Nebraska opened the 2026 season with a 49-21 victory over Ohio, but the final score hides just how frustrating the start of this game really was. Early on, the Big Red looked like a team still trying to clear the cobwebs. Drops plagued the receiving corps on multiple drives, killing momentum and forcing the offense to work much harder than necessary. Meanwhile, the defense spent the first half on its heels against a very capable Ohio quarterback who found rhythm early. The most concerning trend was upfront, where Nebraska’s defensive line simply could not generate a consistent push against a MAC front, leaving the secondary vulnerable and keeping Ohio drive alive.
Once the offense finally stopped tripping over itself, the vision for this new look unit became glaringly obvious. The front five displayed the exact kind of mobility, speed, and lateral movement we hoped to see. This athletic offensive line reset the line of scrimmage in the second half, opening massive lanes for a young running back room that completely took over the game.
Jamal Rule was the absolute star of the day on the ground. Rule carried the heavy workload, racking up 122 rushing yards and running with a punishing, decisive style that wore down the Ohio defense. Mekhi Nelson provided the perfect lightning to Rule’s thunder. While Nelson contributed on the ground, his biggest impact came out of the backfield as a receiving threat, where he hauled in 65 receiving yards and proved to be a lethal matchup nightmare in open space.
At the center of it all was Anthony Colandrea, who delivered a sharp, highly encouraging performance in his Husker debut. Colandrea brought dynamic mobility to the pocket, extending plays with his feet and keeping his eyes downfield. Despite the early wave of dropped passes from his targets, he stayed composed, accurate, and kept throwing with confidence. When Nebraska needed crucial plays in high pressure situations late in the game, the receivers finally secured the ball, and Colandrea delivered accurate throws to put the game out of reach.
By the end of the afternoon, the Huskers hit two major statistical benchmarks that usually point to winning football: they held Ohio to around 125 yards rushing and churned out nearly 250 yards on the ground themselves.
The defense still has plenty of cleanup work to do, particularly with the defensive line’s pass rush and run fit leverage before Big Ten play arrives. However, the defensive unit seemed to settle in as the afternoon wore on, making critical adjustments to slow down Ohio’s passing attack down the stretch. Starting the year 1-0 with a four touchdown victory is a great foundation, especially knowing how much higher the ceiling is for this offense once they eliminate the early mental errors.
