McMaster's Key to the Game: Nebraska Football vs. UCLA

Matt McMaster offers the Huskers his three keys to success on Saturday against UCLA.

Benefit from sales

The Bruins are one of the worst teams in the country when it comes to ball handling. They average 1.7 turnovers per game and have an average turnover margin of -1.

These grades are abysmal and a big reason why they have a 2-5 record entering this competition.

To make things even better for the Big Red, Nebraska is one of the better takeaway teams in the country, averaging 1.6 per game.

The key is to take advantage when the Bruins cough up the ball. The Huskers had a takeaway against Ohio State last week and turned it into 0 points. Their inability to convert those turnovers into points is why they failed in their valiant attempt at surprise.

If they fail again to turn an opponent's trash into their treasure, they will be upset this week.

Efficient throwing

It's been a tough season for UCLA, but one bright spot is the Bruins' rush defense. They rank in the top 20 in opponent yards per rush and rush yards per game.

Given Nebraska's inconsistent running game, I don't think it's reasonable to expect the Big Red to break through this Bruin running wall. While UCLA thrives on the ground, the Bruins struggle through the air, ranking in the bottom quarter of all defensive passing stats in the country.

NU not only needs a great performance from quarterback Dylan Raiola, but also from play caller Marcus Satterfield.

Raiola needs to find a rhythm and be comfortable with simple defensive throws. He also needs to do a better job of settling into the pocket on his long throws to maximize accuracy.

For Satterfield, the most important thing will be to get his young gunslinger going. I expect Raiola to throw the ball hard, so getting him into a rhythm early and finishing easily will be paramount. Then it will be a waiting game for Satterfield. I give him a lot of credit for making a number of plays that were effective in opening up targets downfield. If he is able to pick these plays at the right times through complementary play calls, the Huskers should have no problem scoring points.

Convert in the red zone

Nebraska is terrible at scoring points in the red zone. “Terrible” is actually an understatement, as the Huskers rank 130th out of 134 teams in RZ points.

THIS IS A BIG PROBLEM!

Want to know why the Big Red are 5-3 and not 7-1? Exactly for this reason. They have missed opportunity after opportunity to capitalize on productive performances and excellent field position.

This is a key not only for this game, but also for the rest of the season. NU needs to stop getting nervous in the red zone, get up and execute.

Don't let the Bruins' record fool you! UCLA will take on the Huskers and push them to the limit if NU allows them to.

Nebraska needs to come out strong and assert dominance early, and it all starts with execution inside the 20-yard line.

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