Get your popcorn, Husker Nation. The college football forecast for 2025 has landed — and Nebraska is (finally) back in the national conversation.
The highly anticipated preseason magazines are hitting shelves like wildfire, and one of the first heavy-hitters, Lindy’s Sports, has delivered news that’s stirring cautious excitement in Lincoln: Nebraska is ranked No. 24 in their preseason Top 25. That’s right — after years of rebuilding, retooling, and reframing expectations, Matt Rhule’s Huskers are officially on the radar.
But before the confetti falls and playoff dreams swirl, a question must be asked: Is this the beginning of Nebraska’s resurgence, or another mirage on the prairie?
The Rankings: Welcome to the Party, Nebraska
Lindy’s slots Nebraska just ahead of Baylor (25) and hot on the heels of Iowa State (22) and Louisville (23). It’s not quite a College Football Playoff nod — and no, they’re not featured in Lindy’s projected 12-team playoff bracket — but for a team that hasn’t sniffed consistent national respect in over a decade, it’s a symbolic leap.
Call it cautious optimism or premature hype, but the Huskers are no longer invisible.
A Stark Reality Check: Only One Husker Makes B1G Preseason Honors List
While the ranking has fans buzzing, the individual accolades offer a more sobering dose of reality.
Out of the entire Big Ten landscape, Nebraska boasts just one player on Lindy’s three-deep all-conference team: sophomore speedster Jacory Barney, who sneaks onto the third-team offense. One name. That’s it.
Meanwhile, Ohio State and Penn State — the Big Ten’s twin juggernauts — combine for a staggering 22 players on the same list. That talent disparity is a brutal reminder of just how far the Huskers still have to go. Rhule, now entering his third year, has brought stability and grit, but the roster still reflects a team in transition rather than dominance.
Who’s the King of the Hill? Lindy’s Top Five Doesn’t Flinch
No real curveballs here — Lindy’s Top 5 is a who’s-who of college football royalty:
- Texas – The powerhouse that never really sleeps
- Penn State – Loaded and lethal
- Ohio State – Deep, dangerous, and always in the hunt
- Clemson – Still clawing for national supremacy
- LSU – Bayou bruisers with a chip on their shoulder
And Nebraska? They’ve got to run the gauntlet. They’ll face No. 2 Penn State and No. 16 Michigan — two programs built to win now, not later.
Meanwhile, other conference matchups reveal a steep but not insurmountable climb:
USC (28), Iowa (33), Minnesota (40), UCLA (57), Michigan State (59), Maryland (72), and Northwestern (82) round out Nebraska’s Big Ten schedule.
New Faces, New Fight: Expect a Roster Revolution in Lincoln
Forget memorizing last year’s roster — Husker fans will practically need a flash card deck to keep up with Nebraska’s 2025 lineup. Rhule isn’t just tweaking the depth chart — he’s flipping it like a house on HGTV.
On offense, Nebraska’s trenches have been remodeled from the studs up. Watch for a brand-new starting five on the offensive line:
- Elijah Pritchett (LT)
- Rocco Spindler (LG)
- Justin Evans (C)
- Henry Lutovsky (RG)
- Gunnar Gottula (RT)
At wide receiver, rising stars Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter are expected to anchor the aerial assault and provide the flash Nebraska’s offense has sorely lacked.
On defense, the departure of anchor-men Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher has created massive voids — but those holes are being filled with high-upside disruptors like Cam Lenhardt, Riley Van Poppel, and Elijah Jeudy, all of whom bring a blend of violence, speed, and swagger that fits the Rhule blueprint.
The Arrowhead Avalanche: Season Opener Feels Like a Homecoming
Let’s talk spectacle: Nebraska’s season opener isn’t just a football game — it’s a red tsunami. The Huskers will clash with Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, and in true Big Red fashion, they’re turning it into a sea of scarlet.
Over 62,000 tickets have already been snapped up by Husker faithful — effectively transforming the NFL cathedral into Lincoln South. For Cincinnati, this isn’t a neutral-site game. It’s a road trip into a volcano.
What It All Means: A Tipping Point or Just Talk?
This preseason ranking may seem modest to outsiders, but for Nebraska — a program that’s weathered a storm of irrelevance, turnover, and heartache — it feels like something more. A signal flare. A stirring at the gates.
Still, the path forward is razor-thin. Rhule’s team is young, raw, and largely unproven. There’s danger in the hype. But there’s also opportunity.
If Nebraska can translate offseason momentum into September execution — if the new starters mesh, the defense swarms, and the Arrowhead opener becomes a launching pad — this could be the year Nebraska stops rebuilding and starts winning.
The Bottom Line: Hope Returns to the Heartland
For the first time in what feels like forever, Husker football has a heartbeat again — and it’s pounding. Whether that rhythm carries Nebraska to the next level or crashes under the weight of expectations remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure: in 2025, all eyes are back on Lincoln.
