Saturday gives Nebraska its first real chance to show what this 2026 team looks like.
Matt Rhule has spent the offseason saying this is his best group in Lincoln, and the opener against Ohio should start answering that claim. The Huskers are a 23.5-point favorite, but the Bobcats are not rolling into this one empty-handed.
They won nine games in Ohio, and they return only five starters, which means there are plenty of moving parts on their side too. New head coach John Hauser, who was their defensive coordinator last season, is now in charge.
Ohio also has a new offensive coordinator, a new defensive coordinator and a new starting quarterback.
Nebraska needs this one. If the Huskers are going to get to 5-0, this is the kind of game they have to handle. Here are the key things to keep an eye on.
One of the more interesting wrinkles is that Ohio already knows Anthony Colandrea.
That matters because the Bobcats beat UNLV, Colandrea’s team, in last season’s bowl game, 17-10. In that game, Colandrea threw for 184 yards, ran for 28 yards on nine carries and had an interception.
Nebraska’s personnel should be better than UNLV’s, and that should matter. But Colandrea’s familiarity with Ohio could help him too, so this is one of those small edges worth watching on both sides.
The backfield is another spot to watch closely.
The first carry of the season will be worth noting, and the guess here is Isaiah Mozee gets it. Mekhi Nelson and Jamal Rule should get touches as well. There’s also reason to think Nebraska’s ground game can get going, even with Gunnar Gottula now expected to open the season at right tackle.
Colandrea’s mobility should help the run game too. His zone-read threat can stress a defense and create more room, especially when Nebraska gets close to the goal line.
Ohio is not coming in to be impressed by the surroundings.
This is a program that won the MAC championship in 2024, played for the title in 2022 and has put together four straight nine-win seasons. The Bobcats also showed last year they can hang in games like this, beating West Virginia after also playing Ohio State and Rutgers. Against those three opponents, they won one game and lost another by a field goal.
They also bring real talent. Ohio has multiple All-MAC defenders and a running back, Duncan Brune, who could land on that level too.
Phil Steele included eight Bobcats on his preseason All-MAC team, including two offensive linemen. Nebraska has the better roster, but this is not a soft opening.
The run defense is another major test.
Nebraska gave up 4.8 rushing yards per attempt last season, and the front seven has been reworked. The Huskers added two new linebackers, two new defensive tackles and Anthony Jones, another transfer, is set to start at defensive end.
A lot of people have already decided the run defense will be improved. Ohio will be the first team to really challenge that assumption.
Quarterback Nick Poulos gives the Bobcats a physical run element at 6-foot-6 and 234 pounds. He has averaged 5.1 yards on 36 attempts with Ohio. Brune averaged 4.9 yards per carry last season, and Ohio is going to keep running until Nebraska proves it can stop it.
Special teams could swing things too.
Mike Ekeler is now at USC, and Nebraska cannot afford to let that phase slip. The special teams were a major factor in three Big Ten wins last season - against Michigan State, Northwestern and Maryland - so there’s no room for a downgrade.
Brett Maher is the new special teams coordinator, and Nick Humphrey, who worked under Ekeler at Tennessee and then Nebraska, has been hired as Nebraska’s co-special teams coordinator. The Huskers also return the same kicker and punter. Kenneth Williams is gone, but Jacory Barney has already shown a knack for making big plays in the kicking game.
That unit has to hold up. If Nebraska takes a step back there, it will feel it.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First 2026 Depth Chart Raised A Few Eyebrows Fast
Nebraskas first official depth chart for the 2026 season arrived before the matchup with Ohio, and it did more than just sort out the pecking order for the opener. It also gave a clearer look at where the staff thinks things stand on both sides of the ball, with the chart drawing attention for a few notable changes as the Huskers begin the new year.
The timing matters even more with the program still working the recruiting trail and the pro pipeline at the same time. Nebraska is set to host 2028 quarterback target Owen Herrick, a prospect the staff views as a top name on its board, while seven former Huskers have already landed on NFL practice squads around the league, a reminder that the roster churn never really stops in Lincoln. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas NFL Talent Gap Just Got Harder For Huskers Fans To Ignore
As NFL teams trimmed their rosters to 53 players this week, the Nebraska pipeline to Sundays looked thinner than it has in years. Only eight former Huskers who finished their college careers in Lincoln are on active NFL rosters, the fewest in five years, a number that lands at a time when the program is already trying to show it can keep pace with the Big Tens elite talent factories.
The broader picture is even harder for Nebraska fans to miss. The Huskers have had only five players drafted over the past four years, and the program has not produced a first- or second-round pick since 2011, a stretch that stands out next to the draft output of Ohio State and Michigan. Nineteen former Huskers were among the players cut during roster reduction, though a few could still latch on with practice squads, leaving another reminder that Nebraskas next NFL success story is still waiting to fully emerge. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Added More Buzz To A Home Atmosphere Fans Treasure
Nebraskas home crowd routine has become part of the programs identity, and the latest sign of that came with Tuesdays announcement that the 2026 season-opener against Ohio is already sold out. The sellout stretches the Huskers streak to 411 consecutive games, a run that keeps Memorial Stadiums reputation intact as one of the sports most reliable draws, even with the game still well down the road.
Athletic director Troy Dannen and coach Matt Rhule have both pointed to ticket sales and the atmosphere around home dates as part of what makes Nebraska such a difficult place for visitors. The calendar also has a little extra flavor coming, with a themed game against Bowling Green built around America 250 and a drone show, plus a concert by Cole Swindell adding to the event feel that has become part of the Husker experience. [Read more 🡒]