The Nebraska Cornhuskers are ready to launch their 2024 football season this Saturday, taking on the Ohio Bobcats at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. The matchup is scheduled to begin at 11 AM, and the Huskers enter the game as significant favorites, with FanDuel listing them as 23.5-point favorites and the over/under at 46.5 points.
After finishing the previous season with a record of 7-6, Nebraska is looking to continue its upward trajectory. This marks the first time since the 2013-2014 seasons that the Cornhuskers have achieved back-to-back winning seasons, a positive sign for a program that has been striving for consistency.
Leading the offense this year will be Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from UNLV who had an impressive season last year, throwing for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns, averaging over 250 yards per game. Colandrea's performance earned him the Mountain West Player of the Year honor in 2025, and he will be looking to make an immediate impact in his new role as Nebraska's starting quarterback.
Defensively, the Cornhuskers are returning six starters from a unit that ranked among the top 30 in the nation last season. Key players to watch include Cameron Lenhardt, Vincent Shavers Jr., and Andrew Marshall, who will aim to fortify a defense that struggled against the run last year, finishing 98th in rushing defense.
On the other side of the field, the Ohio Bobcats are entering a rebuilding phase under a new head coach. With only five starters returning from the 2025 season, Ohio is looking to establish a new identity. The Bobcats will also feature a new quarterback, Nick Poulos, who has limited experience but is a dual-threat player capable of making plays with both his arm and legs. Poulos started one game in 2024 and redshirted last season, and he will be looking to connect with the lone returning offensive starter, wide receiver Dom Dorwart, who caught 11 passes for 119 yards last season.
This game is particularly significant not just for the teams but also for the legacy of Coach Frank Solich, who has ties to both programs. Solich served as an assistant coach at Nebraska for 19 years before becoming the head coach from 1998 to 2003, where he led the team to a national title game. Later, he built the Ohio football program into a competitive force, amassing 115 wins and becoming the winningest coach in Mid-American Conference history. Solich will be honored at the game with the Legends Award from the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame and will participate as the honorary coin toss captain, making this matchup a special occasion for both teams.
Fans can catch the action as the Cornhuskers and Bobcats face off on Saturday, September 5th, at 12 PM ET, with the game being broadcast on FS1. This season opener promises to be an exciting contest as both teams look to set the tone for their respective seasons.
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