Tom Brady dropped a football truth that fits Nebraska perfectly right now: you don’t really find out what a team is until it runs into real resistance.
During Sunday’s Eagles-Commanders broadcast, the seven-time Super Bowl champion and former Michigan quarterback said teams spend the offseason and preseason trying to become what they want to be, but it isn’t until they face strong competition that they learn who they really are. He was speaking about NFL teams, but the idea lands just as cleanly for Nebraska, which has spent its first two games looking like something explosive and dangerous - while still waiting for the kind of opponent that will tell the full story.
For now, the Huskers have been outrageous on offense. They beat Ohio 49-21 and then blew past Bowling Green 56-7 on Saturday, piling up 1,069 total yards across those two games. That works out to 534.5 yards per game, along with 52.5 points a night - a pace that does not exactly scream “keep this up forever.”
The numbers are eye-popping in every direction. Nebraska has converted 14 of 22 third downs, thrown for 557 yards, completed 44 of 64 passes, and produced eight touchdown passes against just one interception. On the ground, the Huskers have added 522 rushing yards, including 256 per game on average.
The most electric piece so far has been true freshman Jamal Rule, who leads the team with 210 rushing yards. He’s looked strong and fast, the kind of back who hits a crease and is gone before a defense can recover.
Maybe that keeps rolling. Maybe it doesn’t once Nebraska starts seeing stronger Big Ten fronts and quicker linebackers who close gaps before a play can breathe.
Rule hasn’t been doing it alone, either. Mekhi Nelson has 112 rushing yards, Isaiah Mozee has 86, and Anthony Colandrea has added 56 on the ground as a dual-threat quarterback doing what dual-threat quarterbacks do.
Colandrea brought his game over from UNLV and hasn’t seemed bothered by the size of the crowds at Memorial Stadium. He’s been quick, fast, and accurate with a big arm, and when he runs it looks intentional rather than desperate.
He was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, and through two games he’s looked every bit the part.
The line in front of him has done its job, too. Nebraska’s rebuilt offensive front has looked strong and well coached, which helps explain why the whole operation has felt so smooth early on. The defense, after a shaky first half against Ohio, has also settled in and looked dominant since then.
All of that has made Memorial Stadium a lively place - big plays, big wins, and plenty of offensive fireworks. Against FCS North Dakota on Saturday night, there’s a real chance more of the same shows up again. ESPN’s matchup predictor gives Nebraska a 96.5 percent chance to win, and kickoff is set for 6:15 p.m. on Big Ten Network.
Still, the bigger picture hangs over everything. Nebraska won’t stay in this easy lane for long, and nobody around the program is pretending otherwise. The Huskers open Big Ten play Sept. 26 at Michigan State, and that’s where the tests get serious.
There are also the details that coaches never ignore, even when the scoreboard looks great. Nebraska has committed 16 penalties for 130 yards in two games, and that’s the kind of stuff that gets exposed fast once conference play arrives. The staff knows it, and Matt Rhule and his assistants are no doubt balancing the North Dakota game with the larger questions waiting down the road.
And those questions are the ones Brady was getting at. What kind of team is Nebraska, really?
How good are the Huskers? What do they actually have?
Right now, the answers are encouraging. They’re also incomplete.
The early returns have been fun, fast, and loud. The real identity test is still coming.
In Other News...
Matt Rhule Has Another Coach Wanting Nebraskas Program Blueprint
Eddie George left Lincoln with more than a tough loss to explain. After Nebraskas decisive win over Bowling Green, the Falcons head coach had plenty of praise for Matt Rhule, pointing to the way Nebraska is being built under its third-year coach. George made clear he views Rhules approach as something worth studying, the kind of program blueprint that can draw attention from around the sport when a team looks organized, physical and steady.
For Nebraska, it was another sign that Rhules work is resonating beyond the Big Ten. George said he wants to learn from Rhule and get advice on how to keep improving his own program, a reflection of both Nebraskas momentum and the respect Rhule has earned in a short time. George also talked about his own coaching path and the progress Bowling Green has made, but the broader takeaway was simple enough: Nebraskas rebuild is becoming the standard other coaches want to understand. [Read more 🡒]
Colandrea Gave Nebraska Hope But One Sloppy Issue Still Lingers
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska plenty to like in the first half, looking poised in the pocket and sharp with the ball as he completed 17 of 20 passes for 184 yards and four touchdowns. The offense also kept leaning on its three-back rotation, the so-called Husker Hydra, and that group helped cover for Emmett Johnson by piling up 191 rushing yards and two touchdowns while the rest of the team tried to find a rhythm.
Still, there was a messy moment that hung over the cleanest stretches of the day, even if it was officially logged as Colandreas first interception of the season. The play came off a fumble by Jacory Barney after JoJo Johnson stripped the ball, a reminder that Nebraskas issues are not limited to one phase, especially with special teams also drawing flags on punt returns and adding to the sense that the Cornhuskers are still sorting out the small stuff. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Showed Class In A Rivalry Moment Fans Wont Forget
A somber note ran through the weekend around the Iowa-Nebraska rivalry when Derek Phillips, a member of the Hawkeyes marching band, died after collapsing from heat during a game. In the midst of all the usual pageantry that comes with that matchup, both marching bands found a way to honor him, and Nebraska added its own gesture by wearing gold and black ribbons in solidarity.
The on-field story still had plenty to say for the Cornhuskers, who backed up the emotional moment with a decisive win. Linebacker Owen Chambliss also made his return from injury and was part of the defense with tackles, giving Nebraska a little more depth as it moved on from a weekend that will be remembered for much more than the final score. [Read more 🡒]