Matt Rhule didn’t spend much time soft-pedaling anything on Monday.
For 19 minutes at the start of his press conference, the Nebraska head coach talked through the aftermath of the Washington game and looked ahead to Illinois, but the moment that hung over everything was his reaction to a grown man confronting his daughter and saying, “F you and F your dad.”
Rhule made it clear he isn’t backing down. He said he won’t quit and that he’ll keep fighting until they ask him to leave, even if that moment comes sooner than expected if Nebraska keeps giving away fourth-quarter leads.
He also said he wasn’t fighting for that man, but for the people listening to Nebraska football games on their combine radio. That’s who the program will continue to fight for.
Rhule knows exactly what comes with the job. Nebraska is a pressure cooker, and the history is sitting right there in the open.
Tom Osborne was nearly run out of town before he won a national championship. Bo Pelini and Frank Solich were shown the door after nine-win seasons, and Nebraska has only reached that mark once since Pelini was fired.
That’s the backdrop as the Huskers head into a week that suddenly feels enormous. Nebraska needs to win out or win three games in November, plus a bowl game, to get there this season. More immediately, the program just needs a win - badly - on Friday night.
It feels like a must-win. Then again, so did the Washington game.
And if you want a stat that perfectly captures how strange this season has been, here it is: Nebraska is the only team in FBS that has held a lead going into the fourth quarter of every game this season, per @ESPNInsights.
James Madison has led thru 3 quarters in 8 of 9 games. Miami, Michigan, Missouri, Notre Dame, Ohio State, UCLA and Utah have led in 7 of 8.
That’s the kind of number that makes the whole season feel even more maddening. The Huskers are 5-3, unranked, and somehow still the only team in the country that has been ahead after three quarters every single time out. At worst, this team should be 6-2.
While football keeps twisting the knife, Nebraska’s basketball teams opened their seasons with clean, convincing wins on Monday.
The men, coming off a Sweet 16 run, rolled past Le Moyne 106-64. Pryce Sandfort led the way with 20 points. Cale Jacobsen was excellent, hitting 7 of 8 shots and going 2-for-2 from deep on his way to 17 points, four rebounds and three assists.
Trevan Leonhardt also made a strong first impression at point guard. In just 21 minutes, he finished with seven points, five rebounds, seven assists, two steals and no turnovers while shooting 2-for-2 from the field.
The women were just as comfortable in their opener, beating San Jose State 81-54. Britt Prince was outstanding, knocking down 9 of 15 shots, including 4 of 6 from 3-point range, while adding eight rebounds, four steals and four assists.
Natalie Potts returned to the floor after missing most of the 2024-25 season and all of the 2025-26 season. The senior played 20 minutes, scored 14 points and added six rebounds and three steals, even though she went 5 of 16 from the field. Amiah Hargrove also reached double figures with 15 points on 6 of 13 shooting, and she pulled down nine rebounds, six of them on the offensive glass.
In Other News...
Anthony Colandrea Owns Nebraskas Costly Mistakes Before Illinois
Anthony Colandrea didnt hide from Nebraskas mistakes after the Huskers 17-10 loss to Washington, pointing to his three interceptions as a major reason the game slipped away. The quarterback also talked about the offenses broader issues, saying the group has to do a better job staying on schedule if it wants to keep drives alive and avoid putting the defense in tough spots.
Looking ahead, Colandrea said he expects to be back at Nebraska in 2027, a sign he sees himself as part of the programs longer-term picture even as the Huskers try to clean up the short-term problems. He also noted the effect of the game environment and stressed the need for Nebraska to play more as a unit, a message that should carry plenty of weight as the team turns the page toward Illinois. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Blowout Showed Something Huskers Fans Will Love
Nebraskas lopsided win over Le Moyne was the kind of November tune-up that can still tell you something real about a team. The Huskers grabbed control early and never let it slip, and the box score backed up what the eye test suggested: better shooting, more rebounds and more ball movement than the visitors could match. Pryce Sandfort led Nebraska with 20 points, giving the offense a steady focal point on a night when the Huskers looked organized from the start.
What should matter most to Nebraska fans, though, is how many pieces were involved in the result. The Huskers leaned on a deep rotation, and Connor Essegians return added another scoring option in limited minutes as he finished with 13 points. With Trevor Roe matching Sandfort for Le Moyne with 20, the game still had a few individual bright spots on the other side, but Nebraskas depth and balance were the bigger takeaway, especially as the season starts to ask more from the roster. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Season Keeps Coming Back To The Same Frustrating Problem
The College Football Playoff picture is still being shaped by a messy final stretch, with the selection committee sorting through uneven schedules, complicated tiebreakers and a crowded field across the ACC, Big 12, Big Ten and SEC. For Nebraska, it is another reminder of how much the sports biggest decisions now hinge on results elsewhere, with several contenders still alive and key games still to come.
As the rankings get sorted out, the Cornhuskers are watching a system that can reward one leagues depth while punishing anothers path, and the latest analysis only adds to the uncertainty. There are still scenarios in play for multiple teams, but no final answer yet, which leaves Nebraska and everyone else waiting for the committees next move before the bracket picture becomes any clearer. [Read more 🡒]