Nebraska got a major boost on the recruiting trail Monday night when Dawson Battie, a 6-foot-8, 5-star power forward ranked No. 25 in the 2027 class, announced his commitment to the Huskers. It’s the biggest recruiting win Nebraska has landed in the current recruiting database era, and the program had been chasing him hard for months before it finally paid off.
That wasn’t the only basketball news coming out of Lincoln. Women’s coach Amy Williams met with the media Monday afternoon ahead of the first full practice day of the 2026-27 season, and she sounded eager to get rolling.
" I'm very excited to get things kicked off," Williams said when she met the media. "Our non-conference schedule this year, having games against Kansas at a neutral site with two potential WNBA prospects on their roster, and Creighton poses a completely different execution, and Texas A&M coming in here, and a road game or a neutral game with Cal. There's just a lot of really talented teams on that non-conference schedule that I think will challenge us in a lot of ways and help prepare us for that conference schedule because it will be some high-powered offenses."
Williams also pointed to a couple of players she believes have taken real steps over the offseason. Among the names she singled out were 2026 McDonalds High School All-American and two-time South Dakota Player of the Year Ashlyn Koupal, along with returning first-team All-Big Ten point guard Britt Prince.
Nebraska’s women are aiming for a fourth straight NCAA Tournament berth, and the combination of a reloaded roster and a demanding non-conference slate is supposed to set the tone for what comes next in the Big Ten.
On the football side, Matt Rhule addressed the media Monday and turned his attention to Week 4 against Michigan State. He said the Spartans use defensive schemes that could give Nebraska’s offense problems if the Huskers aren’t ready for them, and he also mentioned a few players he’s watching closely.
Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald, meanwhile, had praise for Nebraska’s offense. He said it looks much better through three games this season than it did all of last year, and he credited Dana Holgorsen with being able to run exactly the kind of attack he wants.
Oddsmakers are still leaning Nebraska’s way. The Huskers opened Monday morning as nearly a touchdown favorite even with Saturday’s game set for East Lansing.
There was also a scheduling update from the Big Ten, which announced that Nebraska’s Homecoming game against Maryland will kick off at 3 p.m. and will air on FS1 and the Huskers Radio Network.
In Other News...
Nebraskas New Offense Has Big Ten Rivals Seeing A Different Threat
Nebraskas offense is drawing a different kind of attention this fall, and it is coming from inside the Big Ten. Michigan State head coach Pat Fitzgerald said the Cornhuskers look far more coordinated than they did a year ago, pointing to smoother execution, a stronger offensive line and the way key playmakers like Jamal Rule have helped the unit settle into a better rhythm.
Fitzgerald also singled out Dana Holgorsens system as a major reason the attack has taken a step forward, along with the effect of playing with a more mobile quarterback. For Nebraska, that kind of outside respect matters because it suggests opponents are no longer treating the offense like a work in progress, but the more interesting question is how far this version can go once Big Ten defenses start adjusting to it in real time. [Read more 🡒]
Emmett Johnson Is Already Forcing His Way Into Chiefs Plans
Emmett Johnson is already carving out a place for himself in Kansas City, and it starts with the little things that keep an offense moving. The rookie running back has settled into a defined role in the passing game, especially on screens and dump-off passes, giving the Chiefs another option for easy yards while he gets his footing at the next level.
In his second NFL game, Johnson handled a small but meaningful workload and made the most of it, finishing with 2 carries for 15 yards and 2 receptions for 20 yards. One of those catches stood out in particular, a 12-yard grab in which he slipped multiple defenders, a reminder of the balance and versatility that made him a standout at Nebraska and a Big Ten rushing leader before he reached the NFL. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Basketball Just Landed The Kind Of Commit Fans Doubt Hoiberg Could Get
Nebraska basketball added a major jolt to its future plans when Dawson Battie, a five-star power forward and the No. 26 overall prospect in the 2027 class, committed to the Huskers. Battie picked Nebraska over 22 other Division I offers, a notable win for a program that has spent years trying to prove it can land elite national talent and not just develop overlooked prospects.
If he signs, Battie will become the highest-ranked recruit in Nebraska history, a benchmark that says as much about the programs trajectory as it does about his ceiling. He now joins four-star forward Ty Schlagel in Nebraskas 2027 class, giving Fred Hoiberg and his staff an early foundation to build around while leaving plenty of attention on what this kind of commitment could mean for the next wave of Huskers recruiting. [Read more 🡒]