For many outside the Nebraska football program, Saturday’s matchup at Memorial Stadium against No. 21 Michigan feels like a defining moment.

Will the Huskers seize it?

A Nebraska victory would strengthen the belief that Matt Rhule has the program trending in the right direction. A loss? For some, it might be seen as more of the same story.

“The competition level is going to increase, we understand that,” defensive coordinator John Butler said Tuesday.

Still, head coach Matt Rhule emphasized Monday that “the true opponent is ourselves.”

The question is: have the Huskers really improved over the past three weeks?

Guard Henry Lutovsky thinks so. “We’re a completely different team than we were three weeks ago,” he said Tuesday—different, as in better. And they’ll need to be, because in the Big Ten “no game is an easy one.”

Michigan enters at 2-1, its lone loss coming on the road to now-No. 11 Oklahoma, 24-13. Even so, the Wolverines pose plenty of challenges—including a quarterback storyline between Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola and Michigan’s true freshman Bryce Underwood.

Underwood earned Big Ten Freshman of the Week honors after throwing for 235 yards and a touchdown and rushing for 114 yards and two more scores in a 63-3 rout of Central Michigan. Though only two of his nine carries were designed runs, his athleticism could be a factor—especially since Cincinnati’s Brendan Sorsby ran for 96 yards against Nebraska in Week 1. Butler, however, insists that issue has since been addressed.

Underwood, 6-foot-4 and 230 pounds, was rated the No. 1 overall recruit in the nation coming out of Belleville, Michigan. Despite his raw talent, he lacks Raiola’s experience. “This is game 17 (at Nebraska),” Rhule said. “Dylan will just get better and better.”

Raiola is tied for 14th nationally in passing touchdowns (8), ranks 17th in pass efficiency (178.76), and 22nd in passing yards (829). Rhule insists his quarterback is “more than ready” for Saturday.

But he also credited the offense around him: “It’s the five guys up front, the tight ends, the backs, everybody being where they’re supposed to be that allows him to get to the line with two plays and check when he needs to,” Rhule said.

That communication will be vital against a Michigan defense led by former NFL coordinator Wink Martindale. “He brings elite pressure in multiple ways,” Rhule said. “Part of it is showing the quarterback different looks, painting pictures that make things tough.”

On the other side of the ball, Michigan boasts the Big Ten’s leading rusher, Alabama transfer Justice Haynes, who has 388 yards and five touchdowns. Defensively, former Nebraska linebacker Ernest Hausmann leads the Wolverines with 20 tackles.

Nebraska, meanwhile, ranks first nationally in completion percentage (.793), fifth in passing offense (366.3 yards per game), ninth in scoring offense (49.0 points), and 10th in total offense (545.0 yards). Defensively, the Huskers are sixth in total defense (202.0 yards) and seventh in scoring defense (8.0 points). Still, as Rhule cautions, those numbers came against less formidable competition.

“I think our guys have worked hard the last three weeks to prepare,” Rhule said. “They’ve been mature about it, addressing what we needed to improve on each week. Big Ten play is a whole other animal. But I think our guys are ready.”

For many watching from the outside, Saturday could indeed be the moment that defines this season.