It took a half to get going, but Nebraska’s 2026 debut ended the way Husker fans hoped. The Huskers outscored Ohio 35-8 after halftime and pulled away for a 49-21 win on a scorching Saturday at Memorial Stadium.
A shaky first half
Ohio landed the first punch. The Bobcats hit a 68-yard pass on their first snap and scored moments later on a 4-yard touchdown catch by Riley Neer. Freshman Jamal Rule answered with a 1-yard run, his first touchdown as a Husker, but two Ohio field goals put the visitors up 13-7 in the second quarter.
Nebraska took its first lead just before halftime. Anthony Colandrea found Rule for a 24-yard touchdown, and the Huskers went to the locker room ahead 14-13.
The second half was all Nebraska
The third quarter changed everything. Colandrea scored on a 13-yard run, Mekhi Nelson broke free for a 29-yard touchdown, and the lead grew to 28-13.
Ohio cut it to 28-21 early in the fourth quarter. Nebraska’s response was a 51-yard touchdown pass from Colandrea to Nelson, then an 11-yard touchdown run by Rule. Rex Guthrie’s interception set up the final score, a 9-yard pass to Kwazi Gilmer. Nebraska scored touchdowns on each of its last five drives.
By the numbers
| Stat | Nebraska | Ohio |
|---|---|---|
| Total yards | 523 | 303 |
| Rushing yards | 248 | 139 |
| Passing yards | 275 | 164 |
| First downs | 28 | 17 |
| Turnovers | 0 | 1 |
Standout performances
- Anthony Colandrea: 18 of 32 passing for 275 yards and three touchdowns, plus a rushing score, in his first start for Nebraska.
- Jamal Rule: 122 rushing yards on 15 carries with two rushing touchdowns and a receiving touchdown. Not bad for a first college game.
- Mekhi Nelson: 64 yards rushing, 65 yards receiving and two touchdowns.
- Jamir Conn: a team-high eight tackles.
What to clean up
The defense gave up a long play on the first snap and needed a quarter to settle in. Nebraska was also flagged nine times for 65 yards. Those are fixable problems, and the second half showed how good this group can look when it plays clean.
A crowd of 85,577 was on hand for the 411th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. Next up is a Saturday night game against Bowling Green. Go Big Red.
Dr. Bruce Marko is a University of Nebraska alum and a proud supporter of the Huskers. Read more about his Nebraska Cornhuskers roots.
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