Nebraska football trending for a 2026 commitment, plus more Cornhuskers news

Friday is the start of a huge weekend for the Nebraska Cornhuskers. You have the Nebraska football team aiming for bowl eligibility, while the Husker volleyball team meets Wisconsin in Madison for a matchup that will have major Big Ten title implications.

The Nebraska volleyball team split with the Badgers last season. Nebraska upset No. 1 Wisconsin at the time before losing on the road to the Badgers later in the season.

There are two matches on the slate again this season. No. 7 Wisconsin will come to the BOB on November 23rd. But Friday’s match is enormous. Nebraska volleyball is 10-0 in the Big Ten, tied with Penn State for first place, while Wisconsin is one game back at 9-1.

The Badgers boast Sarah Franklin, who many predicted to be the Big Ten Player of the Year. She averages 4.41 kills per set. Wisconsin (.300) also boasts the best hitting percentage and opponent hitting percentage (.158) in the Big Ten. Nebraska is a close second in both categories.

However, Nebraska volleyball leads the Big Ten in serve-receive at 96 percent, while the Badgers are 5th at 93 percent. That was an issue for Nebraska last season, now it’s a strength. With Merritt Beason, Harper Murray, and Andi Jackson, the Huskers don’t lack weapons. Lexi Rodriguez also leads a stellar defense and Bergen Reilly is the best better, not just in the Big Ten, but in the country.

Yet, winning on the road at Wisconsin is a huge challenge. But if the Huskers pass it, it’s another sign that this team has what it takes to win it all. The match starts at 8 PM CST on Big Ten Network.

Nebraska football trending for a new 2026 commitment

Nebraska football already has two commitments in the 2026 recruiting class but another could be coming soon from three-star defensive lineman/EDGE Hunter Higgins is trending to the Huskers. The 6-foot-5, 240-pound EDGE is out of Witchita, Kansas. He’s ranked No. 411 overall in the 2026 class according to the 247 Sports composite rankings but is trending toward a commitment according to the On3 prediction machine.

Bryan Munson and Sean Callahan of Husker Online have each projected Higgins to commit to the Nebraska football program and he’s visiting this weekend. The Huskers have a 93-percent chance to win his commitment according to the On3 recruiting prediction machine.

On another note, Nebraska football could be losing a 2025 commitment, as Bryson Hayes, a three-star wideout from Maize, Kansas has been projected to flip to the Kansas Jayhawks according to a prediction from Steve Wiltfong of On3.com.

This feels like Hayes is getting processed. Nebraska is seeking other wide receiver targets and there are some rumors that Cortez Mills could take another trip to campus. Either way, it feels like this is a good decision for both sides if a flip to Kansas does indeed happen.

Nebraska injury update vs. UCLA

In an unfortunate bit of news for the Nebraska football team as it aims for its sixth win against UCLA on Saturday is that Malcolm Hartzog, a key defensive back for the Huskers will be out. Hartzog had the interception against Ohio State last week. He can play both safety and corner.

Marques Buford could be an option to replace him, but only if Tommi Hill is able to play this week and that sounds like far from a sure thing.

For More Nebraska content, follow us on Twitter, like our Facebook Page, and Subscribe to the Husker Big Red YouTube Channel. You can also find our podcast on Apple or Spotify.