Nebraska got exactly what it needed on Saturday: a clean, convincing 31-0 win over Rutgers, built on a heavier run game, a defense that never let up, and a solid outing from Anthony Colandrea.
The result made Nebraska bowl-eligible for the third straight year. And with bowl games probably not existing next year, this could be the last chance to play in a traditional one.
Now the focus shifts to something bigger. A winning season is still on the table, and so is a shot at a ranked opponent.
Nebraska gets that opportunity at home next week against Ohio State. If the Huskers win, it would mark real progress and deliver the first major win of the Matt Rhule era.
Playoff implications or not, that would matter.
Saturday’s formula was simple: run the ball and keep running it. Glenn Thomas clearly got the message from Matt Rhule.
Nebraska piled up well over 200 rushing yards, with Jamal Rule going for more than 100 and looking steady throughout the day. Mekhi Nelson added a touchdown after Luke Lindenmeyer delivered a key block, and the Huskers used that ground attack to string together a pair of 90-yard touchdown drives in the first half.
It was a straightforward adjustment, but it worked. Thomas handled it well, even if the opponent was one of the weakest teams in the Big Ten. Nebraska still had to go out and dominate, and it did that.
The defense was just as sharp. Rutgers had just put up a season-high 21 points against Michigan and scored more than 30 against USC, so this was not an offense without teeth.
Nebraska took that away completely. The Scarlet Knights barely got across midfield, and every time they did, Caleb Benning and Jeremiah Charles came away with interceptions.
Rob Aurich’s group finished with two sacks, seven tackles for loss and three pass breakups. Rutgers never found the end zone and finished with only 143 total yards.
There were also signs that Carter Nelson may be starting to find his footing. He hauled in a 40-yard catch in the first half that helped set up a touchdown, then scored on a 13-yard reception in the second half to push the lead to 28-0. That gave him two catches for 53 yards on the day, and it extended his streak to four straight games with a reception.
Luke Lindenmeyer also caught a touchdown pass and made his presence felt as a blocker on Mekhi Nelson’s scoring run. As for Carter Nelson, the last two weeks have offered a glimpse of what he can do as a receiver. He now has two catches of more than 20 yards in that span, and that gives Nebraska something to build on from the former top-100 recruit from Ainsworth.
And for Matt Rhule, the pressure eased for at least a week. Nebraska handled business, avoided a mess, and made sure the conversation around the program didn’t turn darker.
It also means there won’t be a new head coach next season. A loss to Rutgers wouldn’t have guaranteed anything, but it would have made the heat much more intense.
Like it or not, he will be back in 2027.
In Other News...
Fred Hoiberg Just Landed The Kind Of Recruit Nebraska Never Gets
Nebraska basketball has added a recruit it almost never gets, signing five-star forward Dawson Battie and giving Fred Hoiberg a centerpiece for the 2027 class. The 6-foot-8 forward from Texas is now the highest-rated prospect in program history by composite score, a notable milestone for a program that has spent years trying to climb into a different recruiting tier. He joins four-star wing Ty Schlagel in a class that already looks like a meaningful step forward for the Huskers.
Hoiberg has made a point of emphasizing fit as much as talent, and both Battie and Schlagel were described as players who match the system and the culture Nebraska is trying to build. Batties decision matters not just because of the ranking attached to him, but because he chose Nebraska over several top programs, the kind of competition the Huskers usually have trouble winning. For a program looking to turn recruiting momentum into something more lasting, this is the sort of signing that can change the conversation, even if the real payoff is still down the road. [Read more 🡒]
Boise State Brings A Dangerous Early Test For Nebraskas Defense
Nebraska heads to the Sanford Pentagon in Sioux Falls on Friday with an early chance to find out how real its defensive edge is against a Boise State team that has looked every bit the part of a dangerous nonconference opponent. Both teams are 3-0, and the Cornhuskers bring a No. 25 AP ranking into a matchup that has the feel of a measuring-stick game before the schedule gets even busier.
Boise State has already made a habit of piling up points and sits atop the Pac-12 in several statistical categories, which is exactly the kind of profile that can stress a Nebraska defense still trying to establish its identity. The Cornhuskers also have South Dakota waiting next, so this stretch offers a quick read on where Nebraska stands and how much margin it has before the seasons first real tests start to stack up. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Wrestling Leaves Stillwater With One Troubling Question
Nebraskas trip to Stillwater on Nov. 13 turned into a rough measuring stick against one of the sports standard-bearers. No. 2 Oklahoma State handled the No. 3 Cornhuskers 27-6 in a dual that tilted early, leaving Nebraska with little margin to work with and not much time to regroup before another ranked test arrives.
Meyer Shapiro was one of the few bright spots for Nebraska, showing plenty of fight even in defeat, but the larger concern is how the Huskers respond after getting pushed around by the Cowboys. They get a quick chance to reset against No. 24 Penn on Nov. 21, with that dual set for ESPN+ and another opportunity to show whether Stillwater was a one-night setback or a warning sign. [Read more 🡒]