Story by: NU Athletic Communications
Nebraska improved to 2-0 with tonight’s victory marking the third straight year the Huskers have won their first two games.
The victory marks Nebraska’s 10th straight win in regular-season non-conference play dating back to the 2023 season.
Nebraska improved to 7-0 all-time against current members of the Mid-American Conference, including two wins this season.
Nebraska had 546 yards of total offense, including 264 rushing yards and 282 passing. It marks the first time the Huskers have had back-to-back games with 500 yards of total offense since gaining 728 yards vs. Akron and 554 yards vs. Houston Christian last season.
Nebraska gained 264 rushing yards, after rolling up 248 yards on the ground last week. This marks the Huskers’ first back-to-back 200-yard rushing games since doing so in three straight games in 2023 (Colorado, Northern Illinois, Louisiana Tech).
Nebraska topped 200 yards in both rushing and passing for the second straight week. It marks the first time Nebraska has accomplished that feat since consecutive 200-200 games against Fordham and Buffalo in 2021.
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea completed 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns, including four first half passing touchdowns.
Colandrea’s four touchdowns are a career best and the most by a Husker since Dylan Raiola threw for four at Maryland last season. Colandrea threw for three TDs against Ohio last week, and this marks the first time in his career he has thrown for at least three TDs in back-to-back games.
Colandrea is the first Husker quarterback to throw for at least three touchdowns in back-to-back games since Tommy Armstrong jr. threw for three TDs in consecutive games against Wyoming and Oregon in 2016.
Nebraska junior receiver Jacory Barney Jr. caught eight passes for 115 yards and two touchdowns, including seven catches for 104 yards and two TDs before halftime. He had a 35-yard touchdown catch to open the scoring and a 32-yard TD catch in the second quarter. It is Barney’s second career game with a pair of receiving touchdowns (Michigan, 2025).
Barney’s 115 receiving yards marks his third career 100-yard receiving game, including topping the century mark against Akron and Michigan last season.
Barney’s eight receptions marked were one off his career high and is the 10th time in his career he has had at least five receptions, including both games this season. This is the third time he has had back-to-back games with five or more receptions.
Barney eclipsed 1,000 career receiving yards on the 35-yard TD catch. With his 115 receiving yards, Barney increased his career receiving total to 1,106 yards.
Receiver Kwazi Gilmer had a pair of touchdown receptions, both coming before halftime. It marked Gilmer’s first career game with two receiving touchdowns. Gilmer finished the game with six catches for 39 yards.
Tonight’s game marked the first time Nebraska has had a pair of players each have two receiving TDs in a game since receiver Brandon Kinnie and tight end Kyler Reed each had two touchdown catches against Colorado on Nov. 26, 2010.
Junior Donovan Jones recorded his second career interception in the first quarter, setting up a Nebraska touchdown drive. Jones’ previous interception came in a 2025 win over Northwestern. Jones finished the game with five tackles and a TFL
Cornerback Andrew Marshall had seven tackles, including a tackle for loss. His seven tackles were his most at Nebraska (previous high 5 last season; career college high is 9).
Safety Dwayne McDougle made his first Nebraska start and tallied seven tackles, two tackles from his career high of nine tackles.
Linebacker Derek Wacker had a 25-yard fumble return for a touchdown in the fourth quarter. It was Nebraska’s first fumble return for a TD since Williams Nwaneri had a 29-yard fumble return for a score against Houston Christian last season.