The weather may have been the first thing on everyone’s mind at Memorial Stadium, but the bigger buzz came from who showed up and who might be getting the first defensive nods when Nebraska takes the field.
With kickoff approaching under cloudy skies, actress Gabrielle Union and her husband Dwyane Wade were in the house. Union, an Omaha native and a Husker fan, has made the trip before, and so has Wade.
Recruits were taking photos with the couple, who drew plenty of attention as they arrived to watch Nebraska. Union made her allegiance clear with a simple message: "If you're from Nebraska, there is one team you root for, and that is the Cornhuskers."
On the injury front, edge defender Jordan Ochoa was in street clothes and ruled out. That lines up with what Rob Aurich said earlier in the week, when he noted Ochoa was dealing with a setback. Caleb Benning, who was limited while suited up last week, should at least factor into special teams after returning from injury.
The defensive lineup also looks like it could feature a few names worth watching. Williams Nwaneri appears poised to start opposite Anthony Jones at defensive end.
Cameron Lenhardt has opened the first two games alongside Jones, but Nwaneri had been working back from a minor camp setback. Even on a pitch count last week, he made his presence felt in just 11 snaps by forcing an interception and a fumble.
Inside, David Höffken could show up in third-down packages if Nebraska uses him the way it did a week ago. At linebacker, Dexter Foster and Owen Chambliss are set to start together again. Vincent Shavers remains a strong candidate for third-down work, and Dawson Merritt is another player Matt Rhule said he wants on the field more often.
In the secondary, Victor Evans looks like the starter at corner for a second straight week opposite Andrew Marshall. True freshman Danny Odem, whose snap count rose last week, should also be heavily involved.
In Other News...
Nebraska Commit Trae Taylor Just Delivered Another Eye Catching Statement
Trae Taylor kept adding to his already considerable reputation Friday night, and the Nebraska commit put on another show in Millard Souths 55-40 win over Cardinal Ritter. The five-star quarterback was everywhere for the top-ranked Patriots, throwing for 350 yards and five touchdowns while also running for 143 yards and three more scores as Millard South moved to 4-0.
For Nebraska fans, it is another reminder of why Taylor has become such a prized part of the class. Millard South has now won 16 straight, and with Taylor driving the offense at this level, the Patriots keep looking like a team built to play deep into the fall. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Handled Business But One Big Ten Concern Still Lingers
Nebraska took care of business against North Dakota, rolling to a 34-7 win in a game it controlled from the opening stretch. The Huskers piled up 496 total yards, held North Dakota to 205, and spent most of the afternoon looking every bit like the more physical, more organized team. Jamal Rule set the tone on the ground with 119 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Nebraska scored on five of its first eight drives before the reserves finished things off in the fourth quarter.
Still, even in a comfortable victory, there was one Big Ten-sized question lingering in the background. North Dakota did not cross the 200-yard mark until the final play, which speaks well of Nebraskas defense, but the bigger concern is whether this kind of efficiency and control will translate once the competition tightens and the margin for error disappears. The Huskers handled this one cleanly enough, but the real test of how far they have come is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fans Have Seen This Dylan Raiola Hype Before
Dylan Raiolas first Oregon appearance gave Ducks fans exactly the sort of early jolt that turns a debut into a talking point, as he went 11 of 11 for 124 yards and 3 touchdowns in a blowout over Portland State. For Nebraska fans, though, the reaction is likely to be a familiar one. Raiola has flashed plenty of ability before, and the conversation around him has long been about how much of that promise carries over once the competition stiffens.
At Nebraska, the split in his production was hard to miss, with his numbers dropping sharply against Big Ten opponents compared with non-conference games. Oregons staff also seemed to handle him carefully in a recent game against Oklahoma State, another reminder that one eye-catching debut does not erase the need for patience. For a Nebraska fan base that has already lived through the hype cycle once, Raiolas next meaningful test may matter a lot more than the opener did. [Read more 🡒]