We are back on this Monday. It’s Labor Day. The Nebraska football team is back at work after its season-opening, 49-21 win against Ohio on Saturday in Lincoln. In our first opportunity to review the game, we’re talking about Anthony Colandrea’s composure. The senior quarterback lived up to his offseason billing. Rob Aurich made his debut as defensive coordinator. It started with a shocking breakdown but included some success.

And then there’s Jamal Rule, the freshman running back who’s already well on his way to claiming a spot as a beloved figure in Husker Nation. Also, Mitch is still in Chicago after the sold-out volleyball event at Wrigley Field on Sunday was wiped out by… lake-effect condensation on the playing surface. There’s a first for everything. Join us. 

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The final hours of the offseason are here. Our last episode before the Nebraska football opener and the debut of Year 4 under Matt Rhule has arrived. We’re taking your questions from the mailbag on this first Friday in September. You’re asking about one team on the non-conference schedule who could scare the Huskers? Who’s going to score the season’s first touchdown? 

Will Nebraska fans get to see Frank Solich on Saturday at Memorial Stadium? What’s actually happening with former NFL players in college? Should college football shut down the Ireland game? What does a successful season look like at Nebraska this fall? And we finish with our win totals for the Huskers. Stay cool and safe in Lincoln on Saturday. And be sure to find our post-game reaction podcast. 

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Big Ten football returns with heavyweight matchups and major questions: Can UCLA’s Bruins outduel the California Golden Bears in a battle of seasoned quarterbacks and new-look coaching staffs? Is Cal’s offense, powered by transfers like Ian Strong and Dorian Thomas, poised to shock the conference? The Big 10 Squad debates the hottest showdowns, bold picks, and the ongoing “beauty bias” hype around UCLA’s Bob Chesney.

From upset alerts with Michigan State vs. Toledo to whether Fresno State can spoil USC’s home opener, the crew forecasts which Big Ten giants might stumble against the spread. The panel spotlights quarterback battles, roster turnover, and quirky traditions—like on-air apple pie bets. Will Wisconsin hang with Notre Dame at Lambeau? Can Marshall or Indiana State cover massive lines? Dive in for sharp betting angles, rivalry banter, and comprehensive Week 1 predictions across the Big Ten landscape.

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Our series of nine Big Ten opponents in nine weeks comes to an end on this Thursday. We are previewing Iowa as the Hawkeyes, without a named starting quarterback, ready for Northern Illinois on Saturday in Iowa City. Is the difference for Nebraska between finishes at 7-5 or 8-4 entirely riding on Black Friday? And was last year, a 40-16 Iowa win after seven consecutive one-score games in this series, an anomaly?

Tay Ellis is no longer committed to Nebraska. What happens now for the Millard South wide receiver, who moved in from Texas this summer to get closer to the Huskers and QB pledge Trae Taylor? The Big Ten is putting microphones and cameras in the replay booth for Friday night games this fall — starting this week. That’s entirely a good thing, right? And we’ve got picks for Nebraska, the Big Ten and Week 1 nationally in college football. It is time to play ball. Join us. 

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The Blackshirts are back. The Nebraska football coordinators answered questions from the media on Tuesday for the final time before the season opener. Rob Aurich is looking to take the defense to a “dark place,” full of intensity, on game days this fall. The DC is leaning into his role, even wearing a plain black sweatshirt on Tuesday. We’re here for it.

On offense, Dana Holgorsen is ready for the games to begin, so he can learn more about what he’s working with this season. How does the OC keep his QB, Anthony Colandrea, in the right place to thrive in this offense? And we discuss one Nebraska player on offense who’s made a giant jump. Also, we’re talking tight ends. And what is Nebraska bringing back that might surprise, even delight, some of its fans? Join us.

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Week 1 is underway in Lincoln. The depth chart is out. Where did we swing and miss in our projections? Nebraska has three running backs listed as even. But we have thoughts today on who might take the first snap with the No. 1 offense. What surprised us on how the Huskers have positioned the offensive linemen, in the secondary and up front on defense? 

Coach Matt Rhule, inventor of single digits, is waiting until Saturday and the season opener to unveil the identity of the Huskers set to receive the jerseys. Rhule discussed the need for connectivity on the defensive side of the football. He believes this Nebraska team has got it. And he went all in on Anthony Colandrea. Why, in Rhule’s view, is Colandrea more like Baker Mayfield than even the Nebraska QB knows?

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It’s game week. We are excited. Just six days until Nebraska football and Matt Rhule kick off 2026 at Memorial Stadium against Ohio. But did something else have the Huskers’ attention on the final weekend of the offseason? Something to do with their 2027 quarterback commit, Trae Taylor, who put up more than 400 total yards in his debut Friday with Millard South in Omaha after moving from Illinois? 

It didn’t go as smoothly as the stats make it sound. Taylor showed all the skills that make him the No. 1 QB prospect nationally. But he got hit a lot by Millard North in the Patriots’ 35-34 win. And Taylor had to run a lot. Based on the 48 hours after that game ended, we’re not sure where this is headed over the two months ahead. Also, we review Week Zero in college football, preview Rhule’s Monday presser and review the dominant performance in Las Vegas of No. 1-ranked Nebraska volleyball.

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The Friday mailbag is here to usher you into the final weekend without Nebraska football until October. Let’s celebrate the end of the offseason with your questions. We’re talking about sacks. We’re talking about freshmen on the field in 2027. What will we hear from Matt Rhule on Monday in game week? 

What’s the real story on Nebraska’s roster payroll number? We’re still getting questions about Dylan Raiola. Is there anything new cooking with Nebraska’s nonconference scheduling? What would make us feel good about the Huskers’ first three games in September? And more. Enjoy your weekend with Trae Taylor and No. 1-ranked Nebraska volleyball on stage. 

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Big Ten sets the tone for college football as Tony Petitti leads a bold rule change, shutting out returning NFL players and prompting other power conferences to follow. Can this decisive action keep chaos at bay across the NCAA? Analysts weigh in on the repercussions for stars like Aaron Graves and examine how this “adult in the room” move shapes transfer eligibility and enforcement, with head coach suspensions and hefty fines on the table for violators. Week 0 kicks off with USC facing San Jose State, while Indiana’s projected 10.5 win total sparks lively debate. The squad discusses Big Ten contenders, breakthrough players like Josh Hoover and Bryce Underwood, and how new coaching dynamics could influence Michigan, Nebraska, and Rutgers’ season trajectories. Will Indiana defend its title, or is an upset brewing?

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Officially, Nebraska football is still nine days away from the season opener. But the Huskers are moving into game week prep for Ohio on Thursday. With that, we’re offering our projections of the entire depth chart. Connor and Mitch go through it position by position. There’s a lot that we know. And plenty that we don’t. Isn’t that what makes things fun here in August?

Also, we’ve arrived at Ohio State in our countdown of the Huskers’ Big Ten opponents this fall. Could the Buckeyes, No. 1 in the preseason AP poll, find themselves on the brink of CFP elimination when they arrive at Memorial Stadium on Nov. 21? It’s possible — if one or two difficult games break against Ryan Day’s team. Finally, Nebraska volleyball is in action tonight in Texas. There’s $1 million at stake. But the season doesn’t actually start until Friday. 

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