Know Your Foe, Nebraska vs. Ohio: The Quarterbacks
Sports Illustrated • • sports
Key Points:
- Nebraska will start Anthony Colandrea at quarterback, a transfer from UNLV who was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year in 2025, known for his strong passing and rushing abilities.
- Colandrea showed significant improvement from his time at Virginia to UNLV, with a high completion rate and over 4,100 total yards and 33 touchdowns last season, making him a dynamic dual-threat quarterback.
- Ohio's starting quarterback Nick Poulos is a veteran with limited FBS starting experience, having played mostly as a backup and showing modest passing stats but notable mobility.
- Poulos' mobility poses a potential challenge to Nebraska's defense, which struggled against mobile quarterbacks in 2025 and is adjusting to a new 4-2-5 defensive scheme under coordinator Rob Aurich.
- The Nebraska vs. Ohio matchup opens the 2026 season Saturday at Memorial Stadium, with both teams relying on new starting quarterbacks and facing questions about offensive and defensive effectiveness.
