Anthony Colandrea gives Nebraska a new test against Ohio

01What Happened

When Nebraska hosts Ohio at noon ET Saturday, Sept. 5, Anthony Colandrea will take over the post-Dylan Raiola offense in a season opener that also leaves Dana Holgorsen sorting out the Huskers’ backfield.

Nebraska has not established whether Colandrea will start, but the former Virginia and UNLV quarterback is the expected replacement for Raiola after appearing in 33 games over three seasons. Holgorsen is installing a new offense around a quarterback who brings a different threat as a runner.

Colandrea ranked fifth nationally in total rushing EPA in 2025, second in rushing EPA per carry and fourth in rushing success rate. That mobility gives Nebraska another way to create offense, but the Huskers also lost running back Emmett Johnson to the NFL draft and dismissed transfer back Tikey Hayes. The opener will test whether Nebraska can replace both players well enough to build momentum before its difficult Big Ten stretch.

02Why This One Matters

Nebraska went 7-6 overall and 4-5 in the Big Ten last season. Ohio went 9-4 and 6-2 in the Mid-American Conference, then brought direct evidence against Colandrea into Lincoln: the Bobcats held his UNLV team to 10 points in the Frisco Bowl.

That gives Ohio a useful starting point against Holgorsen’s offense. Nebraska’s response will matter more than a single rushing total. If the backs carry enough of the offense, Colandrea’s running can expand the playbook. If he becomes the primary answer on the ground, Nebraska’s quarterback change will also expose how little certainty exists behind him.

The schedule gives the result a runway. Nebraska hosts Bowling Green on Sept. 12, then reaches Michigan State on Sept. 26 before games against Maryland, Indiana and Oregon in October. The Ohio game is the first real test of whether the post-Raiola offense can function without asking Colandrea to do everything.

03What Most People Are Missing

Ohio is not simply bringing back the defense that frustrated Colandrea. John Hauser, previously the Bobcats’ defensive coordinator, begins his first full season as head coach after taking over for the Frisco Bowl. Ohio also lost quarterback Parker Navarro and offensive-minded coaches Tim Albin and Brian Smith.

Nick Poulos takes over at quarterback after two seasons at El Camino Community College and two more behind Navarro at Ohio. He has appeared in 14 games over four seasons and made one Ohio start, against Kentucky in 2024. Matt Vezza, a transfer from New Hampshire, provides the other experienced option after rushing 150 times for 600 yards and eight touchdowns in 2025.

The Bobcats also replaced Sieh Bangura, who ran for more than 1,300 yards last season. Duncan Burne moves to the front of the backfield, while Vezza gives Ohio another running threat. That leaves both teams trying to replace productive offensive pieces under new or altered leadership.

Ohio knows what Colandrea can do. Nebraska will face an Ohio offense still learning what Poulos and Burne can become.

04Next Man Up

Nebraska’s backfield candidates include returning players Mekhi Nelson, Kwinten Ives and Isaiah Mozee, along with freshman Jamal Rule. They provided limited relief for Johnson in 2025, and Hayes’ dismissal removed the transfer brought in to add depth.

Holgorsen may spread the work across those backs, Colandrea and backup quarterback TJ Lateef. The first meaningful clue will be the distribution of carries: whether Nebraska can give its new quarterback help or turns his running into the offense’s foundation.

05What the Coaches Can Actually Change

Holgorsen can use a committee, involve Lateef and decide how much of the rushing burden reaches Colandrea. The more the Huskers need Colandrea to create on the ground, the more important it becomes for the backs to establish a dependable share of the offense.

Nebraska also hired Rob Aurich, San Diego State’s former defensive coordinator, to lead the defense. The Huskers defended the pass well in 2025 but struggled against the run, giving Aurich an immediate test against Burne, Poulos and Ohio’s rebuilt attack.

Special teams changed after Mike Ekeler left for USC. Nebraska finished 16th nationally in net field position last season, helped by Archie Wilson’s ability to pin opponents near their goal line and Kenneth Williams’ kickoff returns for touchdowns. A new offense will have less room for error if that field-position edge fades.

06The Pate State Read

Ohio is a useful opener because it presents two problems at once: a defense with recent success against Colandrea and an offense that is also replacing key pieces. Nebraska should have a chance to win the matchup, but the Bobcats can expose a Huskers team that has not settled its quarterback or backfield decisions.

The cleanest Nebraska path runs through balance. Colandrea’s efficiency as a runner gives Holgorsen an advantage Ohio has already seen; the backs must keep that advantage from becoming the entire plan.

07What to Watch Next

1 — The backfield tell: Which Nebraska back gets the first series, and does the rotation stay broad after halftime?

2 — The quarterback tell: On important third downs and near the goal line, does Holgorsen turn to Colandrea’s legs or the backs?

3 — The Ohio tell: Can Hauser again limit Colandrea’s running lanes while Poulos and Burne keep Ohio’s offense on schedule?

4 — The defensive tell: Can Aurich’s front control Ohio’s run game without leaving Nebraska exposed elsewhere?

Nebraska does not need Colandrea to carry the offense. It needs the backs to give him enough help that his legs remain an advantage rather than a necessity.