Week 1 Nebraska Tailgate Talk hopes to have a Bobcat by the tail

Nebraska football is finally kicking off its season after what seemed like an unending offseason. To celebrate finally getting to see if Year 4 will be the turning point, we’ve brought you a different approach to this week’s Tailgate Talk.

1: Thank goodness it’s finally week 1 of the College Football Season. Big Red starts their 2026 season off with another sold-out game starting at 11 am and televised on FS1. Put on your sunscreen. Be ready to reapply. Wear something sleeveless because it’s going to be in the mid-90s and humid. Huskers are favored by 23.5, and the “experts” have an over/under of 46.5. Husker defense better be better than that. I don't want to see red-zone touchdowns and let the late game allow a couple of field goals.

2: This is the 2nd time QB Anthony Colandrea has played against Ohio University. His last time on the gridiron where the score counted was in the 2025 Frisco Bowl, leading UNLV against the Bobcats, coincidentally. Unfortunately, UNLV lost 10-17. This time, when QB Anthony Colandrea straps on the helmet, it will be in the red of the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

I’m excited to see how the offense plays this year. I think they'll keep it as vanilla as they can this week, mind you, but I find it telling that OC Coach Holgerson said AC has “grown a lot” since the Bowl game. When asked to get specific, he said it was his “decision-making ability” and being OK with running the routine play instead of searching for a big one.

Nebraska football should look for to get backups in as soon as possible

I’m looking forward to seeing those decisions behind a new, cohesive offensive line (I’ll talk more about them in later weeks).

The Bobcats also have a new head coach. John Hauser is their former Defensive Coordinator and is now Head Coach. Former head coach Brian Smith was fired for cause at the end of 2025 (Fired for an alleged relationship with an undergrad student not related to the athletic department while not quite yet divorced, and “alcohol related actions.” He’s suing for wrongful termination.) The Bobcats were a gritty team last year, giving their all to OSU and Rutgers. They were the MAC champs in 2024, have had four recent 9-win seasons, and have no fear of the bigger teams, so I look forward to a spirited game. However, I want the depth chart to go deep, and I want the non-starters to play the entire 2nd half.

Bobcats safety senior DJ Walker was named to the Chuck Bednarik Award Watch List, so Husker QB Colandrea better be careful where he throws it. Walker was a team captain last year and is again this year who boasted 2 interceptions last year and 61 tackles. The Bobcats have named a new starter in Nick Poulos, who is 6’ 6” and played in 4 games last year. Ohio is used to a good dose of both running and passing. It’s a good first game for Big Red.

3: The 3rd time is the charm with a new Husker Defensive Coordinator this year. I did like Coach Tony White; I wasn’t a fan of John Butler, but I do think HC Rhule has really hit the nail on the head with Rob Aurich. (Blackshirts are supposed to be handed out this weekend.) Aurich wouldn’t commit to a specific number of Blackshirts and said it wasn’t the end of the list after Saturday either, depending on how players step up. I think he brings a fresh perspective and has embraced the standard previously held from the good old days. It helps that he brought in some players already familiar with his system. (McDougle and Chambliss).

4: This is the 4th year under Husker Head Coach Matt Rhule, and we all know the schedule is daunting. What’s new with him is that many sportswriters have commented that it’s a different Rhule this year. Sure, he’s dropped some lbs, but in this day and age, who’s not shedding pounds? The Husker football team even leaned out and gained the good kind of weight. That said, Rhule seems to have embraced the CEO role and hasn’t been pouring the Kool-Aid like in other seasons. However, I do believe he is confident in his new team. LOTS of changes in coaches and players. Time will tell if he stays the new calm, cool, and collected Matt Rhule or ramps it up.

This week’s recipe is a Jell-O shot made specifically for the stupid 11 am start time. That means that your tailgate faithful are in the car at O’dark-thirty to get set up for the breakfast fare. I used raspberry Jell-O and added a cup of hot coffee to mix with it. ¼ cup Dark crème de cacao and ½ cup of Kahlúa. Pour into shot cups and chill. The rest of the menu is Salami egg cups & Cajun potatoes and white gravy. Stop by and enjoy!

All the good feelings of an undefeated Nebraska football team are present. I’m looking forward to seeing a Quarterback who has the support of the whole team. I’m looking forward to seeing the familiar faces at the tailgate and game. Not a fan of the 90-degree temps, but oh well. Pack an extra canopy if you have the space. Send me your gameday photos at @kelian_NE on X. See you in Lincoln, and as always, GO BIG RED!

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