With Year 4 of the Matt Rhule era at Nebraska almost upon us, it seems that most people know what exactly to expect. The prevailing theory is that the Huskers will have a hard time winning more than six games. However, some things could change just how this season goes for better or for worse.
If things go right, the Cornhuskers could find a way to put together a surprisingly good season. However, there are plenty of concerns about an NU team where, if things go wrong on several fronts, Matt Rhule might be on a very hot seat as Big Red misses a bowl game.
Three things could derail how the 2026 season goes for the Nebraska football team:
Which Anthony Colandrea will Nebraska get?
Over his college career, there are two Anthony Colandreas. There’s the former Virginia quarterback who threw for 26 touchdowns in two seasons, but who also threw 20 interceptions over the same period. There’s the guy who was a mediocre ACC signal-caller, and there’s the man who was the 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year.
So which Anthony Colandrea do the Huskers see in 2026? If he’s a turnover-prone quarterback who struggles to put up more touchdowns than interceptions, he’s Jeff Sims Part Two. If, for instance, he takes advantage of Dana Holgorsen putting some of the most effective UNLV players into his system, he could be one of the best in the Big Ten.
Will Nebraska have a pass rush that can make a difference?
While the Huskers had some serious talent in the secondary last year, it could have been much better if the defensive line had been at all an impactful unit. At least in a positive way. There were very few times when the pass rush was much of a scare for Nebraska opponents. In comes Rob Aurich, who is moving away from a 3-3-5 approach that seemed to be mostly using its defensive line as an afterthought.
It’s a good bet that when Nebraska improves its pass rush, the run defense, which was one of the worst in the country, will improve as well. If the defensive linemen can find a way to get more pressure on the quarterback, they’ll also find a way to get through the line on run plays. Tackles for loss were a rare commodity in 2025. Can Aurich make it a habit in 2026?
Can the tight end be a real impact player for the Nebraska offense?
The Cornhuskers have quite a bit of talent at the tight end position. Or at least they think they do. They get even more talent if guys like Janrian Bonner can offer some production from the position this year.
Luke Lindenmeyer, Carter Nelson, Luke Sorensen. Can one of all three find a way to really be a weapon in the offense? Lindenmeyer is the most obvious answer, considering he led the position with 29 catches. Other tight ends had 10 total. Carter Nelson might be the real wildcard. In his third season with Nebraska, he’s talking like he thinks 2026 will be a big one for him. Can he follow through?
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