The Nebraska Cornhuskers host the Northern Iowa Panthers in a game that could see the Huskers win 3-0 for the first time since 2016. While on paper this should be an easy win for the Big Red, the Panthers bring a style of play and a backfield talented enough to bring the party to Memorial Stadium.

Here are Matt McMaster’s keys to the game.

Following Nebraska’s dominant win over the Colorado Buffaloes last week, the Huskers enter Saturday’s contest ranked No. 23 (AP) nationally. While that’s not the end goal for Big Red, it’s a step in the right direction and an accolade they haven’t received in five years.

The team’s early-season success has brought them national attention and high expectations, and with that comes pressure that can break a team.

But they also have a dynamic the program hasn’t had in years. The positive vibe that reigns in the Lincoln buildings hasn’t been there since the Bo Pelini era. The easiest way to get rid of the positive stigma is with a disappointing week against an FCS opponent.

A loss to Northern Iowa would destroy the program’s momentum and perceived progress of the past few weeks. Even a narrow win detracts from NU’s accomplishments this season.

The Huskers must take the momentum from their win over the Buffaloes and translate it into their performance against Northern Iowa. They must parlay the confidence they gained from correcting last season’s biggest mistake into another masterful performance on both sides of the ball.

I’m always in favor of keeping the ball in the second half if you win the coin toss, but not in this game. Nebraska needs to make this a contest.

Northern Iowa’s offense is a boa constrictor that inflicts a slow and painful death on opposing defenses. This team likes to dominate up front.

They have averaged an incredible 298 rushing yards in their first two games. The Panthers want to smother their opponents on offense. They want to take the ball, pound it up the middle, tire the opponent out and run the clock down. They do that with two elite backs, Tye Edwards and Amauri Pesek-Henderson. Henderson and Edwards are elite FCS backs who average over 6 yards per carry. Nebraska’s gap integrity needs to be at its highest level or the Huskers will be shredded by these two all night long.

While UNI’s running game is top-notch, the passing game is far from it. The Panthers have amassed 215 passing yards through two games. They simply don’t have the quarterback or outside weapons to compete against FBS opponents on the outside, not to mention one of the better secondaries in the Big Ten.

While UNI’s style of play works for them, it is not designed for shootouts. If the Huskers are aggressive early on offense, they can force the Panthers to deviate from their preferred style of play.

It will be a physical game on defense for the Cornhuskers. The Panthers’ goal is to play 130 snaps of smash-mouth football. They want to fight and wear down this elite Nebraska defense.

NU will need to use its depth to its advantage and constantly rotate players in and out at all three levels. This is crucial due to the nature of UNI’s offense, as the Panthers will want to punish teams defensively to make each run easier and easier for their elite defenders.

UNI’s play shows that teams need more depth to ensure players are always fresh on the field. The Blackshirts’ coaching staff will play a major role in making sure they divide the snaps properly, not making it easier for the Panthers’ running game.

If you don’t do this, you not only have to spend a long time on defense, but you can also get injured.

Kickoff at Memorial Stadium is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. CDT on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network, with Huskers Radio Network affiliates handling coverage across the state.

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