Nebraska heads to Piscataway with its season hanging in the balance, and the timing of Matt Rhule’s latest move says plenty about where things stand. After the Huskers’ fourth straight loss and fourth straight game without reaching 21 points, Rhule fired offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen and handed the job to Glenn Thomas. Now Nebraska gets a shot at the Big Ten’s worst scoring defense in Rutgers.
That’s why this game feels bigger than a normal conference trip. If Nebraska loses to Rutgers for the first time in program history, Matt Rhule’s grip on the job would be in serious doubt.
Even a strong win won’t erase what happened over the last month, but it would at least keep the season from slipping completely away. The Huskers need something real in Piscataway.
The offense has been uneven all year, and Anthony Colandrea’s play has followed that same arc. He opened the season looking sharp, then cooled off as the weather turned. Against Illinois, he bounced back in a few ways, posting his second-best completion percentage and his best passing yardage total, though that number was helped by a fortunate catch-and-run from Jacory Barney.
Still, the advanced numbers tell a less flattering story. Colandrea’s EPA per play was only 0.08 against Illinois, and in Nebraska’s losses he has been below 0.1 EPA per play every time.
During the winning streak, he was at 0.25 or better in each game. That’s the gap between a quarterback playing like one of the nation’s top 30 and one performing at an average level.
Thomas has a chance to jolt that group against a defense that has struggled badly.
Rutgers may be in even rougher shape at quarterback. Starter Dylan Lonergan has already been ruled out, and backup AJ Surace is questionable. If both are unavailable, the Scarlet Knights would likely turn to Sean Ashenfelder, a sophomore who has thrown only 11 passes over the last two seasons in Piscataway.
The passing game is already a concern for Rutgers. The Scarlet Knights sit 68th in EPA per dropback, just behind Nebraska, but they are missing Lonergan and star receiver KJ Duff.
That makes it hard to see them reaching their season average of 0.07 EPA per pass. Through the air, this could be a long day.
Nebraska also has a clear path on the ground. Jamal Rule should be a central figure again, especially after Nebraska used him more as both a runner and receiver against Illinois.
The Huskers are undefeated in 2026 when they rush for at least 150 yards, and they have lost every game when they fail to get there. Rutgers has been vulnerable against the run, ranking 112th in EPA allowed per carry, so there should be room to work.
Rutgers does have production in its backfield. Antwan Raymond and Clay Thevenin have each gone over 450 yards this season, and both are averaging 5.3 yards per carry. The Scarlet Knights’ rushing attack has been solid overall, sitting at 0.05 EPA per carry and 60th nationally.
Even so, this matchup comes back to Nebraska’s ability to score. Rutgers ranks 132nd in EPA per pass allowed and 112th in EPA per rush allowed, worse than Bowling Green and Maryland in both categories this season. That kind of defense should give the Huskers a real chance to move the ball and put points on the board.
The Nebraska defense should have a favorable setup too. Rutgers has been explosive through the air, ranking in the top 15 in explosive pass-play rate, but Duff’s absence changes that picture. He has accounted for half of Rutgers’ touchdown catches this season, and without him the Scarlet Knights lose their biggest big-play threat.
For Nebraska, the formula is simple: play aggressively, score early, and make this one look comfortable. A convincing win would not fix the last four games, but it could give the Huskers something to build on before Senior Day against Ohio State and into 2027.
With the coaching change and the opponent in front of them, this looks like the spot where Nebraska’s offense should wake up again. The prediction here is Nebraska 35-10.
In Other News...
Nebraska Walks Into A Rutgers Mess With Schiano Under Pressure
Rutgers heads into its matchup with Nebraska carrying a familiar mix of frustration and uncertainty, and the conversation around the program has only gotten louder. In an interview, Rutgers football analyst Michael Cavallo laid out the state of the team in blunt terms, pointing to a losing record, shaky unit rankings and the kind of on-field inconsistency that has made every week feel like a referendum on where the program is headed. The timing is rough, too, with star wide receiver KJ Duff recently going down and leaving another hole in an offense already trying to find answers.
The bigger backdrop is the coaching situation, where Greg Schiano remains in place even as the results have fallen short of expectations. Cavallo sees Nebraska as the more stable team right now and expects the Huskers to take advantage of Rutgers current mess. For a fan base already looking for signs of progress, this game feels less like a measuring stick and more like another test of how much patience remains around the program. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Has A Real Shot To End One Frustrating Nebraska Trend
Rutgers gets Nebraska at home with a chance to turn a long-running frustration into something more meaningful, and the setup feels more open than the history suggests. The Scarlet Knights have pushed the Cornhuskers in recent meetings, even if the results have still gone Nebraskas way, and this matchup comes with the kind of low-scoring expectations that can keep an underdog hanging around deep into the fourth quarter.
Nebraska arrives with its offense under scrutiny after a rough stretch that has already cost one coach his job, which only adds to the uncertainty around a team still favored to win narrowly. For Rutgers, the appeal is obvious: stay close, make the game ugly, and see whether a familiar opponent finally looks vulnerable enough for the Scarlet Knights to change the script. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Just Added A Recruit Who Raises The Bar For Pikiells Rebuild
Rutgers kept building its 2027 class with another notable addition, as four-star prospect RJ Moore signed his letter of intent to join the program. Ranked No. 60 nationally, Moore arrives as the fourth highest-ranked recruit ever to sign with the Scarlet Knights, giving Steve Pikiell another major piece as he continues to reshape the roster for the future.
Moore joins Brandon Woodard and Korey Francis in a class that already sits No. 12 nationally, a sign that Rutgers is landing talent at a level the program has not consistently reached in recent years. For a rebuild that still needs momentum and credibility, adding a player of Moores standing only raises the expectations around what Pikiell is trying to put together in Piscataway. [Read more 🡒]