For Nebraska football, the clearest sign of real progress might not be a flashy win or a polished stat line. It might be something far more basic: finally surviving overtime.
That sounds strange for a program trying to prove it has turned the corner, but the Huskers’ recent history in extra time has been brutal. In their last eight overtime games, Nebraska has lost every single one.
And it hasn’t just been a string of close calls. The Huskers have looked flat-out bad in those moments, piling up mistakes and letting games slip away in ugly fashion.
Matt Rhule has already helped erase one of the program’s old problems. Nebraska was 2-10 in regular-season one-score games during his first two years, then beat Boston College 20-15 in the Pinstripe Bowl and followed that with a 4-2 mark in one-score games last year. That part of the curse has eased up.
Overtime is still the stubborn one.
Before Rhule arrived in Lincoln, Nebraska was 0-6 in overtime. Under him, the Huskers are 0-2.
Across those eight straight losses, the numbers tell the same depressing story: Nebraska opponents scored four touchdowns and four field goals, while the Huskers answered with four interceptions, three turnovers on downs and a missed field goal. That kind of breakdown leaves no room for debate.
The losses have come with plenty of sacks and turnovers, and the result is the same every time: no win. Nebraska didn’t play an overtime game in 2025, which may have been part of why the Huskers went 4-2 in one-score games.
They found ways to finish in regulation. But eventually, a tied game is going to spill into extra time again.
That’s why this matters. It’s not just about one game.
It’s about whether Nebraska can finally show competence in the one situation that has made it look most vulnerable. Before this recent skid, the Huskers had gone 8-1 in overtime since the format was first introduced.
That kind of record is buried now, but it also shows the standard Nebraska has reached before.
If Rhule and his staff can end the overtime losing streak, it would be more than just another win. It would be one more sign that the program is shaking off the habits that have dragged it down for years.
In Other News...
Adrian Martinez Is Still Repping Nebraska In A Big Way
Adrian Martinez is still spending part of his offseason around Nebraska, and for Cornhuskers fans, that alone makes the scene worth noting. The former Husker quarterback has been training in the state with former North Dakota State quarterback Cole Payton as both prepare for the 2026 NFL season, and their workouts have included time with high school players at Gretna East, where theyve been sharing experience and running drills.
The bigger picture is familiar for both quarterbacks: neither is simply coasting into camp, and both are trying to carve out a place at the next level. Martinez is in the mix with the San Francisco 49ers, while Payton is working to secure his footing with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Nebraska stop has given them a chance to stay sharp while giving back to the next wave of players watching closely. [Read more 🡒]
Emmett Johnson Looks Ready To Answer His Draft Slide In A Big Way
Emmett Johnsons final season at Nebraska gave him the kind of rsum that usually travels well to the next level. He racked up more than 1,400 rushing yards, earned multiple All-American honors and showed enough versatility as a runner and receiver to make himself one of the more intriguing backs in the 2025 NFL Draft.
Now the former Cornhusker is trying to turn that production into an NFL foothold with Kansas City, where he enters training camp in strong physical shape and ready to compete for playing time. The Chiefs have reasons to keep an open mind about what he can bring, and Johnsons challenge is the familiar one for a rookie back: prove the college numbers were only the beginning. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Cannot Keep Dodging This Running Back Question Much Longer
Nebraska has spent the better part of the summer letting the Mekhi Nelson situation sit in the background, but the running back question is getting harder to avoid. Nelson was arrested on battery charges in Florida, and since then he has not taken part in team activities, leaving his place in the program very much in limbo as the Cornhuskers move closer to the start of the season.
The expectation now is that Nebraska will have to speak publicly about the matter soon, likely in the next week to 10 days as Big Ten Media Days approaches. Until then, the uncertainty lingers not just around Nelsons future, but around what the backfield picture looks like if the Huskers have to keep moving without him. [Read more 🡒]