Nebraska's 49-point victory Saturday night over Bowling Green shed some light on what the Huskers could become in 2026.

In a matchup the Big Red entered wanting to answer questions from the week before, NU managed to do just that. However, they also told us there are plenty of areas where the team can still improve.

Here are five things we learned from Nebraska's dominant performance against Bowling Green.

1. Anthony Colandrea Is as Advertised

In Week 1, Anthony Colandrea started his first game for the Big Red and showed signs of promise, but he also looked like a quarterback playing his first game with a new team. In the Huskers' victory over the Falcons Saturday night, the senior signal-caller showed what he can be: a playmaker in every aspect of the game.

Colandrea completed 20-of-24 passes for 222 yards and four touchdowns while throwing one interception. He added 33 rushing yards on four carries while helping lead NU to six scores on eight offensive drives in which he was on the field.

Throughout the night, Colandrea completed passes in tight windows, extended plays, and took risks, all things Huskers fans expected when Nebraska signed him out of the transfer portal in January. However, the Big Red's coaching staff seemed willing to take the good with the bad, and Husker fans should too. Why? Because he seems to make the crowd "ooh" and "ahh" significantly more than they groan.

Nebraska has a true dual-threat quarterback running its offense this fall, and that makes the unit significantly more explosive than it was a year ago. If Colandrea continues to play at this level, the Huskers have a quarterback capable of making plays that can change the outcome of games.

2. Nebraska's Coaching Staff Is Highly Confident in Jamal Rule

The reigning Big Ten Freshman of the Week, Jamal Rule, earned his first collegiate start after totaling 169 all-purpose yards and three touchdowns in Week 1. That indicated that the Nebraska coaching staff is highly confident in its first-year back. And you should be too.

On eight carries against Bowling Green, Rule ran for 88 yards and one score, highlighted by a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter. The Salisbury, North Carolina, native has now totaled 257 all-purpose yards in six quarters of play after sitting out the entire second half, partially due to workload management and partially due to cramping, according to head coach Matt Rhule.

On Saturday, Rule became the first Nebraska true freshman running back to start a game since Gabe Ervin Jr. did so in 2021. Having shown he's capable of making explosive plays in both the passing game and on the ground, the 6-foot, 215-pound ball-carrier should continue being a player the Huskers lean on this fall.

3. The Huskers' Defense Is Still a Work in Progress

First-year defensive coordinator Rob Aurich's unit won't be fixed overnight, though the defense should continue to show signs of improvement as the weeks go on. Though that's to be expected in 2026, NU managed to generate several more disruptive plays in Week 2.

Against Ohio, the Big Red sacked Bobcat quarterback Nick Poulos twice and logged just four tackles for loss in a 28-point win. However, against Bowling Green, Nebraska stiffened up. Falcons quarterback Jay Kastantin ran just five times for four yards and was sacked twice, while the Cornhuskers generated six tackles for loss and forced five three-and-outs on Bowling Green's first six offensive possessions.

Nebraska also forced two turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown following a strip sack. If the Big Red are going to compete against some of the better teams in the Big Ten this fall, they'll need their defense to have the ability to help them score. While NU already had a convincing lead when its defensive touchdown occurred, the play showed the unit can be opportunistic when situations like that arise. That's a positive thing for the Huskers moving forward.

4. NU's Transfer Portal Emphasis on the Offensive Line Was Money Well Spent

Though players' NIL valuations are not public knowledge, it's no secret that Nebraska has a heavy chunk of change being distributed to its offensive line. After successfully retaining three starters from a season ago (Elijah Pritchett, Justin Evans, and Gunnar Gottula) while adding a trio of veterans over the offseason (Brendan Black, Paul Mubenga, and Tree Babalade), the Huskers' line of scrimmage has seemingly taken a significant step forward.

NU averaged 5.9 yards per carry against Ohio in Week 1, totaling 248 rushing yards and four scores on the ground. The Huskers followed that up with an even more efficient performance against the Falcons. The Big Red ran the ball 34 times for 268 yards and two scores against Bowling Green. Though five touchdowns came through the air, Nebraska seems to have a productive and capable group of ball-carriers this fall.

Whether it comes from Rule, Mekhi Nelson, or Isaiah Mozee, NU seems capable of moving the ball with relative ease on the ground. The Cornhuskers are currently averaging nearly 6.74 yards per carry in 2026. Some of that is a result of the competition they've faced; however, in the two games Nebraska played against non-Power Four opponents a season ago, Akron and Houston Christian, NU totaled 86 fewer rushing yards on five more carries.

5. The Big Red Has a 1-2 Punch at Wideout in 2026

While many believed Nebraska was heading into the fall with a clear-cut group of three pass-catchers who would lead the team in production in 2026, the Huskers have seemingly whittled that group down to two after two games. A lot can change as the season goes on, but UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer and returning starter Jacory Barney Jr. are the go-to guys right now.

Gilmer was targeted 10 times in Week 1, hauling in five receptions for 58 yards and a touchdown against Ohio, while Barney was targeted eight times, catching five passes for 60 yards. On Saturday, Gilmer caught all six of his targets for 39 yards and two scores, while Colandrea connected with Barney on eight of 10 targets for 115 yards and two touchdowns.

Through two weeks, Nyziah Hunter, NU's returning leader in receiving yards, has been targeted only three times. To his credit, one of those would've been a 50-plus-yard touchdown grab against the Bobcats if it hadn't been reversed by a block in the back. Even so, there's little doubt Colandrea has been willing to target the other two significantly more.

For now, it's not a problem for the Big Red, as the ultimate goal is to score touchdowns by any means necessary. However, they'll need to find a way to get their most proven wide receiver, Hunter, more involved moving forward.

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