Back-to-back bowl games represented progress, but in Year 4 of the Matt Rhule era, new pieces and schemes will need to click quickly for Nebraska to show additional growth in 2026 against a difficult Big Ten schedule that features Indiana, Ohio State and Oregon.
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Nebraska Football: 2026 Cornhuskers Season Preview and Prediction
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Previewing Nebraska's Offense for 2026
Nebraska’s offense goes in a new direction in 2026 with quarterback Anthony Colandrea, the reigning Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year, transferring in from UNLV. Colandrea’s mobility and ability to extend plays could bring more explosiveness and create big-play opportunities for a veteran wide receiver group that returns starters Nyziah Hunter (43 catches, 617 yards, five TDs) and Jacory Barney Jr. (45 catches, 484 yards, five TDs) and adds productive transfer Kwazi Gilmer from UCLA. Sophomore wideout Quinn Clark has breakout potential as well.
The Huskers eschewed a major addition from the transfer portal to replace All-American Emmett Johnson and will turn to returners Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee, who both saw time, albeit sparingly, behind Johnson. Freshman Jamal Rule is another name to watch in 2026. Former Penn State running back Tikey Hayes committed to join the competition in July.
Up front, Nebraska added veteran guards Paul Mubenga and Brendan Black from LSU and Iowa State, respectively, as well as tackle Tree Babalade from South Carolina, all of whom bring size and experience. Veteran starting center Justin Evans and left tackle Elijah Pritchett return, giving the team a bigger, more agile line in 2026.
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Previewing Nebraska's Defense for 2026
Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich arrives from San Diego State, hoping for the same quick turnaround that he engineered with the Aztecs. Nebraska will run an attacking 4-2-5 scheme and seek balance after finishing No. 3 against the pass in 2025 but No. 100 against the run. Aurich’s 2025 group at SDSU finished 11th in the country in total defense.
Improvement along the defensive line, where veterans Riley Van Poppel, Williams Nwaneri and Cameron Lenhardt return, is paramount. Transfer portal additions Jahsear Whittington and Anthony Jones Jr. will be expected to add instant pass rush for a defense that averaged fewer than two sacks per game on the year. The linebacker corps should be improved with returning starter Vincent Shavers Jr. and the additions of San Diego State’s Owen Chambliss and Oregon State’s Dexter Foster.
Previewing Nebraska's Specialists for 2026
Last year, the Huskers engineered a big turnaround on special teams under coordinator Mike Ekeler, who moved on to USC in the offseason. Former NFL and Nebraska kicker Brett Maher takes over the group, which returns placekicker Kyle Cunanan (16-of-19 on field goals in 2025) and ambipedal punter Archie Wilson.
