The Nebraska Cornhuskers hit the road for the first time in 2024 after their first loss of the season in a disappointing 31-24 overtime loss to No. 19 Illinois in the 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers will take on a struggling Purdue team that looks to gain some momentum after back-to-back losses to Notre Dame and Oregon State.

The Husker Max And Nebraska Cornhuskers SI crew make their predictions. The average score is 34-16.

Last week’s best prediction for Nebraska vs. Illinois came out Joe Hudson with a 24-17 prediction victory for the Huskers. That was a total of 14 points shy of the actual 31-24 Illinois victory.

*Indicates closest to the previous week’s prediction and how many “wins” there are throughout the season.

The why

Austin Jacobsen: A get-right game in West Lafayette is perfect for a Nebraska team that is still on track and heading in the right direction. Purdue makes things interesting with an early wake-up call for the Huskers, but Raiola proves to be too much. Nebraska wins and covers despite a late score from the Boilermakers.

Eric Hessen: Both teams will have a lot of success running the ball, but Nebraska has a QB who will make more big plays when necessary.

Jos Petersen: Nebraska calms things down with their most complete game of the year. The run game gets going and one of the WRs finally pulls off an INT and makes a big catch.

ThotDoc: Huskers bounce back from their ugly loss with a big win on the way. This Purdue club isn’t as happy as it used to be and is actually running more than just passing. They’ve also been beaten on the ground, so expect the Huskers to emphasize the run which will provide opportunities for some deep attacks through the air.

Cole Stukenholtz: Run game gets on track, Blackshirts produce a few turnovers and Huskers win their first road game of 2024.

Jay Stockwell: Huskers will bounce back strong after some defensive soul searching this week. SMQ predicts that the regression will be a one-time event and that the Huskers will learn from their mistakes.

Middle-aged ball coach: Purdue has struggled to stop the rush on defense. If Nebraska can establish the run, everything else will be open for explosive play.

Tad Stryker: Blackshirts will struggle to find the energy and effectiveness they brought to the Colorado game. They will have to battle to keep Purdue’s offense in check, but will make a key interception too late to secure a one-score victory.

Chris Fort: Purdue hits Nebraska in the mouth with a 1-2 blow from Mockabee and Love, but the Blackshirts take a bow while Raiola and company do their thing.

Find more predictions at HuskerMax.com.

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