Ohio Bobcats at Nebraska Cornhuskers

Midday football at Memorial Stadium, September heat, and new starting quarterbacks on both sides. Nebraska opens at home while Ohio begins the season with an offense substantially different from the one that closed its bowl victory. I’m laying the points because Ohio’s offensive changes overlap in the places that determine whether a team can sustain possessions. The Bobcats return only one offensive starter and replace all five starting offensive linemen. Nick Poulos completed 4 of 8 passes for 19 yards in 2025. My read is that establishing the blocking, passing game and receiving roles together will make it difficult for Ohio to consistently move the ball and give its defense time between possessions. That is the mechanism I expect to create separation over four quarters. Nebraska has more established passing production to build around. Anthony Colandrea’s 3,459 passing yards and 23 touchdowns came at UNLV last season, and he now has documented receiving production available in Jacory Barney Jr. and Kwazi Gilmer. Nebraska’s quarterback and offensive-line changes still require cohesion. I’m betting that this group can sustain scoring opportunities often enough to capitalize when Ohio stalls. Ohio’s strongest answer is credible. Duncan Brune returns after rushing for 585 yards and eight touchdowns, and Nebraska allowed 4.8 yards per carry last season. Productive rushing possessions would attack that weakness while reducing Nebraska’s opportunities to extend the lead. Ohio also held Colandrea to 184 passing yards and 28 rushing yards in the bowl, with returning safety DJ Walker intercepting him. That performance deserves weight, although it came against a different offense and included opposing mistakes that Ohio cannot count on repeating. The deciding judgment is that Ohio’s rebuilt offense will struggle to reproduce that possession control immediately. I’m also assuming Nebraska’s defensive changes produce enough improvement against this particular opponent to sustain an advantage; the new formation alone proves nothing. The unresolved question that could change my decision is Ohio’s offensive-line readiness. If that group can establish consistent rushing possessions immediately, Brune has a documented Nebraska weakness to attack, and Ohio’s case at this number becomes substantially stronger.