After defeating Wisconsin on home ground, Nebraska remains firmly atop the Big 10 table. However, after an impressive 25-game winning streak that left them looking nearly invincible, the Huskers now face an off-court challenge. As the final week of Big 10 competition wraps up, the Nebraska volleyball squad is struggling to balance their Thanksgiving celebrations with a demanding schedule of away games.

Nebraska’s coach John Cook discussed the team’s plans for their two final regular season games. “The schedule will be different because of Thanksgiving a little bit,” said Coach Cook. While the Huskers will get the opportunity to spend Thanksgiving with their teammates, the issue will be the mandatory Thanksgiving dinner while traveling to Penn State. So what was the coach’s solution?

Instead of waiting for Thursday, the Nebraska volleyball coach explained the team will be having their “Thanksgiving feast,” on Wednesday night. The 68-year-old explained why they couldn’t have dinner after arriving in Pennsylvania. “The problem is, we’re trying to get food on a Thursday, and we get there.. And nothing’s open,” the veteran coach told the media.

Rather than risking missing Thanksgiving dinner altogether, the team has decided to play it safe. However, dinner won’t be the only thing on the Nebraska players’ minds—they’ll need to ensure they get enough rest after a long day of travel for Friday’s crucial clash against Penn State. Chasing down Thanksgiving turkey during dinner time could interfere with their much-needed recovery.

John Cook also explained why resting before the match is also the table-topping team’s priority. “It’s just the time of year,” said the Nebraska volleyball coach, addressing some health and fatigue-related issues his players have health within the past few weeks. So despite their recent victories, the defending Big 10 champions are not taking Penn State lightly.

The Nebraska volleyball team isn’t ready to take their foot off the pedal yet

The Huskers may have triumphed over Wisconsin and are heading to University Park with a perfect 18-0 conference record. However, Penn State has no pushovers. The Nittany Lions are nipping at Nebraska’s toes with a conference record of 17-1. So, Coach Cook wants his best players healthy and ready for action against a top Big 10 team.

“We treat this week just like is week one,” the three-time AVCA Coach of the Year Award winner said during the press conference. Despite building a 25-game win streak, the Nebraska volleyball team will play like they are yet to get a win. However, Coah Cook also revealed how not everyone on the team is at their peak.

After playing 29 games throughout the season, many of the most active players on the roster are experiencing fatigue. However, the bigger concern is illness due to the weather change. “Unfortunately… last few weeks we’ve had a lot of people been sick, you know. Sick with stuff, coughing…” explained the California native.

Hence, the final two clashes against the Nittany Lions and then Maryland, away from home, will become a delicate balancing act. So John Cook has his work cut out, as making sure everyone is healthy and ready to push themselves on the court, will be a challenge. Do you think Nebraska volleyball will be able to keep their undefeated streak intact? Tell us in the comments.