Nebraska arrives in East Lansing with a 3-0 record, but the real measuring stick comes now.
The Cornhuskers have rolled past Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota, and that has created at least some buzz around a team that has been hard to pin down. To get a better read on Matt Rhule’s group, we turned to Brian Christopherson of Husker247 for a Nebraska perspective ahead of the Big Ten opener against Michigan State.
Christopherson said the offseason around the program felt unusually low-key.
“It was the quietest offseason I can recall around here. Part of that was because Nebraska started spring ball early and everyone was captivated by a historic Husker basketball season.
Nebraska football went about its business quietly, which was probably to its benefit. In some corners outside the program walls, any optimism was smacked down by a schedule that includes three CFP teams from last year. Seven or eight wins were the most common predictions among fans, but some didn't project even seven.
I'd say that through three games, Nebraska did what it was supposed to do against a weak schedule but also built some hope in the fan base based on how Anthony Colandrea has played and how the defense has gained steam each week. The O-line was thought to be a possible strength and has looked solid in a balanced offense. With some of Nebraska's Big Ten opponents not looking as strong as expected, perhaps there's a little more cautious optimism now.
But it's very much wait-and-see on how things go Saturday, when the real season starts.
The Huskers have made bowl games the past two years, which was progress after an amazing seven-year stretch without a postseason appearance. The program was probably in worse shape upon Rhule's arrival than some Husker faithful wanted to admit. But last season ended poorly with blowout losses to Penn State, Iowa and Utah.
The expectation now is to move beyond simply becoming bowl eligible and show Nebraska can hold up over a full Big Ten schedule - and even win a game it isn't expected to win. Nebraska hasn't beaten a ranked team since 2016.
The roster is older, and the coaching staff seems to have a clearer idea of how it wants to play, especially on defense. Nebraska also appears deeper than it has been.
But Michigan State is the first opponent that should be able to match the Huskers more closely from a personnel standpoint.
So there's optimism. But people are waiting to see what it looks like against teams in the same weight class.”
That’s the heart of it for Nebraska right now: confidence is building, but only up to a point. The opener against Michigan State is where that quiet confidence gets tested.
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Alanna Bankston led Michigan State with 14 kills, while Malayah Long finished with 26 assists, but it was not enough to slow a Washington team that stayed perfect at 10-0. The Spartans are now 10-1 overall and 0-1 in the Big Ten, with the early setback creating an immediate test for how they respond in one of the nations toughest conferences. [Read more 🡒]
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Even in a lopsided result, there were a few Spartans efforts worth noting. Lola Munoz de Verger and Catherine Wolf combined for 10 saves, and the back line had to deal with wave after wave of Northwestern pressure. Michigan State never found the offensive breakthrough it needed, but the way it kept battling in the circle and in front of goal offered one of the few bright spots on a difficult day. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan State Just Made Its Strongest Early Season Statement Yet
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All three goals came in a seven-minute burst around halftime, the kind of stretch that can flip a conference match in a hurry and leave little doubt about which team seized control. The result pushed MSU to 3-0-0 in Big Ten play and 7-1-1 overall, the best league start in program history, and it gave the Spartans another reminder that their early-season momentum is no fluke. [Read more 🡒]