Nebraska is already down one defensive tackle with the season-ending injury to Jared Crick. Now their depth at the position has taken another hit. Sophomore Thad Randle will not play Saturday against Michigan State due to a knee injury. Huskers head coach Bo Pelini confirmed the injury through a spokesman after yesterday’s practice, at which Randle was seen on crutches with a brace on his right knee. Randle recorded three tackles last week against Minnesota, in the first game since Crick’s injury. There was no comment as to the extent of Randle’s injury, nor how much action he would miss. In Randle’s absence, redshirt freshman Jay Guy is expected to join the defensive tackle rotation that includes Baker Steinkuhler and Chase Rome as starters and Terrence Moore as a reserve.

With all due respect to Minnesota, the thirteenth-ranked Nebraska football team wasn’t challenged in their first game after their bye week. This Saturday, they face the defining challenge of their season to date. The Huskers welcome in Michigan State in what is a must-win for Nebraska’s hopes of winning the Big Ten Legends Division. Huskers defensive coordinator Carl Pelini says his defense has to come up with some big plays. “I’d like to see more turnovers,” Pelini said. “I want them to cut it loose a little more. We’ve talked about being more aggressive and to quit trying to be so perfect all the time and get after the ball. That will come. I think it’s a group that our confidence is starting to grow now and I think that’s important. I think that’s what we were missing early on.” The Huskers and Spartans kick off at Memorial Stadium at 11 AM Saturday.

There’s a new number one team in college volleyball, and it wears Big Red. Nebraska moved up three spots to the top of the newest AVCA Coaches poll after two more wins last week, including a four-set victory over previously top-ranked Illinois at the NU Coliseum on Saturday. The wins move Nebraska’s winning streak to twelve games. The Huskers have posted a 17-1 record and are a perfect 10-0 in Big Ten play. It’s the first time the Huskers have been the top-ranked team in the land since October of 2007. They received 38 of the 60 possible first place votes. This coming weekend, the Huskers hit the road to face a pair of ranked teams as they start their second pass through the Big Ten schedule. Friday night they’re in Columbus to face 23^rd ranked Ohio State, and Saturday they visit 8^th ranked Penn State.

Nebraska linebacker Lavonte David was named one of twelve semifinalists for the Butkus Award, handed out yearly to the nation’s best linebacker. The senior leads the Huskers in tackles with 64, including seven tackles for a loss. He is the only Big Ten linebacker to be named a semifinalist, and the first Husker linebacker to be so honored since Demorrio Williams in 2003. The last, and only, Husker to win the Butkus Award was Trev Alberts in 1993. David and the Huskers began preparations yesterday for this Saturday’s clash with Michigan State at Memorial Stadium. The 11^th-ranked Spartans completed a Hail Mary pass for a touchdown to stun Wisconsin at the gun in East Lansing on Saturday. ESPN will televise the game nationally, with the kickoff scheduled for 11 AM.