HuskerMax Predictions: Nebraska Football vs. Wisconsin

The Huskers and Badgers face one another with bowl eligibility on the line.

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) jumps over Southern California Trojans safety Zion Branch (8) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The Nebraska Cornhuskers enter Saturday looking to snap some major losing streaks.

Aside from the Huskers' nationally known bowl drought dating back to 2016, NU hopes to also break its 10-game losing streak to Wisconsin, who's used Nebraska as its punching bag. Since joining the Big Ten, the Badgers have won 11 of 12 games the two programs have faced.

Ahead of Saturday's afternoon game at Memorial Stadium for Senior Day, the HuskerMax and Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI crew make their predictions. The average score is 20-17 Nebraska.

The closest prediction last week belonged to Jeremy Pernell who matched the exact score with a 28-20 USC win.

*Indicates closest in previous week's prediction and how many "wins" over the season. Ties will result in wins for all parties.

Prediction	Predictor
Nebraska 24-20	Kaleb Henry*
Wisconsin 23-17	Austin Jacobsen*
Nebraska 24-17	Eric Hess
Nebraska 24-21	Geoff Exstrom*
Wisconsin 27-25	Josh Peterson*
Nebraska 12-10	Joe Hudson*
Nebraska 20-17	ThotDoc*
Nebraska 28-10	Enrique Alvarez-Clary
Wisconsin 13-10	Matt McMaster*
Wisconsin 25-24	Cole Stukenholtz
Nebraska 21-14	Jay Stockwell
Nebraska 20-17	Bob Frady
Nebraska 24-10	Middle-Aged Ball Coach
Nebraska 24-21	David Max*
Wisconsin 14-10	Tad Stryker*
Nebraska 21-17	Tanner Johnson
Wisconsin 24-17	Chris Fort
Nebraska 21-16	Jeremy Pernell*

The Why

Austin Jacobsen: At this point in the season, the Huskers are best suited to win when they are the most motivated. Breaking a 10-year streak of losses to the Badgers won't be enough for the team to get juiced, making it a make-or-break end of season matchup at Iowa on Black Friday.

Eric Hess: The run game gets going thanks to some extra effort by the wide receivers blocking downfield. Raiola is a little more comfortable with another week of practice in Holgorsen's system.

Josh Peterson: Why would I pick anything other than heartbreak?

ThotDoc: This game reminds me a bit of what happened after the Huskers played OSU tough on the road then lost the next week against UCLA at home. Wisconsin played Oregon tough at home and now must go on the road to play Nebraska on Senior Day (without an offensive coordinator). This is as close to a must win game in Rhule's tenure. Huskers get it done in a tight one to become bowl eligible.

Enrique Alvarez-Clary: Offense finds a grovve. Wisconsin throws two interceptions and the ghost play caller remains a mystery.

Cole Stukenholtz: Should Nebraska win? Yeah, I think they should. But I need to see it to believe it. There's a 98% chance this will be a close game late, and NU has handled these situations so poorly for years. Ty Robinson doesn't have enough help around him on defense, and Dylan Raiola's struggles - injuries or not - reduces the margin for error to almost zero. The move to Holgorsen shows proper urgency, but the bigger hurdle is mental. Everything is difficult for this team right now, and getting win number six appears to be the most difficult of all.

Jay Stockwell: Matt Rhule call this one of the most important games of his coaching career. This will be like two 5-5 dogs wrestling under a blanket, but Charlie McBride told Adam Carriker that he predicts that the Huskers will close out the regular season with two wins. Adam thinks we have seen the nadir of the program this year and that it will "ascend" in the remaining two games. Those are two guys I really respect. So players it is time to make some plays!

Bob Frady: After 7 years in the desert, our long national nightmare will end. Two teams searching for offensive answers? The raucous Memorial Stadium crowd will inspire the Huskers to a knock-down, drag-out, win.

Middle-Aged Ball Coach: If Nebraska's defense shows up ready to play, Wisconsin will struggle to score, and the Huskers should get some points from their defense. Each week with Holgorsen should yield slightly more efficient offense, and I expect that to show up in the red zone.

David Max: We finally win a one score game to become bowl eligible.

Tad Stryker: Hoping that Dana Holgorsen pumps some life into the moribund Nebraska offense, but not counting on it. Seeing these Huskers top 20 points would surprise me almost as much as seeing a Cornhusker return a punt 20 yards.

Chris Fort: The script writes itself at this point. It’s up to the Huskers to deviate from it. Breaking a ten game losing streak to the Badgers feels too much to ask.

Jeremy Pernell: Nebraska has lost 10-straight to Wisconsin and haven't beaten the Badgers since Sept. 29, 2012. The Huskers should have won the last two meetings, but will finally get the monkey off their backs during Senior Day and get Bowl eligible.

Find more predictions at HuskerMax.com.

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