Nebraska dropped its third straight game of the season after a dreadful Halloween night against Washington. Now, the Huskers enter the final quarter of their regular season at 5-3 and face a rough November stretch. With two shifty teams and two top-25 opponents ahead, Nebraska's final four games will be tough.

These four teams all provide unique and similar challenges for the Huskers. The challenges range from simple to daunting, however. Plus, with this being the final stretch of the regular season, not much will change in these rankings.

Here are the final rankings for Nebraska's final four opponents of the season.

No. 4: Rutgers Scarlet Knights

Rutgers came up short against Michigan despite having a very dysfunctional day. The Scarlet Knights completed only three passes, yet they totaled 123 yards in the air and scored a receiving touchdown. Michigan scored on only four of its 10 drives but still controlled the clock, finishing with over 39 minutes of possession.

The Scarlet Knights capitalized on the Wolverines' mistakes and made a couple of explosive plays to get them back in the game. Beyond that, Rutgers' offense was limited. That's along the lines of Nebraska's current defensive predicament.

However, the Scarlet Knights' defense let Michigan move the ball up and down the field, despite their opponent's imperfect offense this season. Tommy Carr threw 22-of-27 for 266 yards and a touchdown for the Wolverines and only took one sack. Michigan also tallied 161 rushing yards on 45 carries.

Rutgers' defense gives Nebraska's offense a chance to return to form, depending on what happens against Illinois. That, along with the Blackshirts, keeps the Scarlet Knights from climbing up. Rutgers is still a threat, but compared to the other Nebraska opponents, its threat level is low.

No. 3: Illinois Fighting Illini

Illinois survived a Maryland team that entered the matchup with a chip on its shoulder after firing Mike Locksley. The Fighting Illini scored 10 points in the fourth quarter, capping off the day with a walk-off 26-yard field goal after draining nearly six minutes off the clock.

Illinois once again came through on a few major plays in order to score. Javari Barrett highlighted the day for the Fighting Illini, taking off for a 64-yard touchdown run. The big play helped Illinois finish with 184 rushing yards on 33 carries.

It also helped Katin Houser, whose return from injury didn't go flawlessly. He threw 18-of-32, missing his mark on several passes and throwing an interception. Houser did tally 223 yards in the air and a touchdown and never got sacked.

The Fighting Illini also made plays on defense. They forced two turnovers, picking off Malik Washington and getting a fumble off DeJaun Williams. Illinois also limited Washington to 19-of-29 for 190 yards and kept the Terrapins to just 98 rushing yards on 29 carries.

For the Huskers, the Fighting Illini are in a prime position to do what Washington did, disrupt the offense and get some explosive plays to score. That's Nebraska's main concern right now. Unless the Huskers' offense can come out and show they're better, or the Blackshirts deliver some major turnovers, Illinois is a dangerous team.

No. 2: Iowa Hawkeyes

Iowa dismantled Wisconsin, plain and simple. Whether through the air, on the ground or on defense, the Hawkeyes got the better of the Badgers, resulting in their 30-0 blowout win. But the game played out like Iowa always does.

The Hawkeyes bested Wisconsin physically, never needing to do anything more than play football. Hank Brown threw for 20-of-24, 222 yards, and two touchdowns. Iowa tallied 140 rushing yards on 42 carries. The Hawkeyes' defense held Wisconsin to 52 yards on the ground on 24 carries. The Badgers also finished 13-of-27 in passing for 183 yards and one interception.

For Iowa, the game was about as perfect as it could be. At the same time, though, this is how the Hawkeyes come into each matchup, striving to play pure physical football. Nebraska's defense can do better against Iowa than Wisconsin, but the offense will also likely have its issues.

No. 1: Ohio State Buckeyes

The Buckeyes suffered their second loss of the season in a poor, wet showcase in the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Though the rain and Luke Fahey's first start could be factors, the fact remains that USC got the win.

Ohio State topped the Trojans in passing yards, rushing yards and time of possession. But USC found the endzone three times, trampling the Buckeyes' defense in the process. The Buckeyes allowed Jayden Maiava to go 15-of-23 for 222 passing yards and one touchdown. He struck on two big passes, hitting a 70-yard completion and a 69-yard touchdown strike. The Trojans also rushed for 116 yards and two touchdowns on 27 carries.

Fahey did a lot in his first start, completing 21 passes for 260 passing yards and one touchdown. However, he did throw 21-of-38 and took two sacks. Fahey also leaned on Jeremiah Smith, who hauled in 10 catches for 83 yards. But considering how Nebraska's defense allowed Washington's Chris Lawson to snatch 12 catches for 155 yards, that can be problematic.

The Huskers' offensive woes will also remain. Plus, given how Nebraska performed between Indiana and Oregon, Ohio State is likely to be in another low-scoring bout. But what keeps the Buckeyes at No. 1 is their ability to respond.

Ohio State bounced back after its collapse to Texas, winning four straight comfortably before beating Indiana. Now, the Buckeyes must win out to keep their playoff hopes alive. Nebraska may be the easiest opponent remaining on Ohio State's schedule, but the Buckeyes can't afford to take any team lightly.