There are few names in the college football world that are more respected than Phil Steele. He's someone who studies every team inside and out in a way that some of the other annual magazines wish they could match. That's why his recent comments about the Nebraska football team should bring quite a bit of hope to Husker fans, even if it's just his opinion. It's that time of year for experts to lay out how they think the 2026 season will go. Steele believes that, among other things, this might be the year NU turns the corner and beats one of the ranked teams that pose such a roadblock to a better record than 7-6 for a third straight year.
Steele appeared on a local radio program, The Ticket, which aired on 93.7 FM. That show is hosted by On3 analyst Steve Sipple, who asked the magazine man about how he sees the season going for the Huskers. In addition to speaking on how much he liked the quarterback room, he thinks Matt Rhule has the program on the right foot.
"I am going to call for them to beat a ranked team this year,” Steele said about the Nebraska football team. “If that happens, then I think they’ll top last year’s seven-win total."
Steele went on to say that if the Huskers are going to start upsetting some of the big favorites they need to make the right call on the starting running back. He also doesn't believe it has to be a thing where no one is standing out so one name is announced.
Phil Steele predicts Nebraska football will finally beat a ranked team
Steele also made it clear that he's not entirely unbiased. He said that he's a big Matt Rhule fan and has a lot of belief in the Nebraska coach. "I know last year was disappointing — going 7-3, then suffering three blowouts to end the year. But I’m a Rhule fan, and I think he’ll do well.”
The analyst also laid out his vision for a better 2026. It's not a remote surprise, as he believes the Huskers cannot start out any worse than 5-0. He added that he has NU as at least a touchdown favorite in all five of those first games against Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Michigan State, and finally Maryland.
He's not wrong in that anything worse than a 5-0 start with that schedule doesn't bode well for the rest of the year. At the very least, it would show that Rhule and his staff still have trouble getting teams ready for games against opponents that really shouldn't be that difficult to beat.
A blowout loss to Minnesota, as well as losses to USC and Michigan, stood out as games the Huskers lost that they should have won. Blowout losses to Iowa and Penn State were at least worse than they had any business being.
If Rhule and his staff can get over the hump in games they should win, there's at least a chance Nebraska can take a big step towards winning the games some might think they shouldn't.
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