Is This Nebraska Football Team Finally Different?

The Nebraska Cornhuskers are 4-0 for the first time since 2016. The Big Red went on the road and beat Michigan State 31-13 in their Big Ten opener, overcoming an ugly third quarter and some familiar frustrations to pull away late.

Was it perfect? No. Did certain Common Fans briefly descend into the dark place during the third quarter? Absolutely. But the Huskers made big plays when they needed to, the Blackshirts are looking better every week, and Nebraska walked out of East Lansing with an 18-point conference road win.

Maybe it's time to start getting a little excited.

The Blackshirts Are Making Plays

Nebraska's defense is starting to change games. San Diego State transfer Owen Chambliss has been a revelation. He led the Huskers with eight tackles and added an interception. Fellow SDSU transfer Dwayne McDougle seemed to be everywhere, finishing with seven tackles, including six solo stops. Andrew Marshall slammed the door with a fourth-quarter pick.

And then there was Donovan Jones. With Michigan State threatening to seize momentum in the third quarter, Jones came screaming into the backfield, forced a fumble and recovered it himself. It was exactly the kind of play Nebraska desperately needed, and exactly the kind of play recent Husker teams too often haven't made.

Anthony Colandrea = X-Factor

Anthony Colandrea didn't put up eye-popping numbers Saturday, but his impact went far beyond the box score. When protection broke down, he escaped. When Nebraska needed a first down, he used his legs to get one. When opportunities opened downfield, he made big throws, including a beautiful 44-yard touchdown to Kwazi Gilmer.

Nebraska certainly won't want Colandrea to lead the team in rushing every week, but having a quarterback who can turn a broken play into a first down – or even just get back to the line of scrimmage – gives this offense an element it simply hasn't had in recent years.

Plenty to Celebrate, Plenty to Clean Up

Now for the part where the Common Fans find things to worry about after an 18-point road win. Nebraska struggled to establish the traditional running game. Penalties remain frustrating. The end-of-half clock management left plenty to be desired. And the entire third quarter was a bit of a mess.

Nebraska opened the second half with consecutive three-and-outs, then turned the ball over on downs without recording a first down in the entire quarter. For a while, it felt like we were watching a movie Husker fans have seen far too many times.

The difference? This time Nebraska made the plays required to win anyway. The defense created turnovers. Colandrea extended drives. And when Nebraska finally got the ball back in the fourth quarter, the Huskers put together a 12-play, 66-yard drive that drained more than six minutes off the clock.

So…How Much Can We Start to Believe?

Nebraska is 4-0. Maryland is next. Illinois and Washington suddenly don't look quite as intimidating as they did before the season. Indiana and Oregon remain enormous challenges, but college football has already reminded us repeatedly this year that nobody is invincible.

We're not making playoff reservations. We're not looking past Maryland. But this team feels like it has more juice. It has a quarterback who can create. It has weapons on offense. And it has a defense that's flying around, sacking quarterbacks and taking the football away. For the first time in a long time, the possibilities are starting to get pretty interesting.

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