Andrew Marshall has gone from Nebraska’s top defensive back to one of the hottest names in the country in a hurry.
Four games into the 2026 season, the Huskers cornerback has Pro Football Network viewing him as the best at his position in college football. That’s a big leap, but it’s not hard to see why after what he did in Nebraska’s Week 4 win over Michigan State.
The Spartans threw at Marshall three times and didn’t complete a single one. He added a pass breakup and a slick interception that showed just how fast he’s seeing the game right now. Marshall broke on the ball before the receiver even got to the top of the route, then snatched it in a play that made it look like he was the intended target.
That outing helped Nebraska get to 4-0 for the first time since 2016, and it sent Marshall’s PFN Impact Grade soaring from 92.9, which had him at No. 7 nationally, to 96.4 and No. 1 in college football. PFN also gives him a clear edge over the rest of the field, with Jahlil Florence sitting 1.3 points behind him.
Pro Football Focus doesn’t have Marshall quite as high in its rankings, but the numbers still point to a strong start. He earned a 79.8 overall grade against Michigan State.
Nationally, he’s listed as the No. 27 defensive back, though among players with as many snaps as he has, Marshall ranks No. 6.
All of that has turned his second season in Lincoln into something much bigger than a solid follow-up year. Marshall entered 2026 as a potential Big Ten standout. Now he looks like a real All-American candidate.
Before Nebraska, Marshall spent two seasons at FCS Idaho and put together a résumé that already hinted at this kind of ceiling. In 26 games with 14 starts for the Vandals, he posted 72 tackles, 1.5 tackles for loss, eight pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He also made noise as a returner, taking both a punt and a kickoff back for touchdowns.
As a sophomore in 2024, Marshall helped Idaho reach the FCS playoff quarterfinals while finishing with 50 tackles, 1.0 TFL, three pass breakups, one forced fumble and one fumble recovery. He added 8 kickoff returns for 327 yards and one touchdown, plus 14 punt returns for 150 yards and another score, earning first-team All-Big Sky honors at cornerback and honorable-mention recognition as a kickoff returner.
His first season at Nebraska in 2025 was solid, too. Marshall started all 13 games, picked up honorable-mention All-Big Ten honors, and finished with 45 tackles, 4.0 tackles for loss, one interception and four pass breakups. He was a major piece of a Husker secondary that ranked third in the nation against the pass.
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Lost A Big Reason To Like The Illinois Matchup
Illinois defense is headed into a new era at an awkward time for Nebraskas upcoming trip to Champaign. Bobby Hauck was relieved of his duties as defensive coordinator after Illinois finished his first season as the playcaller ranked 101st nationally in points allowed, and head coach Bret Bielema said the two sides agreed a leadership change was best for the team.
For Nebraska, the timing matters because the Cornhuskers are scheduled to meet Illinois on Nov. 6, and any shake-up on that side of the ball can quickly alter the feel of a matchup. The Illini now have a defense trying to reset in-season preparations under a new voice, which means Nebraska can no longer count on seeing the same version of a unit it may have started planning for months ago. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fans Face A Tough Memorial Stadium Ticket Reality
Nebraska fans are going to have to get used to a different kind of ticket scramble in the coming years at Memorial Stadium. As part of the University of Nebraskas $600 million renovation project, two major changes to the stadium will force season ticketholders to pick new seats for the 2027 and 2028 football seasons, adding a real layer of uncertainty to a process many supporters have followed for decades.
The project is expected to be finished before the 2028 season, but the road to get there will not be simple. The Holland Computing Center will be relocated, and fans should also expect temporary concessions arrangements during the rebuild, another reminder that this is a sweeping overhaul, not just a facelift. For longtime ticketholders, the next couple of seasons may come with a lot more seat selection stress than game-day comfort. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces Its First Real Rankings Test Against Maryland
Nebraska heads into its matchup with Maryland riding a 4-0 start and the kind of early momentum that naturally brings a little more attention along with it. The Cornhuskers are coming off a win over Michigan State and are favored by 12.5 points, but the bigger backdrop is simple enough: this is the first game in which their place in the rankings conversation starts to feel like part of the weekly stakes.
Matt Rhule has tried to keep the focus squarely on preparation, stressing the tactical side of getting ready for Maryland rather than the noise around a strong start. Maryland arrives at 2-2 after a loss to UCLA, which only adds to the sense that Nebraska is expected to handle business, but these are the kinds of games that can shape how seriously a team is viewed as the season settles in. [Read more 🡒]