Wisconsin heads west to Lincoln with the Freedom Trophy in tow, looking to ensure it returns to Madison on Saturday night. As kickoff inches closer, let's analyze the Huskers' roster by breaking it down, position-by-position, ahead of the Badgers' first matinee game in over a month.

Dylan Raiola's season started hot, but he's cooled off as defenses have learned what makes the true freshman uncomfortable. It was going to be hard to live up to the extraordinary amount of hype that came with his high-profile flip from Georgia as the top recruit in the nation, and that's been reflected in his play. Though the first five games of the season, he completed 70 percent of his passes with nine touchdowns and two interceptions. In the five games since, his completion percentage dropped 10 points and he has two touchdowns to eight interceptions. The quarterback has flashed undeniable talent, while simultaneously struggling in a sputtering offensive system.

Heinrich Haarberg has played sparingly, completing 10-of-17 passes for 101 yards and an interception. He adds an element of mobility as well should new play-caller Dana Holgorsen want to add that to his offense, but Raiola is the unquestioned starter.

Nebraska uses three tailbacks with regularity, and all three of them get involved on a weekly basis.

Dante Dowdell leads the team in carries with 136. He's racked up 523 yards and eight scores on the ground, and stepped into an expanded role after recording just 17 carries as a freshman. In recent weeks, however, the sophomore has essentially split time with Emmet Johnson.

Johnson is the more explosive back. He has the longest run for the Huskers this season (42 yards), the highest yards-per-carry amongst running backs (5.0) and and the highest breakaway percentage (27.6) per Pro Football Focus. Just a true sophomore as well, Johnson is the more experienced back, as he logged 90 carries for 411 yards last season.

Taking up the rear is Rahmir Johnson. His status is in question, as he missed last week against USC. The senior is good for a handful of carries each game, but he's also a receiving threat with 19 receptions this fall. Him and the other Johnson are the two pass-catching backs in this offense, combining for 42 catches for 372 yards and two scores.

Nebraska reloaded at wideout with two key transfers this offseason, Isaiah Neyor (Texas) and Jahmal Banks (Wake Forest). Both have been solid; Neyor has 28 grabs for 426 yards and five touchdowns, while Banks has 32 catches for 415 yards and two scores. Still, wideouts in Lincoln haven't been the difference-makers that can unlock an explosive offense. A great example? Husker receivers have reeled in just 38 percent of their contested-catch opportunities, according to numbers from Pro Football Focus.

Besides Neyor and Banks, Jacory Barney Jr. is the other starting receiver for the Huskers. He's the slot specialist, while the other two primarily play out wide. Barney paces the room in receptions with 40 for 317 yards. He's a high-volume target who does a lot of the dirty work underneath.

In terms of backups to keep en eye on, Wisconsin certainly won't forget about Jaylen Lloyd. Primarily but not exclusively a slot option, the receiver is a big-play threat with 11 catches for 240 yards, a healthy 21.8 yards-per-catch. His 59-yard catch-and-run against Northern Iowa is tied for the longest play by a Nebraska receiver this fall. The Badgers are well aware, of course — last year in Madison, Lloyd had a 58-yard catch-and-run touchdown, weaving through the Wisconsin secondary.

Slot options Janiran Bonner and Carter Nelson are the only two other receivers of significance in this offense. They've accounted for 17 grabs for 131 yards and two scores combined.

While only four wideouts have been regularly involved in this Nebraska offense, Thomas Fidone II has been a staple at the tight end spot. He has at least one reception in every game, and averages 4.4 targets each week. He's been highly dependable with a 76.9 reception percentage as well, a crucial outlet for his true freshman quarterback. Just 12.3 percent of his snaps are pass-blocking; he's primarily a receiving threat.

The other two tight ends, Nate Boerkircher and Luke Lindenmeyer, are more blocking-oriented. They line up in-line 72 and 82.4 percent of the time, respectively, and have combined for four catches for 54 yards. With just 6 combined targets, they're essentially a non-factor in the passing game.

