Since Dylan Raiola departed for Oregon, most people think that UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea is the odds-on starter for Nebraska in 2026. However, not only does On3's Pete Nakos believe it will be a fight for the starting job, he thinks it will be one of the most interesting quarterback battles in the country.
Nakos put out a list of the top College Football QB Battles for the fall of 2026, and the Huskers were among the Top 7 according to the analyst. What's interesting is that he thinks the battle won't be a two-person race, but that NU could have a three-headed monster competing for the starting signal caller.
The arrival of Colandrea has made some forget that Nebraska, the man who started the final four games of the 2025 season, is still in Lincoln. TJ Lateef returned for next season despite knowing the Huskers were bringing in a guy that many people think will beat him out for the job.
What a three‑way QB battle means for Nebraska’s offense in 2026
The wild card for the three-man quarterback battle is Daniel Kaelin. He left the Huskers after one season in Lincoln to go play for the Virginia Cavaliers. Then, after one season with the ACC school, he came back to Nebraska.
Most people believe that if there is a quarterback battle, it will come down to Colandrea and Lateef for the obvious reasons that both have starting experience. Colandrea was the Mountain West Player of the Year after throwing for 3,459 yards, 23 TDs, and 9 INTs while also rushing for 649 yards and 10 TDs.
Lateef threw for 901 yards, 5 TDs, and 1 interception while running for 120 yards and four more TDs. However, Kaelin isn't entirely without starting experience. He did start one game for the Cavs in 2025; he also had the least amount of experience of any of the three.
The former Husker threw for 339 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT, and ran for 72 yards on 12 carries.
It will certainly be interesting to see if Nakos is right and Nebraska has a true three-horse race for the starting quarterback job and if anyone other than Colandrea can win the job.