Rankings: Not ranked.
1. Michigan State's defense is so good. Maybe not the complete unit Michigan has, but still elite. The Spartans own the top rush defense in the nation, and a top-20 scoring defense, and shut down Ohio State last week. Even though the Buckeyes wound up winning by 20, that was more a function of the Spartans imploding on offense than anything the defense did or did not do. It was just a 7-6 Ohio State lead at halftime, and a 9-6 game going into the fourth quarter. This will be the first truly great defense Nebraska has faced since the Michigan game.