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Sports

Michigan-Nebraska Preview Capsule

Associated Press
Published | Updated

No. 20 Michigan (5-2, 3-0 Big Ten) at Nebraska (5-2, 2-1), 8 p.m. (ESPN2)

Line: Nebraska by 2 ½.

Series Record: Michigan leads 4-2-1.

WHAT'S AT STAKE

The winner gains the inside track to the Legends Division championship. With a win, division leader Michigan would hold a two-game lead over Nebraska. A Michigan loss would leave the Wolverines no worse than tied for first. The Huskers, with a win, would move into a first-place tie and own the tiebreaker over the Wolverines. A Nebraska loss would leave the Huskers needing to win out and having the Wolverines lose three of their last four.

KEY MATCHUP

Michigan defense against Nebraska offense. The Wolverines are allowing 9.8 points the past five games and given up three touchdowns. They haven't given up a rushing TD since Sept. 22 against Notre Dame. Nebraska has the Big Ten's best offense when it's not turning over the ball. The Huskers struggled against Michigan's varying defensive-line looks in last year's 45-17 loss in Ann Arbor.

PLAYERS TO WATCH

Michigan: RB Fitzgerald Toussaint. Nebraska will sell out to keep Denard Robinson under control. That's the smart play, given that Robinson accounts for two-thirds of his team's offense. But when the Huskers have faced dual-threat QBs, they've struggled to keep the tailback in check. Toussaint, averaging 47 yards a game, ran for a career-high 138 and two TDs against the Huskers last year.

Nebraska: QB Taylor Martinez. The third-year starter was brilliant in the fourth quarter last year, throwing two TD passes in the last six minutes to erase a 12-point deficit against Northwestern. Martinez was equally good leading the Huskers' comeback from 17 points down against Wisconsin. But Michigan defensive coordinator Greg Mattison surely will have something special planned.

FACTS & FIGURES

Nebraska will celebrate the 50th anniversary of its NCAA-record sellout streak. This will be the Huskers' 323rd in a row. ... Michigan, with its win over Michigan State last week, became the first program in NCAA history to reach 900 victories. ... The Wolverines have lost four of their past seven games away from Michigan Stadium. ... Michigan is 15-0 under Brady Hoke when scoring 20 or more points. ... Nebraska's 13 lost fumbles are most in the nation. ... The Huskers has rushed for 200-plus yards in their first seven games for the first time since 2000. ... Nebraska is 36-5 in night games in Lincoln since 1986.