Nebraska football is spending at a level that looks more like a heavyweight than a program still searching for its next breakthrough.
That was the big takeaway from a special midweek episode of the Common Fan Podcast, where Henry Cordes of the Flatwater Free Press joined the show to break down his investigation into the Huskers’ rising costs, how Nebraska stacks up nationally, and whether all this financial muscle will finally show up in the win column.
The money has exploded. Nebraska’s annual football operating expenditures jumped from about $33 million to more than $70 million in just over three years, according to Cordes’ research. Among the 68 power-conference programs he examined, that was the largest increase by far.
The result is a dramatic shift in the program’s financial standing. During the Scott Frost era, Nebraska was spending below the power-conference average. By the 2024-25 school year, the Huskers had climbed to 12th nationally in football operating expenditures.
A big reason for that surge is the size of the operation around the team. Tom Osborne won national championships with roughly 30 staff members.
Matt Rhule’s staff now tops 80, including 23 on-field assistant coaches. The staff growth alone shows how much college football has changed - and how aggressively Nebraska has adapted.
Cordes also talked about his conversations with Osborne, including how the Hall of Fame coach views the modern economics of the sport and the spending race now shaping it.
And operating expenses are only part of the picture. The discussion also dug into NIL and player compensation, along with recent reporting from The Athletic on what schools are spending to build their rosters. Under those estimates, Nebraska is putting between $31 million and $35 million into roster costs, which places it around 18th nationally and sixth in the Big Ten.
That level of investment matters because Nebraska’s financial base is unusually strong. Cordes pointed to the Huskers’ deep fan support and long-standing revenue power as advantages in a college football world where the rules keep shifting.
Still, there’s a catch: money does not equal wins.
Cordes’ reporting found that no program has paired Nebraska’s level of fan support with fewer victories over the last five years. That’s the heart of the frustration for a fan base that has watched the spending rise while waiting for a real payoff.
The timing makes the conversation even sharper after Nebraska’s heartbreaking 20-17 loss to defending national champion Indiana. The podcast crew talked through whether the program is finally turning a corner, how much progress fans should reasonably expect, and how long Matt Rhule has to turn all of this investment into results.
They also touched on the changing job description for a head coach. In today’s game, the role looks more and more like a CEO’s - part roster builder, part fundraiser, part personnel manager, part rule navigator.
It all adds up to a big-picture look at where Nebraska stands in the modern college football economy, and what this wave of spending might mean for the future of the Big Red.
In Other News...
Nebraska Just Got More Momentum From A Huge Recruiting Weekend
Nebraskas recruiting push picked up more steam during the Indiana game, when the program hosted a pair of high-end 2028 targets who gave the weekend added significance. Blue-chip safety Jordan Hicks and five-star tight end Ahmad Hudson were both on campus, a good sign for a staff trying to keep building momentum with younger classes while the on-field product continues to draw attention.
There was plenty else for recruits to take in, too, including cornerback Andrew Marshalls strong showing against Indiana, the kind of performance that can sharpen Nebraskas pitch to top defensive prospects. With analysts also starting to sort out possible bowl opponents after Week 7, the Cornhuskers have a lot of moving parts right now, but the broader picture is clear: the program is creating reasons for recruits to keep looking harder at Lincoln, and Hudsons status remains one of the more intriguing threads coming out of the visit weekend. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Now Faces A Real Illinois Quarterback Twist
Illinois quarterback situation has turned into one of the more relevant subplot for Nebraska as the Cornhuskers look ahead to a matchup that could still shift depending on how quickly Katin Houser heals. Houser suffered a broken hand and has already undergone surgery, with a recovery window of four to six weeks, which puts his status right on the edge of the Illinois-Nebraska game four weeks from now.
Michael Clayton II is the name to watch if Houser is not cleared in time, and that possibility changes the way Nebraska has to prepare for the Illini offense. Housers availability will shape the opponent the Cornhuskers actually see, and for now that uncertainty leaves Nebraska waiting on a decision that could alter the entire feel of the game. [Read more 🡒]
Anthony Colandrea Gave Nebraska Fans A Reason To Believe Again
Anthony Colandreas latest outing against Indiana gave Nebraska something it has been searching for: a quarterback performance that felt steady, urgent and worth building around. He flashed as a runner and a leader, and his presence helped the Cornhuskers play with a confidence that had been missing at times, even as the larger issues around the offense and the seasons bigger questions remain in place.
For a fan base that has spent years waiting for signs of real progress, Colandreas impact mattered beyond the box score. He helped shift the tone of the conversation around the program, showing a level of command that can travel into future weeks, even if Nebraska still has work to do before those encouraging moments start turning into something more lasting. [Read more 🡒]