Nebraska kept the momentum rolling last week, and now the Huskers get to bring a 4-0 start home for homecoming.
That road win over Michigan State wasn’t spotless, but it was convincing enough to keep Nebraska moving forward in a 2026 season that has started to look increasingly real. Anthony Colandrea kept the offense humming with two more touchdown passes and a team-high 66 rushing yards, while the passing game stayed in sync with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
When star freshman Jamal Rule went down early, Mekhi Nelson stepped in and delivered 61 rushing yards and a score. Kwazi Gilmer also made his mark, hauling in a deep strike from Colandrea for Nebraska’s first touchdown and finishing with 104 receiving yards.
The defense did plenty of heavy lifting, too. Nebraska piled up six sacks and forced three turnovers - one fumble and two interceptions - while repeatedly punishing a Michigan State offensive line that never seemed to settle in.
Williams Nwaneri accounted for two sacks, and Owen Chambliss added an interception along with a team-high eight tackles. Whenever Michigan State tried to swing the game’s momentum, Nebraska had a response.
Now the Huskers turn to Maryland, a team that came into the season with real hope and plenty of pressure.
Mike Locksley was staring at a hot seat after back-to-back 4-8 seasons, but the Terrapins had reasons to believe 2026 could look different. They kept star quarterback Malik Washington after improved NIL support, returned key defensive pieces like sack leader Sidney Stewart and former five-star defensive end Zahir Mathis, and added one of the country’s top prospects in Zion Elee. Maryland also brought back its all-conference punter and Lou Groza award-winning placekicker.
But the questions never really went away. The Terps had to rebuild their wide receiver room through the transfer portal, and most of the secondary from 2025 had to be replaced after that group led Maryland to its most interceptions since 2010. Then preseason camp brought a major blow when Mathis was lost to injury, and the ceiling on the defense changed immediately.
Maryland looked fine early, blasting Hampton 62-0 and UConn 38-14, but the last two weeks have been a mess. Virginia Tech beat the Terrapins 35-26, and UCLA followed with a 54-3 rout.
The biggest problem is the run game, and it’s hard to ignore how bad that has been on both sides of the ball. Virginia Tech and UCLA combined for 397 rushing yards in those wins, while Maryland managed just 103.
DeJaun Williams and Iverson Howard are the likely lead backs Saturday, but the Terps haven’t found much traction there. The passing game, at least, has some stability with Washington at quarterback.
Wyoming transfer Chris Durr Jr. leads the way with a Big Ten-best 35 catches for 312 yards and three touchdowns. Protection has mostly held up - Maryland has allowed five sacks in four games - but the lack of production on the ground points straight back to the line.
Defensively, the Terrapins still have some talent, and they spread the production around. Six different players have at least one sack, with DD Holmes leading the group at 2.5. Eyan Thomas, listed at 337 pounds, has a pair of sacks and tackles for loss, while Carlton Smith and Daniel Wingate pace the team in tackles with 26 and 25.
Even with that personnel, Maryland has underachieved. The Terrapins should be causing more problems up front, but they’ve given up 445 and 475 yards in their last two games. That opens the door for Nebraska to focus on Washington and the Maryland receivers and try to make the offense one-dimensional.
The matchup sets up well for the Huskers, and the expectation here is that they keep handling business and head into next week’s game against Indiana at 5-0.
In Other News...
Joe Smiths Maryland Legacy Just Took On New Meaning
Joe Smiths place in Maryland basketball history is already secure, but it is about to get another layer. The former Terrapins star and No. 1 pick in the 1995 NBA Draft will be inducted into the Maryland Athletics Hall of Fame on Oct. 16, with the announcement coming during a Maryland Athletics Celebration in New York City. For a program that has long leaned on its tradition, Smith remains one of the most recognizable names tied to it.
What makes the honor resonate beyond the resume is how connected Smith still is to the school. He remains actively involved with Maryland basketball and has spoken with pride about what he meant to the program and what the program meant to him. The Hall of Fame call is a formal recognition of a career that already carried weight, but it also reflects a relationship that has never really faded. [Read more 🡒]
Maryland Heads To Nebraska With One Problem It Has To Fix
Maryland heads to Nebraska trying to steady itself after the kind of loss that exposes more than one flaw at once. The Terrapins have spent the last week looking back at a disappointing outing against UCLA, and the issues are easy to spot: the quarterback play needs to settle down, the running game has to do more, and the defense is dealing with injuries that can make every drive feel heavier than it should.
Nebraska offers a tricky next step because the Cornhuskers have opened 4-0 and have the look of a team that can make opponents pay for mistakes. There is one wrinkle, though, as Nebraskas top running backs are doubtful for the matchup, which adds a little uncertainty to a game Maryland already needs to approach with urgency. For the Terps, the bigger question is whether they can fix enough of their own problems in time to keep this trip from turning into another long afternoon. [Read more 🡒]
Iowa Can Shake Up More Than Its Own Season This Weekend
Nebraskas trip to Maryland this weekend carries a little extra weight beyond the Big Ten standings, because the Terrapins are one of three teams whose result could ripple well past their own sideline. With No. 15 Oregon on a bye before facing No. 23 UCLA, the Ducks will be watching the scoreboard closely, and Maryland is suddenly part of a broader conference and national picture as the season begins to sort itself out.
For Maryland, it is a chance to make a statement against a Nebraska team that has already helped shape the season in another way, with quarterback Dylan Raiola having transferred from Lincoln to Oregon. For Oregon, the game is just one more piece of a week that also includes Ohio State against Iowa and Alabama against Mississippi State, the kind of Saturday that can nudge rankings, reshape expectations and alter how a future schedule looks before the Ducks even take the field again. [Read more 🡒]