Nebraska is 4-0 to start the year for the first time since 2016, and 1-0 in the Big Ten for the first time in the Matt Rhule era. Both numbers show the 31-13 victory over Michigan State was more than a big win; it was a statement game.
That’s not to say that everything went perfectly. Some players and some problems popped up here and there. A scoreless third quarter, when the offense looked completely out of sync, was at the top of the list.
So who stood out positively and who stood out negatively in Saturday afternoon’s showdown in Nebraska’s Big Ten opener against the Spartans and the Huskers’ old antagonist, Pat Fitzgerald?
4 winners in Nebraska’s Big Ten opening win over Michigan State
1. Anthony Colandrea
On the same night that former Nebraska starting quarterback Dylan Raiola helped lead the Oregon Ducks to a big win over USC, Anthony Colandrea continued to show he’s an upgrade over the 5-star prospect, even if it’s just about fit with Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen.
Colandrea struggled at times, and his wide receivers didn’t always help, but in the end, he finished 15 of 27 for 212 yards and 2 touchdowns. He also showed why he’s an upgrade over Raiola, running for a team-leading 66 yards on 10 carries.
In the Huskers' first three games, Colandrea didn’t need to run much, but in the Big Ten opener, he showed one of the reasons the Nebraska coaches wanted him so badly. The game also continued a fantastic start to the season, in which he’s completed 65% of his passes for 904 yards, thrown 10 touchdowns, and has just one interception. That one pick, by the way, could be called a Jacory Barney fumble and wasn’t really Colandrea’s fault.
2. Vincent Genatone
The walk-on fullback from North Platte didn’t put up eye-popping numbers, but he certainly made the most of his touches. Vincent Genatone: 3 carries for 4 yards and a touchdown. He also caught a 13-yard touchdown pass, scoring just seconds before the clock ran out in the first half. That score gave Nebraska a 24-10 lead at the half and let Husker fans breathe easier, since NU got the ball after the break.
On the season, Genatone had just 3 snaps before the Michigan State game. After Saturday, his performance is one he’ll be talking about for the rest of his life.
3. Rob Aurich
Remember early in the season opener against Ohio when the defense looked like the same old, same old? Since Ohio’s first possession of the 2026 season, new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich has righted the ship. It’s one thing to shut down the Bobcats in the second half, and another to do it against Bowling Green and North Dakota. It’s another to shut down a Big Ten team.
The Blackshirts allowed 218 yards through the air, but they put the kibosh on the Spartans’ running game, holding them to 39 yards on 32 carries. Nebraska also recorded 6 sacks, 10 tackles for loss, 2 interceptions, and a fumble recovery. The new DC’s unit made a big statement on Saturday night.
4. Andrew Marshall
Andrew Marshall has long been considered one of the best defensive backs at Nebraska, but he may have officially kicked off his All-American campaign on Saturday night. While he didn’t record a tackle, that was largely because Michigan State went 0-for-3 when they targeted Marshall. He also forced a fumble and made a big interception that essentially iced the 31-13 win.
2 losers for Nebraska football against Michigan State
1. The offensive line
It is admittedly a bit nerve-wracking that the first time Nebraska’s offensive line faced a team with a pulse, the unit had serious problems, especially run blocking. Granted, Michigan State’s defense is very clearly its strength, but Geep Wade better figure out quickly what the issue was on Saturday.
According to PFF, only Brendan Black had a decent out, with a 65.1 overall grade. Every other offensive lineman who played on Saturday scored 63 or below, and several scored around 50.
The issues blocking led to Nebraska’s first game of the season in which it didn’t run for over 200 yards. Some of that can be chalked up to Jamal Rule's absence, but it was clear that most of the time a running back touched the ball, they had very little running room.
2. Nyziah Hunter
The game against Michigan State isn’t the only reason why Nyziah Hunter is listed here. After catching 43 passes for the Huskers a year ago, he has just 6 catches through four games this season. It looked like he might be coming around after 3 grabs against North Dakota, but on Saturday night he had just 1 catch for 13 yards. That was despite an injury-depleted secondary for the Spartans.
Just what’s going on with Hunter isn’t clear. It’s not a lack of playing time, as he tallied 42 snaps in the win. He’s had roughly the same playing time for Nebraska all season, but he once again struggled to show up.
Add us as a preferred source on Google