Why Nebraska Fans Shouldn't Worry About a Slow Start Against Michigan State

Depth and experience are among the advantages as the undefeated Huskers hit the road for the first time.

Michigan State quarterback Sam Leavitt is hit by Nebraska's Phalen Sanford during the Huskers' most recent visit to East Lansing, in 2023. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers have done what they were supposed to do to this point.

However, Saturday's contest against Michigan State (2-1) offers a set of challenges this team has not yet faced. As a result, fans seem to be on edge, not letting themselves believe 2026 can be different from years past.

Even so, the fourth iteration of a Rhule-coached Husker team feels different than before. With Nebraska going on the road for the first time this year, here's why Husker fans shouldn't be worried about a slow start against the Spartans.

1. The Cornhuskers Have a Significant Amount of Experience

Anthony Colandrea scrambles against the Bowling Green Falcons during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Quarterbacked by one of the most experienced signal-callers in college football, Anthony Colandrea, the Huskers are a veteran-heavy team. NU's QB1 enters Saturday's contest having started 34 collegiate games and is surrounded by 10 other offensive starters who have combined for an additional 213 starts.

For context, in a 12-game regular season, Nebraska's offense alone has over 20½ seasons' worth of starting experience from its top group. Add a defense that has combined for another 173 starts, and the Big Red has more than 35 seasons' worth of starting experience on its roster.

Experience doesn't guarantee winning plays, but it certainly doesn't hurt. NU will look to use that “been here before” attitude not only to take care of business against the Spartans by the end of the game, but also to come out firing from the very start.

Michigan State has 210 collective starts on offense, headlined by an offensive line that accounts for 125 of them, while the Spartans' defense accounts for another 185. Though both programs have veterans sprinkled throughout both sides of the ball, NU holds the advantage, 420-395.

Nebraska	Michigan State
QB- Colandrea | 34 starts	QB- Milovojevic | 7 starts
RB- Nelson/Mozee/Rule | 2/1/1 starts	RB- Edwards | 28 starts
WR- Gilmer | 22 starts	WR- Moore| 6 starts
WR- Hunter | 23 starts	WR- Bullard | 13 starts
WR- Barney | 20 starts	WR- McCray | 25 starts
TE- Lindenmeyer | 23 starts	TE- Parachek | 6 starts
LT- Pritchett | 24 starts	LT- Murawski | 22 starts
LG- Mubenga | 14 starts	LG- Moore | 43 starts
C- Evans | 34 starts	C- Fraley | 32 starts
RG- Black | 33 starts	RG- Sharpe | 20 starts
RT- Gottula | 19 starts	RT- Johnson | 8 starts
Edge- Jones | 17 starts	Edge- Thompson | 22 starts
Edge- Lenhardt | 15 starts	Edge- Soares | 21 starts
DT- Stoudmire | 8 starts	DT- Roberts | 7 starts
DT- Whittington | 4 starts	DT- Coenen | 4 starts
LB- Chambliss | 22 starts	LB- Hall | 22 starts
LB- Foster/Shavers | 14/15 starts	LB- Pretzlaff (OUT) | 2 starts
CB- Marshall | 30 starts	DB- Richard | 25 starts
CB- Evans | 11 starts	DB- Bell | 16 starts
S- McDougle | 24 starts	DB- Chappell | 13 starts
S- Conn | 14 starts	DB- Martinez | 27 starts
Nickel- Jones | 14 starts	DB- Vaught | 26 starts

2. Spartan Stadium Isn't Exactly a Nightmare Environment for Opposing Teams

Jordan Hall, Alessio Milivojevic and head coach Pat Fitzgerald walk the end zone with the team. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

Since the four former Pac-12 teams, USC, UCLA, Washington, and Oregon, joined the Big Ten, Michigan State has gone just 7-6 at home. However, only two of those victories came against conference opponents, with both coming in 2024.

The Spartans defeated Iowa, 32-20, in October 2024 before earning a one-score win over Purdue roughly a month later. In their other three home conference games that fall, Michigan State suffered losses of 31, 37, and 27 points against Ohio State, Indiana, and Rutgers, respectively.

In 2025, they managed to win all three of their non-conference games but lost by double digits in each of their Big Ten conference games at home. For Nebraska, that's good news. If Rutgers, UCLA, and Penn State have gone into Spartan Stadium in recent years and come out with wins, there's little reason for the Huskers to believe they can't do the same.

It's far from being one of the most difficult Big Ten stadiums for opposing teams to play in. That's another factor NU should use to its advantage from the very start Saturday.

3. Nebraska Has Already Been Punched in the Face This Year

Nick Poulos scores a touchdown against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the fourth quarter. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Big Red has outscored its opponents 139-35 but has faced adversity on the opening possession in two of its three games in 2026. Against Ohio, the Cornhuskers gave up a 68-yard pass on the first play from scrimmage and found themselves down a score just 71 seconds into the game. Against Bowling Green, Nebraska turned the ball over on its second offensive play.

By now, both sides of the ball have made mistakes and learned how to overcome them. However, against a Big Ten opponent, the margin for error won't be as large. The Huskers know that going in, and they'll have an opportunity to use those previous mistakes as reminders as they prepare for Michigan State.

With a veteran roster, a manageable environment, and an imperfect start to an undefeated season, Nebraska has several reasons to believe it can come out firing Saturday afternoon. That doesn't mean it will, but boy, would it make leaving Michigan State's campus with a win a whole lot easier.

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