Nebraska’s second annual Blackout game is doing double duty Saturday night: Washington comes to Memorial Stadium, and more than 35 recruits will be watching.
The guest list is loaded. The Huskers are set to bring in 22 four-star or better prospects, making this one of the biggest recruiting weekends of the season in Lincoln. It nearly matches the more than 25 visitors Nebraska had on hand for Indiana earlier this month, and it gives the program back-to-back weekends with 20-plus blue-chip recruits.
The headliners from Nebraska’s 2027 class include five-star quarterback Trae Taylor. He’s joined by four-star safety Tory Pittman, four-star interior lineman Jordan Agbonoma, four-star running back Amir Brown, four-star defensive lineman Nehemiah Ombati, and four-star cornerback Jailen Hill.
Nebraska will also have six three-star commits in the building: Barrett Kitrell, Matt Erickson, Jayden Travers, Eli Harris, Ma’atoe Moe, and Joey Hunter.
The largest group by far comes from the 2028 class, with 23 prospects on the list and 15 of them carrying four-star ratings. The offensive line is a clear focus, with tackles Vincent Shields (CA), Declan Heying (IA), Kajus Muralis (IL), and Amaree Joshua (GA), along with interior lineman Josiah Eney (MD).
There’s plenty more talent beyond the trenches. Nebraska is also expected to host four-star defensive linemen Isaac Kalubi Lukini (ON) and Brynnen Thompson (DE), edge rushers Steven McClendon (GA) and Owen Price (NE), linebacker Nazeree Guy (TX), tight ends Xevien Brinson (GA) and Israel Johnigan (MO), wide receiver Ryan Richmond-McDavis (CO), running back Noel Washington (CA), and cornerback Kia Jones Jr. (PA).
A lot of those 2028 recruits will be in Lincoln for the first time, which puts a premium on first impressions. If Nebraska lands that part of the job, the Huskers could see many of them back for a spring practice.
Saturday’s visitor list also reflects where Nebraska wants to win on the field. Across the 2027, 2028, and 2029 classes, the Huskers will host nine defensive linemen and five edge prospects, with six of the 14 rated as four-stars.
That group gets a close look at a defensive staff that has already changed the feel of the room. Edges coach Roy Manning is in his first season in Lincoln after following defensive coordinator Rob Aurich from San Diego State, where the Aztecs ranked second nationally in pass-efficiency defense and led the country with three shutouts in 2025. Manning has also coached at Michigan, USC, and Oklahoma, and he won three Big Ten titles as a linebacker at Michigan.
Defensive line coach Corey Brown also arrived with an accomplished résumé. He brings 20 years of experience as a defensive assistant, including 18 seasons coaching defensive linemen. At Miami (Ohio), his units piled up 105 sacks from 2023 to 2025, a total that ranked 14th nationally, and he produced a different first-team all-conference lineman in each of his last three seasons there.
The timing matters, too. Manning and Brown inherited a room that managed just 22 sacks last season, one of the lowest totals in the Big Ten. This year, Nebraska has already recorded 19 sacks through seven games, and that turnaround gives the recruits in attendance a chance to see the revamped group in action.
Memorial Stadium should provide the kind of backdrop Nebraska wants for the pitch. The game kicks off at night, the stadium will be blacked out, and the Blackshirts logo will be at midfield.
The Huskers are also coming off a bye week after three-point losses to Indiana and Oregon. They lost 21-17 to USC in last year’s Blackout game. A win Saturday night would only help the message Nebraska is selling to the recruits in the stands.
In Other News...
Nebraska Still Has One Late-Game Problem A Former Champion Didn't Ignore
Clester Johnson has seen enough Nebraska football to know when a team is leaving something on the table, and in a recent podcast interview the former wingback and national champion returned to a familiar theme: finishing. Johnson talked about the importance of closing out games and the accountability that comes with it, while also looking back on how Tom Osbornes staffs handled those moments when the pressure tightened and the details mattered most.
Johnson also framed the challenge in a more modern light, noting that todays Nebraska has to navigate a different college football reality with retention and recruiting adding another layer of difficulty. He pointed to quarterback Anthony Colandreas ability, but said the offense still needs more balance around him, a reminder that the late-game issues are rarely about one player alone and usually come back to whether the whole operation can hold up when it matters most. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Found Another Brutal Way To Waste A Winnable Game
For most of the afternoon, Nebraska and Washington played the kind of tight, low-scoring game that leaves every possession feeling heavier than the last. The Cornhuskers had chances to keep control of it, but quarterback Anthony Colandreas interceptions and a missed field goal from Kyle Cunanan kept turning manageable moments into wasted ones.
Washington finally broke it open late with a touchdown, then slammed the door with a pick-six off Colandrea to seal a 17-10 win. For Nebraska, it was another frustrating reminder that in a game there to be won, the biggest damage often came from self-inflicted mistakes. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Could Get A Huge Boost Before Its Blackout Showdown
Nebraska is getting healthier at just the right time, with defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel expected back for the Washington game after missing recent action because of injury. Running back Isaiah Mozee is also likely to be available, giving the Cornhuskers a little more depth as they prepare for a marquee blackout matchup that should draw plenty of attention.
The injury report still leaves some holes, though, with offensive lineman Gunnar Gottula and safety Jamir Conn ruled out. Washington is dealing with its own uncertainty as quarterback Demond Williams has gone from doubtful to probable, even if the Huskies have not yet announced a starter, so Nebraska may still have to wait until kickoff to see exactly what kind of challenge it is facing. [Read more 🡒]