked teams since 2011 when 13th-ranked Nebraska defeated No. 9 Michigan State.
This Week’s Numbers
2 – Nebraska is facing its second straight ranked opponent in No. 4 Ohio State. It marks the first time Nebraska has played back-to-back ranked opponents since late in the 2021 season (Ohio State, at Wisconsin). It is the first time NU has had consecutive road games against ranked teams since early in the 2021 season (at Oklahoma, at Michigan State).
200 – Nebraska senior rover Isaac Gifford increased his career tackle total to 207 with eight tackles at Indiana. Gifford is one of just 10 defensive backs and 43 players overall in school history to top 200 career tackles.
900 – Saturday’s game pits two of college football’s winningest programs, as Ohio State (969) and Nebraska (922) are two of just eight schools with more than 900 wins in school history.
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