Nyziah Hunter’s Two-Touchdown Day Signals His Rise as Nebraska’s No. 1 Receiver

Ten months after transferring to Nebraska from Cal, sophomore wideout Nyziah Hunter is starting to make the kind of plays Husker fans dreamed about when he arrived in Lincoln. But his rise, now bordering on stardom, wasn’t something anyone could’ve guaranteed before the season.

Six games into his Nebraska career, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound receiver leads the team in receiving yards and has quickly become sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola’s go-to target. In this piece, we’ll rewind through Hunter’s path to this point and take a look ahead at what his emergence means for both the Huskers’ offense and his own future for the Big Red.

Nebraska wide receiver Nyziah Hunter gains 36 yards against Akron. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Heading into the season, head coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen knew what they had with Raiola at quarterback, and made it a top priority to surround him with weapons. To do that, Nebraska brought in two top receiver prospects: Hunter from Cal and veteran wideout Dane Key from Kentucky, pairing them with rising sophomore Jacory Barney Jr. On paper, the Huskers suddenly had one of the most balanced and proven wide receiver rooms in the Big Ten, setting the stage for an offensive breakout in Holgorsen’s first full year calling plays.

That balance stood out from the start. With three legitimate pass-catching threats, Nebraska had a trio capable of handling a heavy workload, and for Hunter, that’s been the best thing that could’ve happened. With Key and Barney commanding defensive attention, Hunter has been free to exploit single coverage and build chemistry with Raiola over the past several weeks.

Their connection, strengthening with each passing game, has helped Nebraska secure back-to-back Big Ten victories, something that’s happened only three times in the last five seasons. In Saturday’s win over a 4–1 Maryland squad, Hunter’s game-breaking speed once again stole the show. And it wasn’t just his speed that stood out; it was the timing of his plays. When Nebraska needed a spark, Hunter delivered, proving once again why he’s becoming a viable go-to option in clutch moments.

On five receptions for 125 yards, Hunter’s two-touchdown day led all receivers in yards, catches, and touchdown grabs for the second week in a row. His 64-yard house call on a tunnel screen set the tone for another explosive outing from the Nebraska offense, and he did it again midway through the second quarter, further proving his emergence as a true go-to weapon.

But perhaps his most impactful play wasn’t even a touchdown. Down late in the fourth quarter, Raiola’s 33-yard strike to Hunter moved the ball to the Maryland 20-yard line, a moment that perfectly captured the trust between quarterback and receiver. It wasn’t just the longest play of the drive, but also the spark Nebraska needed to seize momentum and ultimately pull out the win.

Nebraska wide receiver Nyziah Hunter — Wide receiver Nyziah Hunter celebrates with teammates after his touchdown reception late in the first half against Cincinnati. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

With 22 receptions for 415 yards and four touchdowns, Hunter is on pace to shatter his production from a year ago at Cal. If that trajectory holds, he’s on track for roughly 48 catches, 900 yards, and nine touchdowns, which would mark the best season by a Nebraska receiver since Trey Palmer in 2022.

In a room loaded with playmakers, Hunter’s steady consistency has quietly made him Nebraska’s most reliable target and one of the offense’s biggest surprises. Halfway through his sophomore campaign, he’s proven to be a trusted option for Raiola and a foundational piece for the Huskers moving forward. As he heads into his second road game in a Nebraska uniform, expect Hunter to keep climbing. If he continues at this pace, his rise could redefine what Nebraska’s passing attack looks like down the stretch of 2025.

Nebraska wide receiver Nyziah Hunter gains 13 yards against Michigan. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

At this point, it’s not about whether Hunter can be Nebraska’s WR1, it’s about how far this offense can go with him leading the charge. His production is real, no doubt, but what’s even more impressive is what it means for the Huskers moving forward. With three different receivers capable of playing the No. 1 role, a Nebraska offense averaging 310 passing yards per game looks poised to finish the year as one of the Big Ten’s most balanced units.

The resurgence of the run game in recent weeks has only opened more opportunities for Hunter and the rest of the receiving corps to dominate through the air. This Nebraska offense is more poised, productive, and explosive than it’s been in years, and it’s quickly becoming a nightmare matchup for opposing defenses.

Sure, there are still kinks to work out, but through six games, we’ve witnessed the revival of an offense that’s gone from shaky to dynamic in just one season. And Hunter’s rise has been at the center of that turnaround. For now, the talk must translate into results, but Nebraska fans should feel genuine excitement about what’s ahead. With bowl eligibility on the line midway through October, expect the Huskers, led by Hunter through the air, to give Minnesota everything they’ve got on Friday night. And if Hunter has anything to say about it, Nebraska could be sitting at 6–1 when the lights go out in Minneapolis.

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