Nebraska’s third straight blowout of the 2026 season did more than push the Huskers to another easy win Saturday night against North Dakota. It also started sorting out who’s climbing and who’s sliding as the team heads toward Big Ten play.
The Fighting Hawks may be an FCS program, but they’re a strong one, and Matt Rhule made it clear this was the non-conference matchup he was most concerned about. After Nebraska rolled again, a few players made a noticeable move in either direction - especially the ones who aren’t already locked into the weekly spotlight.
One of the clearest risers was Quinn Clark. The son of Nebraska legend Ken Clark is carving out his own lane at wide receiver, and he finally turned some of the coaching staff’s praise into production.
Clark caught his first touchdown of the season and finished with 2 receptions for 13 yards and that score. His 75.2 PFF grade was a career high, and he’s been getting looks every week.
With red-zone opportunities likely to get tighter, his size could keep making him a dangerous target near the goal line.
Dwayne McDougle III also took a real step forward. The transfer safety looked much more settled in Nebraska’s defense than he has at any other point this season, posting a season-high 6 tackles and adding 2 stops. He’s also been steady in coverage, having been targeted three times this year while allowing just one catch in the opener.
Owen Chambliss joined the list after making his presence felt in a bigger way this week. He got his first action for Nebraska last week after coming back from a hamstring injury, then followed that up with 6 tackles, 1 sack, 5 stops, and 1 quarterback hurry against North Dakota. As he gets healthier, his stock looks set to keep moving up.
On the other side, Cameron Lenhardt’s quiet night stood out. He came into 2026 with major expectations, but against the Fighting Hawks he played just 14 snaps, a season low by a wide margin, and finished with only one tackle. Some of that can be tied to the score, but it still felt like a chance for more impact that never really arrived.
Rex Guthrie’s situation is harder to read, but the snap counts are starting to tell a story. After playing 24 snaps against Ohio and 15 against Bowling Green, he was on the field for only three snaps against North Dakota. Unless there’s an injury keeping him limited, it looks like McDougle and others are passing him by.
Tree Babalade’s slide continued as well. For the third straight game, he played fewer than 19 snaps, and PFF gave him the lowest offensive grade on the team at 52.4 overall. There was a lot of optimism around him coming out of the offseason, but right now his stock is heading in the wrong direction, even if there’s still time to turn it around.
In Other News...
Nebraska Suddenly Faces Another Carter Nelson Concern
Nebraskas win over North Dakota came with a fresh concern when Carter Nelson and Jahsear Whittington both exited early because of injuries. Nelsons exit drew the most attention, with the tight end needing help off the field before later being spotted with a knee brace and crutches, a development that naturally raises questions about his status moving forward.
Matt Rhule has not offered specifics yet, leaving the Huskers to wait for more clarity on both players. For a team trying to build momentum, any injury news is a distraction, and Nelsons situation is the one Nebraska will be watching closest when the coach next meets with the media. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas 3-0 Start Still Leaves One Big Ten Concern
Nebraska kept rolling with a 34-7 win over North Dakota to move to 3-0, and the latest victory again showed why this start has felt so steady. The defense was the headline, piling up five sacks and smothering an offense that never found much room to breathe, while the offense continued to move the ball with 493 total yards. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea looked comfortable and in control, making the kind of decisions that have helped give the Cornhuskers a calmer edge early in the season.
Still, even with three wins in hand, there is a clear area Nebraska has to clean up before Big Ten play begins. The next step is less about proving the team can win and more about how sharp it can be doing it, especially with penalties and turnovers still hanging around as fixable issues. Against bigger conference opponents, those mistakes tend to matter more, which is why this unbeaten start has come with a reminder that the tougher part is still ahead. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Handled Business But One Big Ten Concern Still Lingers
Nebraska took care of business against North Dakota, rolling to a 34-7 win in a game it controlled from the opening stages. The Huskers piled up 496 total yards, held North Dakota to 205, and were sharp enough on offense to score on five of eight drives before reserves began taking over in the fourth quarter.
Jamal Rule set the tone with 119 rushing yards and a touchdown, giving Nebraska the kind of ground production it can build on as Big Ten play comes into sharper focus. Even with the one-sided result, the late defensive push still left a small opening for concern after North Dakota did not get over 200 yards until the final play, a reminder that the level of resistance will only rise from here. [Read more 🡒]