Nebraska football starters to return for 2025, plus more Cornhuskers news

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule said on Monday that around 30 Cornhuskers would walk on Senior Day.

However, two that won’t be talking are defensive end Jimari Butler and also defensive back Marques Buford. Rhule announced that both players, who have been regulars in the lineup this season, and in the past, are expected to return for the 2025 season.

Buford has played in all 10 games this season for Nebraska football. He’s got 27 tackles, five pass breakups, and one interception. He also has a tackle for loss. Buford has been forced to play cornerback some this season. His natural position feels more like safety, but with DeShon Singleton and Isaac Gifford moving on, having Buford able to start in one of those positions will be critical.

Jimari Butler has played in nine games this season. He’s been credited with 18 tackles, seven tackles for loss, and two sacks. He’s got 7.5 sacks over the past two seasons and with the loss of Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher, who are out of eligibility, his return is massive for the D-line.

That’s one less starting position Nebraska football has to worry about. Now, they have to hope Riley Van Poppel is as good as Rhule has said — even while redshirting — because the Huskers will need replacements for Robinson and Hutmacher. The replacement for Nash will need to come from the portal.

Keona Davis is another name to watch. Some talented pieces will need to prove themselves but with the return of Butler, the need won’t be as great.

Key recruiting visits for Nebraska football

This weekend for Wisconsin should be a big recruiting weekend for the Huskers in terms of visits. It’s already shaping up that way as Trae Taylor, a highly-touted 2027 quarterback with an impressive offer sheet, is visiting once again.

That’s his second visit of the fall. Teams like Notre Dame and Michigan have had him on campus a bunch. Nebraska offered late but has made Taylor a priority.

In-state recruit Jase Reynolds, the top-ranked player in Nebraska for the 2026 class, at least right now, is also expected to visit Nebraska football for the Wisconsin game. He’s a three-star EDGE but is an impressive athlete and is another top priority for the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska Cornhuskers women’s basketball back at it

Fresh off scoring 113 points last Saturday against South Dakota, the Nebraska women’s basketball team will be back at home on Tuesday night against North Alabama.

Britt Prince scored 23 points for the Cornhuskers and made 10-of-13 shots from the field. She also hit twice from 3-point range and dished out four assists. Alex Markowksi continued her incredible start to the season with 14 points, five boards, and seven assists in 22 minutes.

Natalie Potts added 22 points and was nearly perfect shooting the ball going 8-of-10 from the field, 2-of-2 from 3-point range, and 8-for-8 from beyond the arc.

Bart Torvik has the Cornhuskers ranked 36th in this women’s basketball metric. North Alabama is ranked 236th, so the Huskers should roll. No. 21 Nebraska and North Alabama will tip at 7 PM CST on BTN+.

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