Nebraska’s first Big Ten test came with a little improvisation, and the Huskers handled it just fine.
Playing without their star running back and dealing with an injury-hit Michigan State roster, Nebraska went into East Lansing and walked out with a 31-13 win Saturday night. The result pushed the Huskers to 4-0 and dropped the Spartans to 2-2 after their Week 3 loss to Notre Dame.
“We really didn't want to be too aggressive early,” NU head coach Matt Rhule said postgame. “When they started calling timeouts, we realized we'd have to be.
I'm proud of the guys. That was a great first step.”
The night belonged to a few Huskers who made the most of their chances, and the most eye-catching performance came from Kwazi Gilmer. The junior wideout was already one of Anthony Colandrea’s preferred targets, and he wasted no time proving he could carry that role into conference play. Late in the first quarter, Gilmer hauled in a 17-yard catch that helped set up a 44-yard touchdown grab, an over-the-shoulder beauty in the end zone.
His workload only grew when Jacory Barney Jr. went to the injury tent in the second quarter. Gilmer responded by becoming Colandrea’s most reliable outlet, finishing with four catches for 101 yards. He was targeted nine times, and while the drops were an issue, his place in Nebraska’s offense is already clear.
Nebraska’s defense also made its mark with a pair of key takeaways from Owen Chambliss and Andrew Marshall. Chambliss, the senior linebacker whose voice carries on that side of the ball, led the team with eight tackles and added an interception. Marshall picked off his first pass of the season as well, helping force Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic to search elsewhere.
The Blackshirts kept tightening the screws as the night went on. Michigan State managed only 39 rushing yards on seven different ball-carriers, and Nebraska held the Spartans to just three second-half points while piling up six sacks.
The backfield had to adjust on the fly too after Jamal Rule left in the first quarter with an injury. That opened the door for Mekhi Nelson and Vincent Genatone, who stepped in and gave Nebraska exactly what it needed: steady production and red-zone finishing.
Nelson scored first, punching in a 4-yard touchdown in the second quarter. Genatone followed with a 13-yard receiving touchdown just before halftime, then added another score in the fourth quarter on a 1-yard run to close out Nebraska’s scoring. Nelson finished with 61 yards on 15 carries, while Genatone contributed 17 total yards on his two touchdowns.
“Coach Rhule always expresses playing complementary football,” Nelson said postgame. “This win shows we're not complacent and we're not like other teams from the past.”
“We pride ourselves on being the best running back room in the nation,” Genatone said postgame. “The fact that any one of us can go out there on the field and do that at any time is what we want to be the standard at Nebraska.”
Nebraska also got 23 rushing yards from Izaiah Mozee and a team-high 66 from Colandrea, helping the offense keep its balance despite the personnel changes.
The Huskers now turn to Maryland, which visits next Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3 p.m. CT on FS1.
In Other News...
Nebraskas Secondary Suddenly Has A Pregame Question Before Kickoff
Nebraskas Friday availability update brought a little more clarity, and a little more concern, for a secondary that already had some pregame uncertainty hanging over it. Edge rusher Jordan Ochoa moved from questionable to probable, but the notable shift came on the back end, where safety Rex Guthrie was upgraded from doubtful to questionable while cornerback Bryson Webber was listed as out.
The Big Tens new availability format has turned these late-week reports into a bigger part of the game-week rhythm, with teams now required to submit them three days before kickoff and then update them daily through game day. Michigan States report added its own layer of uncertainty, with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff and special teamer Jay Coyne out and cornerback Tyran Chappell questionable, but Nebraskas biggest concern is still the state of its defensive backfield as kickoff approaches. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Offense Faces Its First Real Test In Big Ten Play
Nebraskas offense rolled through its first three non-conference games with a balance the program had not shown since 2016, clearing 200 yards both on the ground and through the air in each one. The line opened holes, the passing game stayed productive, and the overall effort drew praise from athletic director Troy Dannen after the strong finish against North Dakota, which only added to the early optimism around Dana Holgorsens group.
Now comes the harder part, with Big Ten play set to ask different questions of the same attack. Holgorsen has already stressed the need to spread the ball around and keep multiple players involved, a reminder that what worked in September has to hold up when defenses get faster, more physical, and far less forgiving. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Undefeated Start Faces Its First Real Test At Michigan State
Nebraska has handled its non-conference schedule well enough to arrive at 3-0 with a little momentum and a lot of curiosity still attached to how real the start is. Now the Cornhuskers head to Michigan State for their first Power 4 matchup, and the early read from DraftKings has them favored by 5.5 points, a sign that the market believes in what Nebraska has shown so far on both sides of the ball.
Saturday should tell a lot more, though, especially with linebacker Brady Pretzlaff likely out and running back Cam Edwards appearing available. Nebraskas defense has looked sturdy and the offense has found enough rhythm to keep the pressure manageable, but road games in conference play usually bring a different level of stress. Anthony Colandrea could end up being one of the swing pieces in how smoothly that transition goes. [Read more 🡒]