Nebraska has a real shot to snap a drought that has lasted nearly a decade.
The Huskers’ 2026 season gives them plenty of familiar goals, from a third straight bowl trip to a long-shot push for the College Football Playoff. But there’s another line worth watching: 6.5 regular-season wins. If Nebraska gets over that number, it would be the first time since 2016 that the program has beaten its preseason win total.
That kind of thing has been elusive in Lincoln. Since 2016, Nebraska has not finished above the number set before the season, turning this into a nine-year stretch without clearing the bar.
But the trend under Matt Rhule points in a better direction. In each of his first three seasons, the Huskers have added one more regular-season win than they had the year before.
Year 4 now brings a chance to keep that climb going.
The early part of the schedule looks manageable enough for Nebraska to build momentum. The Huskers could be positioned to win their first five games, especially if they handle Michigan State and Maryland, two conference opponents they should be favored against. If that plays out, Nebraska would head into the midpoint of the season at 5-1.
From there, the path gets tougher. The one likely obstacle in that stretch is Week 6 against Indiana, the defending national champions. If Nebraska falls there, fans would still need to find two more wins from the rest of the schedule to cash the over on 6.5.
For now, the betting market leans slightly the other way. DraftKings Sportsbook lists Nebraska at +115 to go over 6.5 wins and -138 to go under. With changes on both sides of the ball, though, this season could be the one that finally ends the skid.
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In Other News...
Nebraska Fans Have Heard Enough About Potential Under Matt Rhule
For Nebraska fans, the conversation around where the program fits in the Big Ten never really goes away, and Adam Carriker used his latest discussion to lean into why. He pointed to the way the league has viewed Nebraska since the Huskers arrived, tying that perception to both history and the business side of college football, while also circling back to the bigger question that always follows the team now: whether Matt Rhule can move Nebraska back into the kind of competitive company it used to keep.
Carriker also turned the focus toward the season ahead, with key players drawing attention as the bar gets set for what improvement should look like. Fan comments and predictions underscored the same point, which is that Nebraskas next step is less about hype than proving it can start winning enough to matter again on a national stage. [Read more 🡒]
Emmett Johnson Is Already Setting The Standard For Nebraska Backs
Even after Emmett Johnson moved on from Lincoln, his presence is still showing up in Nebraskas running backs room. Cornhuskers backs coach EJ Barthel has been using Johnsons NFL preseason snaps as teaching tape, pointing out how the former Husker has carried the habits and traits he sharpened in college into the next level. For a room trying to define its own identity, that kind of example matters because it gives the current group a clear picture of what Nebraska back play is supposed to look like.
Barthel has been upfront that Johnsons success did not come out of nowhere. The coach sees the same qualities now that he saw while Johnson was at Nebraska, and he believes that foundation is why the running back has looked ready for the NFL stage. Just as important for the Huskers, Johnsons rise has become a standard-setter inside the program, a reminder to the current backs that progress is measured not only by production, but by the way a player prepares, develops and carries those lessons forward. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Sent A Message In Volleyball And Recruiting
The volleyball side of Nebraskas athletic department keeps adding to the schools national profile, and the Huskers did it again at the Spikes Under the Lights exhibition tournament. Nebraska swept both of its opponents, taking down No. 17 Florida and No. 11 SMU on the way to the title while also claiming the $150,000 prize, another reminder that this program has become a standard-bearer before the regular season even gets going.
That kind of momentum tends to spill over beyond the court, too, and Nebraskas recruiting board is showing it. The Huskers are back in the mix for LSU-committed 2027 tight end Ahmad Hudson, a prospect with plenty of attention around him and growing speculation that he could change course. With the Big Ten and other conferences also putting new penalties in place for schools that sign former professional football players, the recruiting landscape keeps shifting, and Nebraska looks intent on staying active in it. [Read more 🡒]