A fresh season usually comes with a few questions, but Nebraska’s offense brought a particularly wide-open one into 2026: who would finish with the most touchdowns for the Huskers?
That was the question posed in the first Pregame Perspective Husker fan survey of the year: “Who will score the most touchdowns for Nebraska this season, from a combination of rushing, receiving and kick returns?”
The timing mattered, too. Emmett Johnson was gone after piling up 15 touchdowns last season and heading to the NFL, which made it hard to see one player sprinting far ahead of the field the way he did a year ago.
So on a hot, sticky Saturday morning in the Haymarket, just before Nebraska opened against Ohio University, 100 Husker fans were asked to make their pick. The responses reflected plenty of uncertainty. Even with a list of eight names that eventually expanded to 11 after three write-in choices, more than a few fans basically admitted they were still figuring out the roster.
After the dust settled, junior wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. came out on top with 22 votes. He barely beat transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who finished with 19.
Wide receiver Nyziah Hunter landed in third with 17 votes, followed by running back Isaiah Mozee with 12 and true freshman running back Jamal Rule with 11.
The rest of the field broke down like this: Kwinten Ives had 6 votes, Kwazi Gilmer 5, Mekhi Nelson 3, Quinn Clark 3, Carter Nelson 1 and Janiran Bonner 1.
In Other News...
Nebraska Opens With A Defensive Concern Fans Werent Expecting
A hamstring injury has put Owen Chambliss on the sideline for Nebraskas season opener against Ohio, a development that changes the look of a defense that was counting on him to be part of the mix. There had been some hope he might recover in time, but after missing several practices and not showing up in the projected starting lineup, the Cornhuskers are heading into the first week without one of their linebackers.
Nebraska will have to turn to other players at linebacker and elsewhere on defense to fill the gap, and that makes Chambliss absence more than a simple early-season setback. Openers often reveal how much depth a team really has, and this one gives Nebraska an immediate test in the middle of a defense that was expecting a fuller complement of options. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Lost A 2027 Pledge That Once Felt Safe
Antayvious Tay Ellis and Nebraska have mutually agreed to part ways, ending his place in the Huskers 2027 recruiting class. The wide receiver had been part of a pledge that once looked like a stable early win for the program, but the two sides have now moved on from one another before his high school career reaches its next stage.
Ellis said he plans to stay at Millard South High School for the current season, and the circumstances behind the decommitment have not been disclosed. For Nebraska, it is another reminder that even the earliest recruiting commitments can change quickly, especially with a long runway still ahead before the 2027 class arrives on campus. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Fans Finally Get Two Telling Honor Decisions This Weekend
Nebraska is set to turn one of its most familiar preseason rituals into a game-week reveal, with Matt Rhule saying the official announcements for the Blackshirts and single-digit jersey recipients are expected Saturday morning before the opener against Ohio. Both honors carry real weight inside the program: the Blackshirt tradition has dated back to 1964 and remains the defenses most recognizable badge, while the newer single-digit jersey standard has quickly become another marker of status and respect.
The timing matters because these are the kinds of decisions fans and players have been waiting on all camp, and the buzz has already built around a likely list for both groups even though nothing has been confirmed yet. For Nebraska, the Saturday reveal will do more than decorate uniforms. It will also offer the first clear look at which players have earned the trust of teammates and coaches as the Cornhuskers head into a season-opening test against Ohio. [Read more 🡒]