How does Nebraska beat “exact science?”

Go back to Rose-Ivey’s words. Stripped down, Oregon is still playing straightforward football. Being sound and smart will go a long way, but here are three things to watch:

» Playing well “in space.” That is, when Oregon athletes are one-on-one with defenders, Nebraska is able to tackle well or, if it’s a pass play, cover well in individual matchups. NU had similar challenge in the bowl game vs. UCLA; after struggling early, the Huskers found their rhythm in the second half.

Nebraska’s new emphasis on rugby tackling, which focuses on coralling players at or below the waist, could help, Banderas said.

“We’ve improved so much on missed tackles and tracking the hip from one, two, three years ago,” Banderas said. “If you put on our film from when we first started tackling until now, it looks like kindergarteners vs. college players.”

» Fewer freelance moments. Oregon’s backs and receivers are gifted at exploiting mistakes, so when a defender is out of position — because of Oregon’s tempo or a missed assignment — it tends to burn a defense more. NU’s challenge on Saturday: plug all the leaks.