For the second time in less than a month, the Nebraska football team is enjoying a bye week in the 2013 schedule, as the Cornhuskers ramp up for what promises to be the toughest stretch of games on the docket come November.

For in that final month of the regular season, Nebraska will square off against Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, Penn State, and Iowa , as they try to emerge with the Legends Division crown and a spot in December's Big Ten Championship game in Indianapolis.

Nebraska v Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 12: Randy Gregory #44 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers recovers a fumble against the Purdue Boilermakers during the game at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 12, 2013 in West Lafayette, Indiana. Nebraska won 44-7. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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Last weekend, Nebraska made it eight straight Big Ten regular season wins with a 44-7 thumping of Purdue in West Lafayette.

Despite the big numbers from the offense (435 yards, 44 points, 21 first downs), it was the Blackshirts defense that was the star of the day for Nebraska, allowing Purdue just 216 yards of total offense, forcing two turnovers, and coming within 39 seconds of posting a shutout.

I asked the 'Voice of the Cornhuskers' Greg Sharpe if it felt like a classic Nebraska defensive performance:

Nebraska v Purdue
WEST LAFAYETTE, IN - OCTOBER 12: Ameer Abdullah #8 of the Nebraska Cornhuskers runs for a 28-yard touchdown in the first half of the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Ross-Ade Stadium on October 12, 2013 in West Lafayette, Indiana. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
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On the offensive side of the ball, Ameer Abdullah and Imani Cross each ran for two touchdowns, while Quincy Enunwa had four catches and a score, despite a somewhat shaky passing performance from Tommy Armstrong:

Taylor Martinez, Nebraska Cornhuskers vs UCLA Bruins
Eric Francis/Getty Images
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It's been a month now since quarterback Taylor Martinez played in a game for Nebraska.  He's been sidelined with a toe injury suffered during the UCLA loss.

Martinez is getting closer to being back on the field, and I asked Greg what his gut feeling was on who starts at quarterback in eight days in Minneapolis:

While the Huskers hit the pause button on the schedule for the second time, it seems logical to take a look inside the numbers so far in 2013, starting with a 155-52 point advantage for Nebraska in the first half in the first six games:

Before Nebraska hits the November stretch that includes the Wildcats, Wolverines, Spartans, Nittany Lions, and Hawkeyes, they must first close out October next Saturday at Minnesota.

Knowing what's coming up after that, is there a potential for the Gopher game to be a 'trap game' for the Huskers?

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