Nebraska’s starting quarterback in 2026? ESPN Makes a Prediction

ESPN recently predicted the 2026 starting quarterbacks for each Power 4 team. For Nebraska, there is expected to be an offseason battle between sophomore TJ Lateef and senior transfer Anthony Colandrea.

The media outlet predicted quarterback competitions at Nebraska, along with Alabama, Florida State, Cincinnati, Michigan State and Tennessee. And in a sport where the quarterback largely dictates a team's success, who becomes Nebraska's starter is a vital offseason question.

ESPN writers Eli Lederman, Max Olson and Adam Rittenberg predicted Colandrea will be the starter Sept. 5 when Ohio University comes to Memorial Stadium.

Colandrea, who played two seasons at Virginia before spending last season at UNLV, has a ton more college experience than Lateef, and has an impressive resume.

Overwhelming, really, when compared with Lateef.

Colandrea was the 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year. He was an early-January commit to the Huskers, who moved quickly after former Notre Dame quarterback Kenny Minchey committed to Nebraska then quickly decided to go to Kentucky.

Nebraska brought in Colandrea for an official visit one day after Minchey decommitted.

At Virginia, Colandrea started 18 games. He had 4,585 total yards and 28 touchdowns in his two seasons with the Cavaliers.

Here’s what ESPN said about the Nebraska quarterback situation: “He [Colandrea] rebooted his career alongside coach [UNLV] Dan Mullen, coming in from Virginia and passing for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns with nine interceptions on 65.9 percent completions.

“Colandrea also gives offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen a legitimate run threat, which should help as Nebraska rebuilds its offensive line. Colandrea had 649 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns in 2025. He has Power 4 experience from Virginia but will be looking for better results this time around.”

Colandrea’s competition

ESPN’s writers said about the competition Colandrea will face: “Primary starter Dylan Raiola transferred out, but TJ Lateef, who started games late in the 2025 season after Raiola’s broken leg, is back in Holgorsen’s offense.

“Lateef had 904 yards passing with five touchdowns and an interception, plus 120 rushing yards and four touchdowns, in seven games last season. He could push Colandrea.

“The Huskers also brought back [sophomore] Daniel Kaelin via the portal. The former Bellevue (Neb.) West standout transferred to Virginia after his freshman year with the Huskers, served as Chandler Morris’ backup last season and is now rejoining the program.”

Lateef started four games after Raiola’s injury. He played well at UCLA in a 28-21 victory, completing 13-of-15 passes (86.6 percent) with three touchdowns and no interceptions. But Lateef and the Husker offense struggled against the stronger defensive units of Penn State and Iowa and in the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. In the last three games of the season, all losses, Nebraska only scored 48 points, a 16 points per game average.

Against Penn State, Iowa and Utah, Lateef completed 45-of-89 passes (50.5 percent) for 438 yards, with one touchdown and one interception.

If ESPN is correct, Lateef might have to spend another season as a backup — something he had to expect behind Raiola anyway.

Competition improves everyone?

Sept. 5 is 208 days away. So much can happen between now and summer camp and the opening of the season.

Lateef clearly can win the starter's job, ESPN's prediction notwithstanding. His experience in Nebraska’s system might overcome Colandrea's extensive experience.

With Raiola, Nebraska was set at quarterback the past two seasons, each of which ended with 7-6 records. A legitimate quarterback battle certainly would liven up summer camp. And, it’s said, competition helps everyone improve.

Colandrea, a 6-foot, 205-pounder from St. Petersburg, Fla., has started 32 college games. He ranked fifth in FBS total offense and led UNLV to a 10-4 season that included losses in the Mountain West title game to Boise State and a loss in the Frisco Bowl to Ohio University.

The same Ohio University that will be at Nebraska on Sept. 5.

Huskers’ opponents predictions

Here are the quarterbacks who are predicted to start the season for Nebraska’s opponents. (A reminder: ESPN only predicted Power 4 teams.)

* Sept. 26: at Michigan State, Alessio Milivojecic (redshirt sophomore)
* Oct. 3: Maryland, Malik Washington (sophomore)
* Oct. 10: Indiana, Josh Hoover (redshirt senior, TCU transfer)
* Oct. 17: at Oregon, Dante Moore (redshirt junior; backed up by Raiola, who transferred to the Ducks after his sophomore season at Nebraska)
* Oct. 31: Washington, Demond Williams Jr. (junior)
* Nov. 7: at Illinois, Katin Houser (redshirt senior, East Carolina transfer)
* Nov. 14: at Rutgers, Dylan Lonergan (redshirt junior)
* Nov. 21: Ohio State, Julian Sayin (redshirt sophomore)
* Nov. 27: at Iowa, Jeremy Hecklinski (sophomore)

Quarterback Dylan Raiola transferred from Nebraska after the regular season and went to Oregon. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Husker quarterback expectations

Whether it’s Colandrea or Lateef, he will face enormous pressure — as quarterbacks always do. Nebraska is coming off a 7-6 season in which so much more was expected. Plus, the Huskers face what is expected to be a more challenging schedule in 2026 than they had in 2025, as the program tries for Big Ten relevance and prominence.

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