Tikey Hayes has found another stop in a winding offseason, and this one sends him to Nebraska.
The former Penn State running back, who was once a Class of 2025 Rivals four-star prospect and three-star composite recruit, is now set to join Matt Rhule’s roster ahead of fall camp, according to Reivers head coach Scott Strohmeier. Hayes intends to participate in Nebraska’s camp after spending the spring at Iowa Western Community College.
Hayes’ path away from Penn State has been anything but straightforward. He appeared in just one game as a true freshman for the Nittany Lions, finishing with three carries for 18 yards in the Pinstripe Bowl. After that, he initially pledged his loyalty to Penn State soon after the 2025 season, then reversed course and entered the Transfer Portal.
That left him without a team until he landed at Iowa Western for the spring.
Now he gets another crack at Power Four football, and Nebraska’s backfield situation gives him a real opening. According to Husker Corner Site Expert Oliver Vandervoort, the Cornhuskers have only two backs with college experience in Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee. Connor Booth and Jamal Rule are expected to need time before pushing for starting roles.
For Hayes, that could mean a chance to climb quickly.
If he had somehow ended up back at Penn State, the road would have been much steeper. The Nittany Lions’ running back room already has senior Carson Hansen and junior James Peoples, both transfer additions who are favored to open as RB1 and RB2. Behind them, the battle tightens between Quinton Martin Jr. and Cam Wallace at No. 3, while freshmen D'Antae Sheffey, Amar'e Glover, and Jeremy Washington are also on the roster.
Hayes’ move to Nebraska doesn’t change Penn State’s depth chart, but it does add another layer to the growing Matt Rhule-Matt Campbell rivalry. The Cornhuskers recently beat the Nittany Lions to Pennsylvania four-star wide receiver Khalil Taylor, a recruit Penn State had been favored to land for months before his commitment.
Rhule and Campbell won’t have a chance to settle things on the field in 2026, since the teams are not scheduled to meet that season. Their next matchup comes in 2027, giving Campbell time to build momentum in recruiting and transfer battles before the two sides see each other again.
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