The latest reporting on Nebraska football says the Huskers ought to be operating at a much higher level - and for Nebraska fans, that should sound less like criticism and more like confirmation that the program has the money to play with the big boys.
The Athletic released an estimate of NIL spending for 68 college football programs, built from investigative reporting and more than 70 sources, including “coaches, general managers, personnel directors, athletic directors, agents and more.” Nebraska landed in the $31-35 million range, a number that places it alongside or ahead of programs like Georgia, Oklahoma, Clemson and Penn State, while sitting just behind Michigan, Florida, South Carolina and Auburn.
Within the Big Ten, that puts Nebraska sixth among 18 teams.
That’s why this feels like good news for the Huskers. The report makes the case that coaches often talk down spending to “temper expectations and stop players from asking for more money.”
Athletic directors, on the other hand, have every incentive to make their fundraising efforts look strong, so their numbers tend to run hotter. In other words, there’s plenty of room for these estimates to be imperfect - but even with that caveat, Nebraska’s placement suggests real financial muscle.
The most eye-opening detail from the AP Top 10 comparison is that Georgia came out as the highest-performing program relative to NIL spending. That stood out.
For Nebraska, though, the bigger takeaway is simpler: the resources are there. The Huskers appear capable of hanging with the upper tier of the Big Ten and, by extension, the top 15 or so programs in college football.
And some of that investment may already be showing up on the field.
Nebraska brought in at least 12 transfers who are currently either starting or directly contributing in 2026: Owen Chambliss, Dexter Foster, Owen Stoudmire, Jahsear Whittington, Anthony Jones Jr., Kwazi Gilmer, Dwayne McDougle, Paul Mubenga, Anthony Colandrea, Brendan Black, Tree Babalade and Victor Evans.
The headline name is quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who could wind up being the “steal” of the transfer portal for the Huskers.
There is, of course, a built-in caution here. Nebraska hasn’t faced the strongest competition yet. At the same time, the Huskers have handled the teams in front of them the way they were supposed to, including Ohio and Bowling Green.
North Dakota may be the stiffest test so far. After that, Matt Rhule and his staff will have plenty of chances to prove the program is moving in the right direction.
And if you’re Nebraska, that’s the kind of position you want to be in: a higher ceiling, not a lower floor.
In Other News...
Nebraska Volleyball Win Was Overshadowed By A Viral Stands Moment
Nebraska kept rolling on the court with a straight-sets win over Creighton at Pinnacle Bank Arena, extending its perfect start and doing it in front of a crowd that set a program record. The Cornhuskers controlled the match from the opening serve, winning 25-13, 25-15 and 25-19 while the building was packed with 15,405 fans.
Even with another dominant night for a team that is now 8-0, the bigger buzz from the evening came from the stands. The atmosphere was so loud and so full of drama that one moment away from the action quickly took on a life of its own, turning a routine rivalry result into something Nebraska fans were talking about long after the final point. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Got A New Big Ten Reality Check
The Big Tens release of Nebraskas 2026-27 mens basketball schedule gave the Cornhuskers a clearer look at the road ahead, and it comes with the usual dose of conference grind. Nebraska will get home-and-away dates with Penn State, Iowa and Michigan State, plus a home game against Michigan, a reminder that life in the league is never short on heavyweight matchups or travel headaches.
There was also a notable long-range football development tied to Nebraskas future slate, as the program and Notre Dame agreed to a home-and-home series for 2032 and 2033, their first meeting since 2001. Add in the off-field legal matter involving former Husker Princewill Umanmielen and the injury updates out of Washington before its game against Nebraska, and it is already one of those weeks where the news cycle keeps circling back to the Cornhuskers from every angle. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Suddenly Has A Serious Fight On Its Hands With Top Commit
Corey Hadley has become one of the more closely watched names in Nebraskas class, and for good reason. The four-star defensive back remains committed to the Cornhuskers, but his recruitment has hardly gone quiet, especially after an unofficial visit to Georgia, the hometown program that has suddenly pulled him back into the spotlight.
Georgia is not the only school applying pressure either, with Florida and Alabama also reaching out in recent days as signing day approaches. Nebraska still has Hadley in the fold for now, but the continued interest from heavyweight programs leaves the Huskers with a real battle to keep a prized defensive back who is still very much in play. [Read more 🡒]