LINCOLN - Nebraska travels to Ann Arbor, MI. for what will likely be their toughest test of the season as they take on third-ranked Michigan. 

On Tuesday, Interim Head Coach Mickey Joseph addressed the quarterback situation, but he also knows the skill level of this Wolverine group.

“Well they’re a very talented football team,” Joseph said. “You see talent across the board. You see talent when they get their 2’s out there. It’s a very talented 85-scholarship athlete football team. I think they’re the best team we’re going to face all year.”

Nebraska enters the game off a 20-13 loss to Minnesota in which the Huskers were outscored 20-3 in the second half. News also broke on Tuesday that sophomore safety Myles Farmer was arrested for a DUI over the weekend. According to a release from the Lincoln Police Department, Farmer was stopped at about 12:30 Sunday morning for failure to use a turn signal. His BAC was .123. He’s been suspended for the Michigan game, Joseph summed it up as a “bad mistake by a good kid”. DB Marquise Buford talked about the safety position in Farmer’s absence.

“I feel like everything’s going to play out the same,” Buford said. “I will still do my role, everyone’s just going to have to step up - next man up is something we’ve been preaching all year and that’s what it’s going to have to be now.”

The quarterback situation remains in flux for the Big Red… Joseph said Casey Thompson did not participate in Tuesday practice, and if he doesn’t on Wednesday they’ll rule him out for Saturday. That’ll leave it up to Logan Smohters or Chubba Purdy. Joseph explained how the huskers coaching staff takes notes to make that call throughout the week.

“Who’s making the throws? Who’s giving us the correct run plays? They’re competing right now,” Joseph said. “We’ll look and see who did well this day, the next day, and then we’ll make the call on Thursday.”

Nebraska enters Saturday’s matchup as a 29.5 point-underdog. According to Joseph and Norfolk native O-Lineman Ethan Piper, there’s no quit from the Huskers and they’re fully embracing the role of the underdog.

“Hell yea, we’re definitely embracing the underdog role,” Piper said. “I don’t think anybody, especially after the loss last week, is picking us, so we just have to go into this game with the mentality that we have nothing to lose at this point.”

“We talked to them about having a lot of pride. Not being broken,” Joseph said. “We start something, we’re going to finish it. Along the way there’s going to be some adversity, but it’s a good group. They’re not going to quit.”

As far as how the Huskers can keep pace with the high-powered Wolveriens, some old school, smash mouth Big Ten football could be in store.

“If you’ve been in this league, and you understand what you’re looking at as a coach, you understand that you gotta slow it down. This is the wya this league is built and we have to play Big Ten football.”

At #3 Michigan is Nebraska’s highest ranked opponent since Iowa was ranked fifth in 2015. Michigan overcame a slow start last week to dismantle Rutgers 52-17, a team the Big Red beat 14-13 on October 7th.