2026 Nebraska Football Preview
Jake Wimberly
Abby Boyd Contributing-
What’s to like:
Nebraska continues to make progress under Matt Rhule, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. The overall talent level has improved, and the Cornhuskers have developed a defense capable of keeping them competitive in most games. There are more playmakers on that side of the ball than the program has had in several years, giving Nebraska a solid foundation moving forward.
The receiving corps is another reason for optimism. Nebraska has assembled a talented group of pass catchers with the ability to stretch the field and make plays after the catch. If the offense becomes more consistent, those receivers have the potential to make a significant impact throughout the season. The pieces are there for the passing game to take another step.
What’s not to like:
Quarterback play remains one of the biggest questions. Nebraska has shown flashes offensively, but the position needs to become more consistent if the Cornhuskers hope to compete with the better teams in the Big Ten. Better decision-making and improved accuracy would go a long way toward helping the offense reach its potential.
The other major concern is red-zone defense. Nebraska struggled to keep opponents out of the end zone once they reached the 20-yard line, forcing the offense to constantly play from behind. Giving up field goals is one thing, but allowing touchdowns at the rate the Cornhuskers did last season made it difficult to win close games. Improving in those situations should be a priority this season.
What does the Hourglass say?
Nebraska- Big Ten (9-3)
Power ranking 65.48.
2026 Nebraska Analytics
National recruiting rating (three year metric): #25- outside the boundary of a National Championship Roster.
National Coaching Ranking:
Matt Rhule- 27th in Power 5 and 9th in the Big Ten.
2026 coaching value= 24.9 (average 2026 Power 5 coaching value=21.93) Matt Rhule is ranked higher of the pack for coaches in the Power 5.
Quarterback Play: Anthony Colandrea- ranked 26th in the Power 4, 8th in the Big Ten; 2026 QB value= 36 (Power 4 average- 26.43).
Impact Ball Catcher Metric: Nebraska has an Impact Ball Catcher Metric of 2. This puts the Cornhuskers at the lower tier for the Big Ten in this metric.
Final Thoughts:
Nebraska continues to move in the right direction under Matt Rhule. The defense has improved, and the receiving corps gives the offense more potential than it has had in recent years. The biggest questions remain at quarterback and in red-zone defense, but if those areas improve, the Cornhuskers should be capable of taking another step forward in the conference.
2026 Schedule analysis:
Projected Hourglass W/L record: Games in red denote games that could be a one possession game or even a different outcome than projection.
9/5/26 Ohio- Win
9/12/26 Bowling Green- Win
9/19/26 North Dakota- Win
9/26/26 At Michigan State- Win
10/3/26 Maryland- Win
10/10/26 Indiana- Loss
10/17/26 At Oregon- Loss
10/31/26 Washington- Win
11/6/26 At Illinois- Win
11/14/26 At Rutgers- Win
11/21/26 Ohio State- Loss
11/27/26 At Iowa- Win
