Nebraska’s first three seasons under Matt Rhule have left some fans wanting more, but the results have still moved the program forward in a way that’s hard to ignore. The Huskers have reached bowl games in back-to-back seasons, something Nebraska hadn’t done since 2016 before Rhule arrived. That run snapped an eight-year drought, delivered the program’s first bowl win in a decade, and included a trip to the Las Vegas Bowl last season.
It’s not the College Football Playoff, but it is progress. Athlon Sports is projecting that progress to continue, slotting Nebraska into the Music City Bowl against South Carolina.
That kind of outlook makes sense when you look at the schedule. Nebraska faces six Big Ten teams that won nine games last season, and three of those teams made the College Football Playoff. In that kind of setup, six or seven wins should count as a solid year.
The bigger turnaround, though, is supposed to come with Trae Taylor.
There’s also a case to be made that Nebraska is more talented than the public gives it credit for. EA Sports College Football 27 has the Huskers ranked 24th on talent alone, while ESPN’s FPI puts them at No. 30.
That feels about right. Anthony Colandrea is expected to be a better fit at quarterback for the offense, the offensive line should be significantly better, and the defense should look more like the versions Nebraska had in 2023 and 2024.
If those pieces come together, Nebraska should be able to find seven wins. One preseason projection, not mine, even had the Huskers at eight victories.
That would mean taking care of Maryland, Michigan State and Rutgers, with Washington and Iowa also possible. It’s all within reach, and it would be a meaningful step forward. Rhule, though, needs to show more in his fourth season.
That part is hard to argue with.
On the recruiting front, Nebraska is also making a stronger push for 5-star Ahmad Hudson. Fred Hoiberg was involved during Hudson’s official visit to the Nebraska football program, which was a change from before. The interest has ramped up enough that Hoiberg is going to watch Hudson the trail.
In Other News...
Trae Taylor Transfer Chatter Just Drew A Blunt Nebraska Response
The chatter around Trae Taylor has been building for a while, which is what made his fathers latest public message land so firmly with Nebraska fans. J.R. Taylor used social media to make clear that the highly rated quarterback recruit is committed to the Huskers, and the family also wanted the comparisons to Dylan Raiola to stop. For a program that has spent plenty of time trying to stabilize its quarterback future, any firm statement about a blue-chip recruit carries real weight.
Even so, the noise around Taylor does not appear to be going away anytime soon. He remains one of the most closely watched young quarterbacks in the country, and programs keep circling whenever a recruit draws that kind of attention. Nebraskas response, though, was blunt and direct, a reminder that the Huskers view Taylor as part of their long-term plan while Matt Rhule and his staff remain in place. [Read more 🡒]
These Young Huskers Could Change Everything Before A Brutal 2026 Run
If Nebraska is going to navigate the kind of 2026 schedule that can expose every soft spot on a roster, the next wave of contributors has to arrive sooner rather than later. That is why the conversation around five young Huskers matters so much: Jamal Rule brings the look of a back who can push for a bigger role, Quinn Clark gives the offense a potential vertical element, and both Cameron Lenhardt and Riley Van Poppel are being eyed as defensive pieces who could benefit from a better fit up front.
Vincent Shavers belongs in that same group of players who could alter the trajectory of the season before the schedule turns brutal. He has already shown he can handle a major workload, and the staffs challenge now is turning that foundation into something more consistent across a full year. For Nebraska, the appeal is obvious: if even a couple of these young players make the leap, the roster looks a lot deeper, a lot faster, and a lot more capable of surviving what comes next. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Still Has A Real Shot At Stealing LSU's Elite Commit
Ahmad Hudson is still listed as an LSU commit, but his recruitment has not gone quiet, and Nebraska remains firmly in the conversation. The 5-star tight end recently made an official visit to Lincoln, giving the Huskers a chance to make their case in person to one of the most coveted prospects in the country.
For Nebraska, the encouraging part is that Hudson has not shut the door on anything. He has not locked in a fall trip to Lincoln, but he also has not ruled one out, which keeps the door open for a program trying to chip away at a major SEC commitment and stay in the mix for a player with national-level attention. [Read more 🡒]