Nebraska’s place in the national picture didn’t budge this week, and that makes sense. The Huskers sat out Week 0, so the polls and computer models had little reason to shake things up before the full slate of Week 1 games. That should change after Saturday, when Nebraska opens against Ohio.
Even without taking the field, the numbers around the Huskers nudged in a favorable direction. Their odds of reaching six wins and becoming bowl eligible for a third straight season climbed to 76.1 percent. ESPN’s Football Power Index also gave Nebraska slightly better long-shot chances to win the Big Ten and reach the College Football Playoff, though those odds remain tiny.
Each Wednesday, six national polls and rankings are worth watching for where Nebraska sits: the AP Top 25, The Athletic 138, CBS Sports, the USA Today Coaches Poll, ESPN’s FPI and SP+ rankings, and the Massey Ratings.
In the combined view of five of those rankings - with Nebraska unranked in the AP poll - the Huskers are still sitting at an average placement of 40.6. ESPN remains Nebraska’s best showing at No. 30, while The Athletic has the Huskers lowest at No. 58.
Nebraska also remains out of the AP Top 25 for a second straight week, and this time it did not even get a vote. Across the country, 24 teams were listed among “others receiving votes,” including Liberty, Western Michigan, Tulane and Virginia, each of which picked up one vote. Virginia drew attention for being ranked that low after its 34-8 win over a decent NC State team.
The AP rankings showed a crowded Big Ten picture ahead of Nebraska, with Ohio State at No. 1, Oregon at No.
2, Indiana at No. 6, USC at No.
14, Michigan at No. 16, Washington at No.
17, Penn State at No. 18 and Iowa at No. 22.
Illinois sat among “others receiving votes” at 33, and Minnesota was 38. That leaves 10 Big Ten teams viewed ahead of Nebraska heading into the 2026 season.
Nebraska is scheduled to play Ohio State, Oregon, Indiana, Washington, Iowa and Illinois in 2026.
The Athletic left Nebraska at 58th, which is by far the Huskers’ worst spot among the rankings being tracked. The source notes The Athletic apparently did not publish updated rankings this week after the light Week 0 schedule. Nebraska finished 52nd last season.
CBS Sports also kept Nebraska at 33rd, ahead of Minnesota at 40, UCLA at 42, Northwestern at 48, Maryland at 52, Wisconsin at 60, Rutgers at 62, Michigan State at 66 and Purdue at 82. Nebraska will play Maryland, Rutgers and Michigan State from that group in 2026.
The USA Today Coaches Poll placed Nebraska among “others receiving votes” at 42, with 12 votes. Missouri, ranked 25th, had 158 points, underscoring the gap between the Huskers and the back end of the top 25. The panel includes 72 coaches, including Matt Rhule.
ESPN’s FPI still has Nebraska at No. 30, and the model’s updated projections were a touch more optimistic than last week. The Huskers now have a 76.1 percent chance to win six games, up from 74.5 percent.
Their projected record is 6.8 wins and 5.2 losses, compared with 6.7 and 5.3 last week. The Big Ten title odds rose from 0.7 percent to 0.8 percent, while the College Football Playoff chance climbed from 7.2 percent to 7.5 percent.
Nebraska’s odds of reaching the national championship game held at 0.5 percent, and its chance of winning it all moved from 0.2 percent to 0.1 percent.
Massey Ratings, which blend 40 different college football rankings, kept Nebraska at No. 40 in the consensus. Ohio State is No. 1 there, with Indiana at No. 2.
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Just Set The Standard For Nebraska Year 4
Matt Rhule is heading into his fourth season at Nebraska with the kind of perspective that usually comes only after a full rebuild has been lived through, not simply talked about. The comparison to Fred Hoibergs fourth year on the basketball side is hard to miss, especially with both coaches taking over programs that needed major repair and then being asked to steady them in front of a restless fan base.
Troy Dannen has already made clear how difficult the football job looked when Rhule arrived, describing the program as fairly well broken, and Rhule has acknowledged the weight that comes with that reality. He has also pointed to Hoibergs perseverance as something he respects and can draw from, while making it clear the next step for his team is to finish better in late-season games and turn the rebuild into something that lasts. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Season Opener Puts Immediate Pressure On A New-Look Backfield
Nebraskas backfield will be one of the first real tests of the 2026 season, and the opener against Ohio arrives with both programs trying to reload on the ground. The Huskers have to move on from All-American Emmett Johnson, while Ohio is also reshaping its rushing attack after losing Sieh Bangura and the ground production Parker Navarro brought at quarterback. It is the kind of early matchup that can say plenty about how quickly a team has plugged a major roster hole.
For Nebraska, the intrigue is in who actually carries the load. Mekhi Nelson, Isaiah Mozee and true freshman Jamal Rule are the leading options, but none has entered college as a featured running back, which makes the first few weeks especially important. Ohio has more continuity with Duncan Brune back after meaningful playing time last season and UConn transfer Victor Rosa in the mix, so the Huskers new-look group may have to grow up fast if they want to keep pace in a game that could hinge on which backfield settles first. [Read more 🡒]
Luke Lindenmeyer Is Pushing For A Bigger Final Husker Role
Luke Lindenmeyer is heading into his final season at Nebraska with a clear sense of purpose, and it starts with the little things. The senior tight end has been working on his stiff-arm technique while also building chemistry with quarterback Anthony Colandrea, part of a larger push to make himself more useful in a Huskers offense that wants to become more explosive. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen has challenged the tight ends to raise their level, and Lindenmeyer has taken that as a cue to sharpen his game rather than settle into a familiar role.
For Nebraska, the interest goes beyond one player adding polish to his skill set. Lindenmeyer is trying to do more than just fill snaps in his last run through the program, aiming instead to bring leadership and a steadier presence to a group that needs it. If that work translates, the Huskers could get more from the tight end position at a time when every bit of offensive growth matters, and Lindenmeyer's final season might end up carrying a larger imprint than expected. [Read more 🡒]