Even if Nebraska could close out the regular season with a win this week and finish at 5-7, its chance of making another bowl game with a sub-.500 record has all but vanished.

The Huskers' team Academic Progress Rate, which ranks potential 5-7 bowl teams, isn't nearly good enough to surpass other potential teams in the same situation. On top of that, there's a chance no 5-7 team makes a bowl depending on how this final week shakes out.

That means Friday very well could be the final game of head coach Scott Frost's first season. The Huskers have now won four of their past five games are were a last-second stop at Northwestern from winning five of their last six.

A road win over division rival Iowa would go a long way toward providing some great offseason momentum heading into an important 2019 campaign. It would also be a sweet reward for many NU fans who want nothing more than to take back the bragging rights from the Hawkeyes.

Nebraska was without one of its top offensive weapons against Michigan State on Saturday, as J.D. Spielman was a gameday scratch from the lineup as he deals with a foot injury he suffered vs. Illinois.

The weather impacted things more than anything, but it was clear that Spielman's absence was a big hit for the Huskers. The sophomore wideout is a matchup nightmare in the slot against defenses like Iowa who don't like to sub out linebackers, so having him back in the fold would be a huge boost.

If he's unable to come back on a short week, Nebraska needs one of its other receivers to step up and fill Spielman's shoes. Against Michigan State, other receivers not named Stanley Morgan Jr. only combined to catch just five passes.

With four catches for 67 yards, Morgan etched his name in Nebraska football history by breaking Kenny Bell's career receptions record with 182.

The senior will have one more chance this week to pass Bell for another prestigious record, as he's only 23 yards away from Bell's career receiving yardage mark of 2,689. Morgan is also now just 77 yards shy of becoming NU's first-ever 1,000-yard receiver.

Iowa has allowed an average of roughly 18 completions and 190 passing yards per game, making it one of the toughest pass defenses in the Big Ten. But the Huskers are going to need Morgan to make plays on Friday, so he'll get ample opportunities to reach those milestones.

Nebraska will see a familiar face again on Friday in former Omaha South standout and now Iowa tight end Noah Fant.

Fant spurned NU's previous coaching staff in favor of the Hawkeyes in 2016 and has now emerged as one of the top tight ends in all of college football.

While his production has been confusingly limited in recent weeks, the junior has caught 35 passes for 453 yards and six touchdowns, and he's regarded as maybe the top player at his position on projected 2019 NFL Draft boards.

Fant had three catches for 116 yards and two touchdowns in his last meeting vs. Nebraska last season in Lincoln. For the Huskers to have a shot at knocking off the Hawkeyes on Friday, he can't have that kind of performance.

Friday shouldn't be nearly as cold as what Nebraska has played in the past two weeks, but early forecasts show some more challenging weather could be waiting in Iowa City.

The Huskers haven't had to operate in wet weather yet this season, and early forecasts show a chance for morning showers for the 11 a.m. kickoff at Kinnick Stadium.

Frost has said the only weather factor he's ever really concerned about is wind, and it showed why with what happened vs. Michigan State. But a rainy start to the game on Friday could pose some issues for an offense that has struggled to hold onto the football this year.

The Huskers have fumbled 28 times through 10 games, losing 11. They only put the ball on the ground a total of 12 times in 2017.