One week into the season, Nebraska’s 2026 schedule already has a little bit of everything.
Most of the Huskers’ future opponents took care of business in Week 1, even if a few had to sweat longer than expected. But one of them walked straight into the kind of opening-week mess nobody wants on tape, losing to a team that went 0-12 a year ago.
Nine of Nebraska’s remaining 11 opponents came out with wins. The details, though, weren’t all pretty.
Bowling Green was the outlier on the wrong side of the ledger. The Falcons opened with a 20-13 loss to Tarleton State after falling behind 17-0 and never fully digging out. Eddie George’s group is still a work in progress, and it heads to Lincoln as a 28 1/2-point underdog after finishing 4-8 in George’s first season.
North Dakota, meanwhile, looks like it could be the toughest non-conference assignment on Nebraska’s slate. The Fighting Hawks followed a 42-21 Week 0 win over Long Island by rolling St.
Thomas 62-26 to move to 2-0. They get Portland State next before coming to Lincoln.
At Michigan State, Pat Fitzgerald’s debut turned into a grind, but the Spartans got it done. Michigan State trailed Toledo 20-19 in the fourth quarter before responding for a 30-20 win on Friday night. Eastern Michigan comes next, then a road trip to Notre Dame before Nebraska arrives for the Big Ten opener.
Maryland had no trouble at all, burying Hampton 62-0. The Terps were up 34-0 at halftime and finished with a massive 646-85 edge in yardage. Their next two games are at UConn and then against James Franklin’s Virginia Tech team.
Indiana’s 52-16 win over North Texas looked more comfortable than it actually was. North Texas held the ball for nearly 15 minutes longer and finished with two more total yards, and the game was still within 31-16 in the fourth quarter.
Then Indiana closed hard, and Josh Hoover delivered four touchdowns in his debut as the Hoosiers’ quarterback, even with blood covering his facemask at one point. Howard and Western Kentucky are next.
Washington handled Washington State 24-10, controlling the game from start to finish. The Huskies finished with a 402-242 yardage edge, though the Cougars hung around until a late Washington touchdown finally put it away.
Illinois was another team that won without exactly dominating the box score. The Illini beat UAB 42-23, but UAB actually outgained them 413-332 and picked up seven more first downs. Illinois still kept the mistakes down, had 65 fewer penalty yards, didn’t turn it over, and a Hail Mary to end the half didn’t hurt.
Rutgers took the toughest hit among Nebraska’s future opponents. UMass, which had lost 16 straight, went into Piscataway and beat the Scarlet Knights 37-21. Former Husker QB commit William "Pop" Watson was in control, and Greg Schiano’s team coughed it up four times while looking shaky at quarterback.
Ohio State and Iowa were the only two remaining Nebraska opponents not accounted for in the Week 1 roundup.
In Other News...
Tony Whites Rough Start Is Changing How Nebraska Fans See His Exit
Tony Whites first season away from Nebraska has not gone the way he or Florida State hoped, and the early returns have only made his old stop in Lincoln look better in hindsight. The Seminoles have struggled defensively in 2026, giving up plenty of yardage and points in recent games, and the criticism has followed White as the unit has failed to settle in.
A rough sequence of performances, including one particularly odd moment against SMU that spread quickly on social media, has only sharpened the contrast for Nebraska fans. With Rob Aurich now in place as the Cornhuskers new defensive coordinator, the bar is clear - Nebraska is trying to build on what White left behind, even as his exit is looking a little different now than it did when he first walked out the door. [Read more 🡒]
Florida State Is Testing How Safe Nebraskas 2026 Class Really Is
Florida State is taking a real run at three Nebraska commits in the 2026 class, with the Seminoles reportedly chasing offensive lineman Timi Aliu, defensive lineman Errol Demontagnac and defensive back Jailen Hill. Recruiting analyst Tim Verghese said Florida State has made the effort to stay involved, and the connection is not hard to trace given that the Seminoles staff includes former Nebraska coaches.
For Nebraska, the encouraging part is that Florida State has not made much headway so far. Demontagnac did not make the visit he was expected to take, while Aliu has been to Tallahassee but is still pledged to the Huskers. Hill remains in the picture too, which means this is less a finished battle than an early test of how sturdy Nebraskas class really is. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Brings A Quarterback Edge Bowling Green's Numbers Can't Explain
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska a clean, efficient afternoon in its 49-21 win over Ohio, finishing 18 of 32 for 275 yards and three touchdowns without an interception. He added 23 rushing yards and another score, and the overall performance drew an 84.3 Pro Football Focus grade, the kind of outing that helps steady an offense and keep the Cornhuskers on schedule.
Bowling Greens Jay Kastantin posted a very different line in the Falcons 20-13 loss to Tarleton State, completing 24 of 30 passes for 262 yards with no touchdowns or interceptions. The raw numbers were solid enough, but his 61.8 PFF grade points to a gap Nebraska will be watching closely as it looks to press any advantage at quarterback. [Read more 🡒]