Know Your Foe: Nebraska vs. Bowling Green

Nebraska football is officially off and running in 2026, and after a 49-21 win over Ohio in Week 1, the Huskers will return to Memorial Stadium Saturday for a matchup with Bowling Green.

That means it is time for another edition of Know Your Foe.

Last week, we compared Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea with Ohio's Nick Poulos before either had taken a snap with their new programs. This time around, we have some actual 2026 film and statistics to work with.

Colandrea and Bowling Green quarterback Jay Kastantin both made their debuts with new programs over the weekend, but their teams came away with very different results.

Anthony Colandrea — Nebraska

If Nebraska fans wanted to see why Matt Rhule and the Huskers went after Anthony Colandrea in the transfer portal, they didn't have to wait long.

The former UNLV quarterback completed 18 of his 32 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns in Nebraska's 49-21 victory over Ohio. He didn't throw an interception and added 23 rushing yards and another touchdown on 10 carries.

It wasn't a perfect performance. Colandrea completed just 56.3% of his passes, and there were a handful of throws he would probably like to have back. But his ability to create explosive plays and extend drives was evident throughout the game.

That showed up in his Pro Football Focus grades as well.

Colandrea earned an 84.3 overall PFF grade, including a 75.9 passing grade and 78.8 rushing grade. The overall grade was one of the best on Nebraska's offense in Week 1.

He also converted five of his seven scrambles or designed runs into first downs and completed six of eight passes on third down, with five of those completions moving the chains.

Perhaps the biggest takeaway was what Colandrea didn't do: turn the football over.

That was one of the biggest questions surrounding him after throwing 20 interceptions during his two seasons at Virginia. Against Ohio, Colandrea protected the football while still showing the aggressive style that helped him earn Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors at UNLV last season.

Week 1: 18-of-32, 275 yards, 3 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: 10 carries, 23 yards, 1 TD
PFF Overall Grade: 84.3
PFF Passing Grade: 75.9
PFF Rushing Grade: 78.8

Jay Kastantin — Bowling Green

Bowling Green will bring a much different quarterback story to Lincoln.

Jay Kastantin spent the previous three seasons playing Division II football at Assumption before transferring to Bowling Green this offseason.

The 6-foot-4, 235-pound quarterback made his FBS debut against Tarleton State on Saturday and, at least statistically, was extremely efficient throwing the football.

Kastantin completed 24 of 30 passes for 262 yards, good for an impressive 80% completion percentage and 8.7 yards per attempt. He also avoided throwing an interception and added 17 yards on the ground.

But unlike Colandrea, the production didn't translate to points.

Kastantin failed to throw or rush for a touchdown as Bowling Green suffered a disappointing 20-13 loss to Tarleton State. The Falcons fell behind 17-0 before attempting to mount a comeback, eventually driving to the Tarleton State eight-yard line as time expired.

And despite the impressive traditional passing numbers, PFF wasn't nearly as impressed with Kastantin's performance.

The Bowling Green quarterback earned just a 61.8 overall PFF grade, including a 68.0 passing grade and 50.6 rushing grade.

That's worth noting considering the box score alone tells a much different story. An 80% completion percentage and 262 yards would suggest Kastantin played an excellent game, but his PFF grades indicate there was more to the performance than the traditional numbers show.

Week 1: 24-of-30, 262 yards, 0 TD, 0 INT
Rushing: 9 carries, 17 yards
PFF Overall Grade: 61.8
PFF Passing Grade: 68.0
PFF Rushing Grade: 50.6

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