Nebraska has played a whopping 19 offensive linemen this fall. Their starters are as follows, from left to right: Gunner Gottula, Justin Evans, Ben Scott, Henry Lutovsky and Bryce Benhart.

The left side of the line is younger, as Gottula and Evans are each in their second seasons. That's showN a bit as they've each allowed two sacks. However, the right tackle Benhart has struggled the most: he's surrendered 22 pressures and allowed three sacks, per Pro Football Focus. As a whole, the Huskers have given up 23 sacks, which puts them in the bottom third of the nation in that category.

Given the inexperience of its starting quarterback, this is an offense that needs to be able to lean on the ground game. Nebraska, however, has the 99th-ranked rushing attack in the country in terms of yards-per-game (124.3) That won't cut it.

In two out of the past three games, the Huskers have allowed Micah Mazzccua to cut into Gottula's snaps at left tackle. Otherwise, this starting five should remain consistent Saturday in Lincoln.

Ty Robinson and Jamari Butler flank nose tackle Nash Hutmacher on Nebraska's defensive line. Those three get the most reps in the trenches, and Robinson in particular is a problem for opposing offenses.

The 6-foot-6, 310-pound senior has racked up 25 tackles, six sacks and a forced fumble. He leads the team by a wide margin with 30 pressures. He primarily lines up over the B-Gap and will be an issue for the interior of Wisconsin's offensive line.

Butler and Hutmacher have combined for 39 tackles and two sacks. Neither is quite as adept as Robinson in the pass-rushing department, but they combine to form a defensive line that's spearheaded the 20th-ranked rushing defense in the nation.

Cameron Lenhardt is the primary backup along the defensive line with 176 snaps this season. He's collected 13 tackles and a half sack. Junior Elijah Jeudy and Sophomore Kai Wallin also rotate in along the defensive trenches; they've combined for 10 tackles and eight pressures.

Nebraska's starting linebackers are an experienced bunch. Senior John Bullock, the headliner, has stuffed the stat-sheet with 56 tackles, three sacks, four pass-breakups, a forced fumble and a touchdown. He dominates the snaps in the middle of the defense, understandably so.

Meanwhile, junior Mikai Gbayor has 44 tackles, one sack, one pass breakup and two fumble recoveries. At the JACK spot, to round out the starters, is senior MJ Sherman with 21 tackles and 3.5 sacks. Sherman lines up primarily on the edge as another pass rusher for this Huskers' defense.

Javin Wright and Stephon Thompson have played rotationally as well. The senior and junior, respectively, have combined for 42 tackles. Nebraska plays a lot of players on its front seven, so more names than can be mentioned here will get involved. But the experience and depth in this linebacker room allows the Huskers to deploy a versatile, multiple front.

Malcolm Hartzog and Tommi Hill are the listed starting corners for Nebraska. Both have experience in spades, especially the former; Hartzog is in the midst of his third season as a starter in Lincoln, and he plays mostly in the slot. He also leads the team with four interceptions this fall. Hill started last year as well, and both upperclassmen bring excellent experience to the secondary.

While those are the listed starters, the safety Marques Buford Jr. has more snaps at outside cornerback, while the listed backup Ceyair Wright actually leads the room in snaps at corner with 366. Wright has also been the best in coverage, with a reception percentage of 54 percent on 37 targets. Wright leads the cornerback room with two interceptions.

Jeremiah Charles also gets involved at cornerback, and he's allowed seven receptions on 10 targets. Overall, just like their front seven, the Huskers deploy a deep and multiple secondary, meaning both safeties and corners will line up everywhere in this defensive backfield.

Just like Nebraska's corners, these safeties ooze experience. Buford, DeShon Singleton and Isaac Gifford, with the latter playing the ROVER position, comprise the starting safeties for the Huskers.

Gifford is arguably the heart and soul of this defense. He leads the team in tackles with 59 and flies to the football from a wide variety of alignments in the secondary. Singleton, meanwhile, is tied for second in tackles with 56. These two seniors don't mess around on the back end, and Singleton has been especially sure-handed with just six missed tackles all year.

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