Five things we learned from NU's weekly press conference

Since Nebraska joined the Big Ten Conference and the league immediately tried to force-feed a rivalry with Iowa, every week of Thanksgiving has been filled with debate over whether the Hawkeyes are truly a rival.

The Huskers own the all-time series 29-16-3, but since the start of the “Heroes Game” series in 2011, Iowa has won four of the past five meetings, including the last three in a row. Not only has NU lost three straight, its average margin of defeat has been 41.3-14.6.

For the current NU players, including a senior class that has never played in a win over the Hawkeyes, that alone kicks up the intensity for Friday’s 11 a.m. showdown in Iowa City.

"Iowa, that's our rival. We don’t like them," junior linebacker Mohamed Barry said. "To stop their run game and beat them in their house, it means everything. So there’s no motivation needed.”

Nebraska was without one of its top offensive weapons against Michigan State, as sophomore receiver JD Spielman was a late scratch from the lineup due to a foot injury he suffered the previous week vs. Illinois.

Spielman’s absence was obviously felt for the Huskers’ offense on Saturday, especially in the perimeter passing game that is such an important part of its game plan. It also hurt NU’s punt return game, as Stanley Morgan Jr. had to take over the duties.

Head coach Scott Frost said Spielman remained day-to-day on a short week of preparation for Iowa, and the Eden Prairie, Minn., native would likely be a game-time decision on Friday.

"We're working as hard as we can with him, but we'll have to see this weekend," Frost said.

Friday will be a homecoming of sorts for Nebraska defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, who was a walk-on offensive lineman for the Hawkeyes from 1998-2002 and was part of the ’02 Big Ten title team that went to the Orange Bowl.

But while he still has a place in his heart for his alma mater, Chinander isn’t letting his Iowa loyalties show one bit this week.

"We really haven't talked about it at length," senior defensive lineman Mick Stoltenberg said. "We know his history and everything. I'm sure he's pretty fired about about it, but he's treating it like any other week. He's definitely taking it like he should and always has; just treating it like any other work week.

"But I'm sure he's pretty excited to head back to his alma mater this weekend."

A native of Allison, Iowa, Chinander and Frost used to debate about Nebraska and Iowa’s programs while they were coming up the coaching ranks. But Frost said those arguments came to an immediate halt once Chinander followed him to Lincoln.

"Coach Chins and I have argued about Nebraska and Iowa for a long time, but now he's finally on the good side," Frost said. "But he still knows a lot of the guys over there, and they're good people. I'm sure it'll be as emotional for him going over there as it was for me coming back here.

"But we have to put all that aside when we go play. It all comes down to what happens on the field."

One of the players of the game against Michigan State was true freshman kicker Barret Pickering, who converted all three of his field goal attempts in less-than-ideal conditions to score every NU point in a 9-6 victory.

The accolades didn’t stop there, either, as on Monday Pickering was named the Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week. He became the first Husker to win the award since Sam Foltz in on Oct. 5, 2015.

It wasn’t just that Pickering knocked down three fourth-quarter field goals in the cold, snow, and wind, he finally showed legit leg strength by drilling a career-long 47-yarder to tie the game at 6-6 with 5:13 left.

The Birmingham, Ala., native has now made eight straight field goals since his last miss at Northwestern and is up to 12-of-16 on the year. That consistency and clutch kicking has given the Huskers a renewed trust in their kicking game after a shaky start.

Antonio Reed had the game of his career against Michigan State, racking up a season-high seven tackles, a career-high three tackles for loss, a career-best two pass breakups, his first career sack, an interception, and a forced fumble.

His breakout performance wasn’t enough to earn him any weekly Big Ten recognition, but it was more than enough to garner one of the highest honors a Nebraska defender could receive on Monday.

When Reed showed up to his locker before practice, a Blackshirt there waiting for him.

"I certainly felt like he could have been recognized as the conference player of the week with the difference he made in a defensive struggle in a 9-6 football game,” Frost said. “In our eyes, that’s what he was. He’s capable of playing at that kind of level all the time. It was great to see it come to fruition.”