The Nebraska Cornhuskers finally got that Big Ten win out of the way in their third try of 2021, so all of their close-game ghosts are cleared out for October, right Austin Allen?

“I mean, yeah, we kicked the crap out of a Big Ten West team, but so what now?” the Nebraska tight end said Monday. “That is in the past. We won that game. Click the reset button now.”

When the Huskers log back on, it’s not Northwestern anymore. No. 9 Michigan is coming to town.

“Yeah, like, bring it on. We understand that,” Huskers linebacker JoJo Domann said. “They have big guys up front. They have talent. They have skilled positions. They have good coaches. They are a good program. We are up for the challenge. We understand what it is going to take from us to be ready to perform at a high level.”

Nebraska wide receiver Samori Toure is here for it. Literally.

“Games like this are a big part of why I came here,” Toure said. “Big games like Michigan, Oklahoma and Michigan State.”

A lot of time at Monday’s news conferences was spent on Nebraska’s last game with Michigan, a 59-10 Huskers loss to the No. 19 team in the country.

“There is a lot of things we learned from that game and a lot of things we have learned since to become the team that we are now,” Allen said. “So hopefully it will really be a game this time.”

It was 3 years ago. Those Huskers were winless. These Wolverines are undefeated.

“I remember us getting smacked,” Nebraska quarterback Adrian Martinez said. “It was a rough game for myself and a rough game for the team. I know I only played a half of football. Different teams. We are in a much different spot as a program, and as a unit, on both sides of the ball here. We were physically outmatched.”

Both programs have been stagnant in the standings since, but the iconic duo’s forecast shows a chance of increasing relevancy, starting now.

“There is a lot of stuff to be happy about on what happened Saturday, but you cannot lean on that,” Allen said. “Our attention to detail has to pick up that much more with a team like Michigan.”

Plus, it’s in Lincoln this time. Players believe in the edge that gives the Huskers.

“Big time,” Domann said. “It’s all about momentum. 90,000 screaming for you and it is definitely an advantage. I mean everything on the field is going to take care of itself, but the energy in the whole stadium feeds off itself. That’s going to be big time for us.”

The dark brings a different energy, too.

“The leadup to the game is not necessarily fun waiting all day, but it is definitely worth it once you get to the game and the environment — it is obviously different,” defensive lineman Ben Stille said. “Anyone can feel that and experience that.”

And if the players are any indication, that 56-7 win last week will instill a confident feeling in that sellout crowd.

“It’s hard to put a definitive stamp on it, but I know the guys right now are really confident with the type of team we have,” Martinez said. “To an extent I believe we’ve earned that. We have a lot of trust in each other, and we’ve worked really hard and know the things we are capable of as a team. Excited. We’ve got a lot of good teams on the schedule left.”

Allen is viewing each of those games as if it’s his last.

“That is the Big Ten Championship for me this weekend,” he said. “That is how I am going to treat it. And then the Big Ten Championship is next weekend versus Minnesota. That is how I am going to approach it. There is a lot of stuff to be learned.”

Chief among that “stuff” is how they measure up.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Martinez said. “I thought they had a phenomenal team and that they were going to win the league after they went out there. They kicked our butt and we were out-manned in probably nearly every position. We didn’t have much of a chance in that. They have another good team that’s very similar to that one. We get an opportunity to test ourselves against a really good team.”

Huskers head coach Scott Frost is looking forward to the challenge this game presents in a season that is already flying by.

“Right now it feels like we are down to three two-game seasons,” he said. “We have two more games here before the bye week. We have to do the best we can and then we will recover and then we have two and then we have another bye week. Rest and recover and then we have two. We still have the opportunity to do something really special this year against some really good opponents. We have to go compete. The guys do not have to be told about the opportunity that is there for them.”

Martinez says, “Our program and our team is in a different spot.”

It will take another leap with an upset Saturday.