Nebraska’s QB1 has another opportunity to make Anthony Colandrea doubters look silly

What exactly does new Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea need to do to get more respect from college football media? The dual-threat quarterback won the Mountain West Player of the Year award for what he did at UNLV in 2025. And yet, On3 analyst Ari Wasserman’s latest rankings of the best Big Ten incoming transfers not only have Colandrea pretty low on the list, but he’s not even considered the third-best quarterback in the ratings.

Wasserman’s list puts Colandrea at No. 10, which wouldn’t be all that bad, as it clearly has him above several transfers who could make a big impact in the Big Ten, but that rank also has him behind Penn State quarterback Rocco Becht and, unbelievably, behind new Wisconsin QB Colton Joseph.

Some of Wasserman’s apparent thinking makes sense and helps explain why Anthony Colandrea is so low among transfer quarterbacks alone. It’s worth remembering he wasn’t even Nebraska’s first choice at the position, as they originally secured the commitment of former Notre Dame signal-caller Kenny Minchey. However, once he decommitted and moved on to Kentucky, the Huskers worked quickly to bring in the ex-UNLV gunslinger.

The change in personnel could end up being for the better in Lincoln. His arrival after two years of Dylan Raiola may finally end the questions about the Huskers’ offensive identity. Colandrea also put up monster numbers in the Mountain West.

Anthony Colandrea overlooked in On3 Big Ten transfer rankings

The new Nebraska QB1 (presumably) threw for 3,459 yards, 23 touchdowns, and just 9 interceptions. He also ran for 649 yards (5.1 yards per carry average) and another 10 TDs. Compare that to Colton Joseph, who isn’t just ranked ahead of Colandrea but ranked four spots higher at No. 6 on Wasserman’s list.

At Old Dominion, Joseph threw for  2,624 yards, 21 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. What likely has Wasserman so excited about the new Badger is that he also ran for 1,000 yards and 13 more TDs. But are those 400 more rushing yards more valuable than Colandrea’s 800 more passing yards, more touchdowns and fewer interceptions?

Becht’s numbers are the least impressive of the trio, having thrown for 2,584 yards, 16 touchdowns, and 9 INTs for Iowa State. He also ran for 116 yards and 8 touchdowns. Despite those very pedestrian numbers, Wasserman has the new Nittany Lion ranked No. 5 among the Big Ten transfers.

For Becht, the argument is almost certainly that he will be able to adjust to the Big Ten better than Colandrea and Joseph, since he already played for a Power 4 team. Never mind he was far from great on that P4 squad. How does someone explain Joseph being ranked four spots higher than Nebraska’s likely new starting quarterback?

The Mountain West was arguably quite a bit stronger than Old Dominion’s Sun Belt. Joseph also has zero experience in power conferences. Colandrea played his first two years at Virginia, and while his numbers weren’t anywhere near as good, he’s still got some experience facing better defenses.

In the end, the On3 analyst’s Big Ten transfer rankings are just another opportunity for Anthony Colandrea to prove the doubters wrong. If he’s able to do so, Nebraska will reap the massive rewards.

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