Nebraska Cornhuskers 2026 College Football Preview & Predictions

Nebraska was supposed to get the Matt Rhule Year 3 bump in 2025, and when they were 7-3, it appeared they might be on their way before the bottom fell out and the Cornhuskers lost their final three games (including a bowl game) by a combined score of 121-48!

Nebraska Cornhuskers Snapshot

• 2025 Record: 7-6 (4-5) | Big Ten Finish: 10th (tied)
• P. Poll: NR | Coaches Poll: NR | SP+: No. 33
• Head Coach: Matt Rhule (4th Year) | Record: 66-62 | At NEB: 19-19
• Offensive Coordinator: Dana Holgorsen (3rd Year)
• Defensive Coordinator: Rob Aurich (1st Year)

Then, when the offseason came, they lost their savior quarterback, Dylan Raiola, to Oregon in the portal, where he will spend 2026 as QB2. Rhule also made several changes to his coaching staff, including adding Rob Aurich, who ran San Diego State’s defense last season.

Nebraska Futures Odds (DraftKings)

• Regular Season Wins: OVER 6.5 +115 | UNDER 6.5 -136
• Conference Wins: OVER 3.5 -105 | UNDER 3.5 -115
• National Championship Odds: +60000 | CFB Playoff Odds: +2500
• B1G Championship Odds: +15000 | To Reach B1GCG: +5000

The sportsbooks aren’t projecting a Year 4 bump for the Huskers, as Rhule’s team is expected to win six or seven games, which would match last season’s win total or potentially take a step back. That’s including a soft out-of-conference schedule. They are viewed as a likely bowl team, but not one expected to compete for the Big Ten. Nebraska is 10th in the conference odds, just behind Wisconsin and ahead of Illinois and UCLA.

Nebraska Preview: Why You Should Buy

• LT Elijah Pritchett & C Justin Evans Are Back
• 3 Upside Portal Additions

The offensive line should be better. The best the Huskers have had under Rhule. This isn’t the first time we’ve heard this buzz coming out of Lincoln, but even those outside of the program are impressed with the talent in the trenches. Left tackle Elijah Pritchett returns after transferring from Alabama a year ago. The former 5-star recruit started slowly but came on as the season went on. Many believed by season’s end he was Nebraska’s best offensive lineman. The stout Justin Evans returns at center with two years of starting experience.

This line could be improved with the portal additions. At right guard is Iowa State transfer Brendan Black, another experienced interior lineman (30 career starts). Opposite him is Paul Mubenga, a talented newcomer from LSU. At right tackle is another returning starter in Gunnar Gottula, who is back from injury. Possibly motivated by the influx of transfers, he’s stepped up and held off former South Carolina 5-star Tree Babalade. Donovan Raiola was fired and replaced by Geep Wade (Georgia Tech), which is considered an upgrade.

Nebraska Preview: Why You Should Sell

• 100th in Sacks Per Game in 2025 (22 total)
• 114th in Yards Per Carry Allowed (4.82)
• 126th in Rushing Touchdowns Allowed (30)

The defensive line was a problem last season and could be again, as they shift from a three- to a four-man front. Starting defensive ends Cameron Lenhardt and Williams Nwaneri are back, but they combined for 4.5 sacks last season. Lenhardt has 2.5 sacks over the past two seasons, while Nwaneri, a big-ticket 5-star transfer last year, has been supplanted by Anthony Jones, who is on his fifth team in five seasons with 3.5 career sacks to show for his travels around the Big Ten.

Starting on the inside are transfers Owen Stoudmire (Boston College) and Jahsear Whittington (Pittsburgh). Stoudmire was supposed to be a depth piece, while the 6’0” Whittington checks in at 270 pounds. He’s flashed impressive quickness but is severely undersized for the Big Ten. It’s unclear where the sacks will come from and how this group will hold up against the run.

Nebraska Breakout Player: Running Back

• Emmett Johnson is Gone (1,451 Yards, 5.8 YPC)
• 3 Running Backs Competing to Be RB1

The three-headed battle continues into Week 1, as Nebraska lists its starting running back as Mekhi Nelson or Isaiah Mozee or Jamal Rule. Nelson and Mozee saw limited action last season. As a redshirt freshman, Nelson was second on the team with 147 rushing yards (5.4 YPC), while Mozee added 115 yards (4.4 YPC) as a true freshman after switching from receiver. The player drawing the most buzz might be true freshman Rule, who was a three-star recruit toward the bottom of their recruiting class, but has opened eyes since he arrived on campus.

Nebraska X-Factor: Anthony Colandrea

• 2 Seasons at Virginia & 1 Season at UNLV
• Career: 7,542 Yards, 63.8%, 7.7 YPA, 49 TD-29 INT

It’s not uncommon for a team to go how their quarterback goes, and the Cornhuskers seemed to be especially impacted by the whims of Dylan Raiola. Whether it be an incredible throw from his rocket arm, a head-shaking decision on where to go with the football, or holding on to the ball too long and taking a sack. Enter Anthony Colandrea, a similarly rollercoaster-like quarterbacking experience.

While stylistically the quarterbacks are different—Colandrea is not as big or as strong-armed as Raiola, but offers much more mobility—UVA and UNLV fans are very familiar with the ups and downs of their quarterback. He is coming off his best season playing for Dan Mullen in Las Vegas: career-best 3,469, 65.9 completion percentage, 8.3 YPA, 23 touchdown passes, 649 rushing yards, 5.1 YPC, and 10 rushing TDs. Can he repeat that in the Big Ten or build on it as a senior, or will he regress in a Power 4 conference?

Nebraska Schedule Analysis

• SP+ SOS Rank: 12
• Phil Steele Toughest Schedules: 26

The Cornhuskers have done their best to schedule a 3-0 start with Ohio, Bowling Green, and North Dakota. With Michigan State (road) followed by Maryland at home to kick off conference play, 5-0 is realistic before they take on Indiana, Oregon (road), and Washington in succession, with an off week in between the former Pac-12 schools.  

Before they close the season with Ohio State (home) and at Iowa, the Huskers have a pair of road games against Illinois and Rutgers. Nebraska has five Big Ten road games and faces five of the B1G’s preseason ranked teams, including all of the B1G 3. Not on the schedule are Michigan, USC, and Penn State. It’s tough, but nine games are winnable.

Nebraska Best Bet, Long Shot, & Prediction: OVER/UNDER 6.5 Wins

• Win Total: UNDER 6.5 (-136 @ DraftKings)
• Best Bet: UNDER 3.5 Conference Wins (-115 @ DraftKings)
• Long Shot: Exactly 6 Wins (+330 @ DraftKings)

Nebraska hasn’t beaten a ranked team since 2016. Rhule is 0-8 in three seasons. There are five on the schedule. They are 2-13 in games they are the underdog, with a good chance they have six such games this season. Let’s say they do pull off an upset. They’ve also lost five games as favorites during Rhule’s tenure, nearly two per season.

They have only four B1G games, and three are against ranked teams, including the preseason No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the country. With five conference road games this season, they enter with a 4-9 Big Ten road record under Rhule. And only two of those games were against ranked teams. Not sure if playing this, but if I had to, it’s UNDER.