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Nebraska Football’s Defense Proving It’s One of the Best in the Nation

Nebraska football's defense ranks among some of the best in the country, as a viral post on Sunday pointed that the Blackshirts rank among the elite defenses in college football through six weeks.

Austin Jacobsen

James Williams celebrates the Nebraska defense's final stop of the game with defensive line coach Terrance Knighton.
James Williams celebrates the Nebraska defense's final stop of the game with defensive line coach Terrance Knighton. / Amarillo Mullen
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The reports of the Blackshirts' demise were greatly exaggerated.

After a Big Ten opening loss to Illinois in overtime on Sept. 20, Nebraska football's defense was put into question after allowing 31 points and getting gashed for 166 rushing yards while the Illini went 4-for-4 on red zone trips, all leading to touchdowns. Defensive coordinator Tony White was put into question, the defense had unforced penalties, and doubt began to creep into Husker fans' minds.

For the next two weeks following Nebraska's lone loss on the season, the Blackshirts have rebounded and turned back into a force to be reckoned with. As the saying goes - numbers never lie.

Including back-to-back victories on the road at Purdue and a home win against Rutgers on Saturday, Nebraska's defense has allowed 17 total points, 3.9 yards per play, and forced three turnovers including a pick-six in West Lafayette. The play of White's defense has garnered national attention, including a statistical analysis of the elite play of the Blackshirts' in a post that went viral on Sunday.

Nebraska's defense is 14th overall in total defense for yards per game allowed (272.5 yards per game) and sits behind six Big Ten teams. However, the Huskers are also in the top 40 in passing yards allowed, and ninth in rushing yards allowed per game. The Big Red are tied for ninth with 20 total sacks on the season and are tied for 15th with 10 total turnovers forced through six games.

As the post on X from Ben Stevens states, the Huskers are the only team in the conference and nationally to be in each category defensively. The only defense that is ahead of Nebraska in most of the statistical categories is No. 2 Ohio State, but the Buckeyes have not forced as many turnovers (9) as the Blackshirts.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Ty Robinson (9) celebrates after a sack against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Oct 5, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers defensive lineman Ty Robinson (9) celebrates after a sack against the Rutgers Scarlet Knights during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

The play of Nebraska's defense has also caught the attention of more national media. ESPN and College Gameday's Kirk Herbstreit spoke on Saturday's broadcast about how the Cornhuskers are not receiving the love and credit they deserve.

“Nebraska hasn’t given up a rushing touchdown all year,” Herbstreit said. “You talk about the wins, you talk about the physicality, and (the game) is in Lincoln, I think that favors Nebraska personally. Their defense not being talked about a lot because it seems like everybody talks about Raiola. I think they’ll be locked in today in Lincoln.”

Nebraska's defense backed up Herbstreit's hype, shutting down Rutgers to only 264 total yards and forcing the Scarlet Knights to only 2 of 14 day on third down. Rutgers only completed five yards per pass attempt, and were held to 78 total rushing yards. It is the fourth game this season that the Huskers have allowed less than 80 yards rushing.

1620 The Zone's Connor Happer added on X Monday morning that Nebraska's defense is on track to join an even higher elite status with Big Ten rivals. Since 2021, only one Big Ten team has had 40 or more sacks, 20 or more takeaways, and 10 or less giveaways in a season - 2023 Penn State.

The Huskers are currently in the top ten nationally in several major categories: opposing points per game (9th), opposing yards per game (10th), opposing yards per play (7th), opposing yards per rush (5th), sack percentage (7th), and turnover margin per game (10th).

Nebraska takes a break this week for their first bye of the season before matching up with No. 18 Indiana on Oct. 19. The Huskers' defense will be tested by one of the nation's best offenses at Ohio State on Oct. 26 in Columbus.

The Husker defense held UTEP to 205 total yards.
The Husker defense held UTEP to 205 total yards. / Amarillo Mullen

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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