LINCOLN, Neb. – Nebraska became the last team from a Power-5 Conference to notch its first victory of the season last weekend, and it's that winning feeling first-year coach Scott Frost wants his squad to become accustomed to in short order. The Cornhuskers will try to string together consecutive victories for the first time in over a year Saturday when they take a break from Big Ten play and host FCS foe Bethune-Cookman.
TV: Noon ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: None.
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After blowing a 10-point lead over the final 2 1/2 minutes of regulation en route to a 34-31 loss at Northwestern on Oct. 13, Nebraska raced out to a 28-0 advantage in the first half and played its most complete game under Frost en route to a 53-28 triumph against Minnesota last weekend. "(The players) deserve to be excited, but there's going to be a day around here when we're not celebrating one win," Frost told reporters. The victory ended the worst start to a season in school history and a program-record 10-game losing streak, but the offense has been rolling for the last month, churning out at least 475 yards in each of the last four games - including a season-high 659 versus the Golden Gophers. The Wildcats watched their three-game winning streak come to a screeching halt last weekend, falling behind by 23 in the first half in a 35-10 setback at North Carolina A&T.
ABOUT BETHUNE-COOKMAN (4-4)
Junior quarterback Akevious Williams leads the Wildcats in rushing (347 yards and eight touchdowns) as well as passing (116-of-185 for 1,435 yards and 12 TDs), although his status for Saturday is in doubt after he was injured in the third quarter last weekend and did not return. Keavon Mitchell was held to one catch for five yards versus North Carolina A&T but paces Bethune-Cookman with 26 receptions and five receiving scores, and he is tied with Malique Jackson for the team lead with 349 yards receiving. Junior defensive lineman Marques Ford has proven to be a disruptive force up front, posting team highs in tackles for loss (nine) and sacks (seven).
ABOUT NEBRASKA (1-6)
True freshman quarterback Adrian Martinez has accounted for at least 400 yards of total offense three times this season, tying Joe Ganz's school record for the most such efforts in a career. Devine Ozigbo is averaging 127.5 yards rushing (and 149 total yards) and has scored six touchdowns over the last four games; the senior running back has topped 150 yards rushing three times over that span after failing to do so once in his first 30 games. "For a guy his size (235 pounds), he makes people miss. I think you were able to see his top-end speed the other day when he broke one. He's big and strong enough to run powerful. I had the opportunity to coach a great player before named Royce Freeman. Devine's a lot like him," Frost said.
EXTRA POINTS
1. This contest was scheduled by Nebraska to replace the game it lost when its season opener against Akron on Sept. 1 was canceled due to severe storms.
2. The Cornhuskers are 11-0 versus FCS opposition, although Saturday will mark their first-ever game against a foe from the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
3. Nebraska's 659 yards of total offense last week was its highest total since 2014 and its most in a conference game since 2007.
PREDICTION: Nebraska 59, Bethune-Cookman 17