3 reasons that Nebraska football will blow out Ohio on Saturday

Nebraska football opens the 2026 season against the Ohio Bobcats, a program that Frank Solich, a former Huskers head coach, built into a solid program.

The Bobcats won nine games last season. However, they return just five starters. Ohio had double-digit win seasons in the two years before that, so this isn’t a program to take lightly.

Ohio won at West Virginia and lost at Rutgers by a field goal. The Bobcats also played at Ohio State last season, so Memorial Stadium won’t be too intimidating.

Nebraska football starting quarterback Anthony Colandrea is familiar with the Bobcats, too. Ohio has a new head coach, but John Hauser was the DC last season. The OC was elevated from within, so the scheme is going to be similar to what it was.

The Huskers are 23.5-point favorites. Here are three reasons Nebraska can easily cover the spread.

Ohio’s run defense

The Bobcats were 42nd in points allowed last season in the FBS. One of the biggest weaknesses, though, was their inability to stop the run, allowing 4.4 yards per rushing attempt.  There is one starter returning on the defensive line, as well as 21 starters returning at linebacker.

Ohio is familiar with Anthony Colandrea. But Nebraska has a better offensive line than UNLV. Colandrea will have weapons, and the zone read will be part of the game plan, although I don’t expect a ton of rushing attempts for Colandrea.

All three backs will probably get around 10-15 carries. The hot hand will get the most, and the Huskers will rush for over 200 yards as the offensive line puts on a show.

The front seven is way better

Rob Aurich’s defense will be tested by an Ohio offense that averaged 227 rushing yards per game on the ground last season, as well as 5.4 yards per attempt.

The Bobcats love to run the quarterback in a spread option system. Solich sort of took the triple option and adapted it to the spread.

Nick Poulous, the starting QB, ran eight times for 34 yards last season. He will run the ball. Matt Vezza, the backup QB who started for New Hampshire last season, had 601 rushing yards and eight touchdowns on the ground, so keep an eye out for him. Running back Duncan Brune was preseason All-MAC after 585 yards last season and eight rushing touchdowns.

The running game is legit. However, Aurich and the Blackshirts will be up to the challenge. The front seven (eight if you include Dexter Foster and Vincent Shavers) has five new starters. The linebackers look so good they could have played for Bo Pelini, and the D-line will be much tougher.

This defense should be fired up to end the narrative that it can’t stop the run, and the talent will match the effort, so Ohio will find tough sledding, which will mean a tough day at the office for the Bobcat offense.

Anthony Colandrea will go off

Colandrea has thrown for over 7,500 yards in his career. He barely threw for over 180 yards against Ohio in the bowl game with an interception. He also ran for just 28 yards as the Rebels lost to Ohio.

Being familiar with the defense will help. Colandrea’s receivers shouldn’t have a hard time getting open either. The three starters all had at least 448 yards last season; Luke Lindenmeyer is back, too, while Quinn Clark seems ready to take off.

Colandrea won’t have another bad game against Ohio, and the Huskers will score over 40 points in the win.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel.