Nebraska left no real opening for a debate Saturday night in Lincoln, rolling past Bowling Green 56-7 and taking a 35-0 lead into halftime. Still, the box score wasn’t the only thing worth noticing. Through two games, the bigger picture is starting to take shape, and it begins with Anthony Colandrea.
Colandrea was sharp from the start, finishing 20-of-24 for 222 yards and four touchdowns, all of them before halftime. He also added 33 rushing yards and had a touchdown run wiped out by a holding call.
The only real stumble came on the second play of the game, when a pass deflected off Jacory Barney’s hands and was intercepted. Even that looked questionable as a catch, and it hardly changed the tone of the night.
What stands out most with Colandrea is how quickly he processes everything. He gets rid of the ball, he doesn’t linger in the pocket, and he doesn’t give sacks a chance to develop.
That was the suspicion after Week 1. Now it looks like a trait you can trust.
The offense, more than anything, feels built on tempo. Nebraska lines up, gets moving, and runs plays with a speed and efficiency that the program hasn’t shown in a long time.
One of the clearest examples came on the first long touchdown to Barney, when the left guard slid out of his blocking position to handle an extra rusher. That kind of awareness has been missing for years.
The line is showing real progress. The trap blocking is cleaner, the protection is better, and the balance was right where it needs to be: 546 total yards, with 282 through the air and 264 on the ground. That kind of split is the sort of thing Nebraska needs if it wants to hold up in the Big Ten.
And because the game was in hand so early, everybody got a chance to play. Jamal Rule turned eight carries into 88 yards and a 59-yard touchdown.
Isaiah Mozee had eight carries and scored from seven yards out. Mekhi Nelson got eight carries as well.
TJ Lateef came in and threw a six-yard touchdown to Kwinten Ives. In all, nine different players ran the ball and 10 different players caught passes.
Kwazi Gilmer and Barney each caught two touchdowns, making them the first pair of Huskers to do that in the same game since 2010. With a 35-point halftime cushion, Matt Rhule had the freedom to spread the work around, and he used it. That was the point.
Nebraska’s defense didn’t leave much to argue with either. Bowling Green managed just 169 yards, finishing below 100 both on the ground and through the air.
The Falcons held the ball for 11:37 in the third quarter and still produced only seven points all night, with their lone touchdown coming on the first play of the fourth. Derek Wacker also added a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown.
Twenty-six different defensive players recorded a stat in the game. That kind of depth means backups are going to be on the field, and if the complaint is that the defense wasn’t tested enough, that’s not much of a complaint.
There are, though, a few things that need cleaning up. Nebraska was flagged seven times for 65 yards, including the hold that erased Colandrea’s touchdown run.
That’s the sort of thing that can come back to bite a team later in the season. Special teams had some rough edges too, including a long field goal attempt that came up short, even if the Huskers did block a punt.
Barney’s punt returns remain a work in progress; he has the kind of talent that can flip a game, but he also needs to settle down and take what’s there.
The broader point is that Nebraska isn’t the only team with issues. Michigan beat Oklahoma 17-10, and the Oklahoma offense looked completely lost.
Oklahoma State, after losing 12 straight, stunned No. 6 Oregon 39-31, becoming the first team in history to snap a losing streak of 10 or more by beating an AP top-10 opponent.
Dante Moore struggled badly, and Oregon looked disorganized. Illinois, meanwhile, lost to Duke after looking like it might be stronger.
So when the talk turns to Nebraska being a 6-6 team, it’s worth remembering that plenty of other programs are still sorting themselves out too.
Nebraska’s band also deserves a mention. The group wore gold and black ribbons Saturday and held a halftime tribute to Derek Phillips, the Iowa marching band member who died last week after suffering heat stroke at Kinnick.
It was a strong night for Nebraska, and the team is playing decent football.
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Has Another Coach Wanting Nebraskas Program Blueprint
Eddie George left Lincoln with more than a tough loss to explain. After Nebraskas decisive win over Bowling Green, the Falcons head coach had plenty of praise for Matt Rhule, pointing to the way Nebraska is being built under its third-year coach. George made clear he views Rhules approach as something worth studying, the kind of program blueprint that can draw attention from around the sport when a team looks organized, physical and steady.
For Nebraska, it was another sign that Rhules work is resonating beyond the Big Ten. George said he wants to learn from Rhule and get advice on how to keep improving his own program, a reflection of both Nebraskas momentum and the respect Rhule has earned in a short time. George also talked about his own coaching path and the progress Bowling Green has made, but the broader takeaway was simple enough: Nebraskas rebuild is becoming the standard other coaches want to understand. [Read more 🡒]
Colandrea Gave Nebraska Hope But One Sloppy Issue Still Lingers
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska plenty to like in the first half, looking poised in the pocket and sharp with the ball as he completed 17 of 20 passes for 184 yards and four touchdowns. The offense also kept leaning on its three-back rotation, the so-called Husker Hydra, and that group helped cover for Emmett Johnson by piling up 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns while the rest of the team tried to find a rhythm.
Still, there was a messy moment that hung over the cleanest stretches of the day, even if it was officially logged as Colandreas first interception of the season. The play came off a fumble by Jacory Barney after JoJo Johnson stripped the ball, a reminder that Nebraskas issues are not limited to one phase, especially with special teams also drawing flags on punt returns and adding to the sense that the Cornhuskers are still sorting out the small stuff. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Showed Class In A Rivalry Moment Fans Wont Forget
A somber note ran through the weekend around the Iowa-Nebraska rivalry when Derek Phillips, a member of the Hawkeyes marching band, died after collapsing from heat during a game. In the midst of all the usual pageantry that comes with that matchup, both marching bands found a way to honor him, and Nebraska added its own gesture by wearing gold and black ribbons in solidarity.
The on-field story still had plenty to say for the Cornhuskers, who backed up the emotional moment with a decisive win. Linebacker Owen Chambliss also made his return from injury and was part of the defense with tackles, giving Nebraska a little more depth as it moved on from a weekend that will be remembered for much more than the final score. [Read more 🡒]