Nebraska football is heading into August with the kind of questions that don’t go away quietly. Some fans are still buying into a breakout season. Others are looking at the schedule and seeing a much harsher reality.
One reader, Wayne Dwopps of North Platte, NE, wasn’t shy about it. He asked why preseason predictions always seem to lean optimistic and said the Huskers would be lucky to win six games, not eight.
The response pointed straight at Nebraska’s “Murder’s Row schedule” - road trips to Oregon and Iowa, plus home games against Indiana and Ohio State - and agreed those four are tough asks. But the rest of the slate, the answer argued, is there to be taken.
The case for optimism rests on Nebraska having better talent, more depth and better coaching this year. Still, there’s no pretending the backdrop is clean. The eight-win call comes with full awareness of Matt Rhule’s Nebraska record of 19-19, his 2-25 mark against ranked teams and his 0 wins against top ten teams.
That’s why the skepticism feels justified. Nebraska could land anywhere from 6 to 8 wins, and the difference between those outcomes matters.
Eight regular-season wins would be just one more than last year’s 7-5 finish, but the bigger question is whether this is the season Nebraska can finally look competitive with the upper tier of the Big Ten. Even if the Huskers lose those four heavyweight games, being in the fight would still count as progress.
A different reader, Rachel Justice of Ft. Collins, CO, asked about the “Five for Five” ruling and what it might mean for Nebraska’s athletic teams, especially volleyball. Her question centered on whether seniors Andi Jackson, Bergen Reilly and Harper Murray would return for a fifth year in Lincoln.
The answer: probably not, at least if Nebraska wins a volleyball national title this season. The ruling is more likely to help players who need extra time to develop, while Jackson, Reilly and Murray are already at the top of their game. The comparison offered was Emmett Johnson, last year’s Big Ten running back of the year, who didn’t even use his fourth year of eligibility at Nebraska before being drafted by the Kansas City Chiefs.
The expectation is that Jackson, Reilly and Murray have pro volleyball futures ahead of them.
Then there’s the one topic that has Nebraska fans really on edge: tickets. Mark Dupp of Pine Bluffs, WY, asked whether the Huskers’ consecutive home sellout streak - now at 410 - could finally end.
For now, the answer appears to be yes, the concern is real. It would be easy to understand if the issue were limited to the non-conference games, but the problem runs deeper than that. Even home matchups with Indiana and Ohio State are reportedly sitting about 8,000 to 10,000 tickets short of sellout status.
That’s a jolt, especially given Nebraska’s back-to-back winning seasons. But the 2025 finish, with three blowout losses, clearly left a mark.
The fix, as stated plainly, is simple: Nebraska has to start beating some of the Big Ten’s elite teams. Until that happens, the sellout streak is in danger of coming to an end.
In Other News...
Nebraskas O-Line Battle Just Got More Complicated In Fall Camp
Nebraskas second open practice of fall camp offered another look at a line still sorting itself out, with offensive line coach Geep Wade again stressing that the competition remains wide open. Gunnar Gottula drew praise for the work hes putting in, a sign that the staff likes what it is seeing from one of the players trying to carve out a larger role as the Huskers keep mixing and matching up front.
The uncertainty on the offensive line is only part of the broader picture around the program right now, with Nebraska also pointing to some emerging defensive linemen as camp moves along. On the recruiting side, the Huskers have a notable visitor lined up soon, as four-star safety Jordan Hicks is set to be in Lincoln for the Maryland game while Nebraska continues to battle several other major programs for the 2028 prospect. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Women's Basketball Just Landed A Future Piece Fans Should Notice
Nebraskas womens basketball future got a notable boost with the commitment of MaryAnn Kenyon, a 6-foot-1 forward from Chesterfield Marquette High School who is set to join the 2027 recruiting class. Kenyon has built an early profile as a versatile frontcourt player, averaging 22.3 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.6 steals and 2.1 blocks last season while drawing offers from several mid-major programs before making her pick.
For Nebraska, landing a player with that kind of production this early in the process is a meaningful development, especially for a program trying to keep stacking talent ahead of the years to come. Kenyons decision also adds another layer to a busy stretch around Husker athletics, where football recruiting and coaching updates have been getting attention, but this one gives the basketball side of the ledger a little extra momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas New D-Line Piece Is Forcing His Way Into The Conversation
Jahsear Whittington has already made himself part of Nebraskas defensive-line conversation since arriving from Pittsburgh, and the reason is easy to see on the practice field. He has added nearly 25 pounds on campus and is now working between 275 and 279 pounds, a size that gives the Huskers more flexibility up front as they look for players who can hold up across every down.
Nebraska sees Whittington as someone who can stay on the field in passing situations, where his quickness has stood out and his effectiveness has shown up in drills. He has built a strong rapport with defensive line coach Corey Brown, and the next step is simple but important: keep earning snaps through technique and effort as the competition along the front continues to sort itself out. [Read more 🡒]