The Cornhuskers may very well be a ranked team in Week 5.
Nebraska (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) traveled to East Lansing and beat Michigan State (2-2, 0-1 Big Ten), 31-13. NU is now 4-0 for the first time since 2016, when the Big Red finished the season 9-4 overall.
Here are five things we learned from Nebraska’s convincing 18-point win over the Spartans.
1. Nebraska Defense is Getting Better Every Week
Michigan State’s Alessio Milivojevic throws a pass as Williams Nwaneri closes in during the first quarter. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
While Nebraska’s offense was the star of the show in Weeks 1 and 2, the Huskers’ defense has operated at a borderline-elite level in Weeks 3 and 4. Against Ohio and Bowling Green, NU combined for four sacks and 10 tackles for loss. In its two most recent games, those numbers jumped to 11 and 16, respectively.
NU also used its pressure to force turnovers against Michigan State. Spartan quarterbacks Alessio Milivojevic and Cam Fancher each threw an interception Saturday, while Donovan Jones added a strip-sack and recovered the fumble.
The Huskers did surrender 13 plays of 10-plus yards but limited the Spartans to just 13 points. While much of Saturday’s performance was a case of bend, don’t break, NU continued to show just how good this defensive unit can be. If the Blackshirts continue playing at this level, they’ll have a chance to compete with anyone on their schedule.
2. Penalties Are Going to Be an Issue All Year
Michigan State’s Kenny Soares Jr. rushes Anthony Colandrea during the third quarter. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Nebraska committed seven accepted penalties for a total of 60 yards, in addition to another that was ultimately declined. For a veteran team and staff, for that matter, the Huskers continue to commit procedural penalties that leave us scratching our heads.
Though it didn’t cost NU the win Saturday, it almost certainly will at some point down the road. Against the likes of Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State, the Big Red will need to clean up its operation significantly if it hopes to win those games.
Through four contests, Nebraska has been charged with 27 penalties for a total of 235 yards, an average of 6.75 infractions for a loss of 58.75 yards per game. That simply can’t happen in conference play. No one expects a flawless performance, but for a team loaded with veteran players, they need to begin acting like it before these mistakes cost them a win.
3. The Huskers’ Offense is Explosive
Anthony Colandrea throws a pass against Michigan State. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
NU totaled 12 plays of 10-plus yards against Michigan State, including nine in the first half. Sure, production-wise, the Huskers slowed down after halftime, but 24 points in a half will win Nebraska a lot of conference games.
Possibly just as impressive, NU also showed an ability to control the clock. In the fourth quarter, both of the Big Red’s offensive drives lasted 10-plus plays. The first, which resulted in a touchdown, was a 12-play, 66-yard drive that took 6:22 off the clock. The second was an 11-play, 71-yard drive that took another 5:37 off the clock. As a result, the Spartans possessed the ball for just 4:22 in the final quarter.
Dana Holgorsen’s unit, even without Jamal Rule, showed the capability to move the ball in chunks while also asserting its will when necessary. Having entered the contest as the 10th-most productive unit in the country in terms of yardage, Nebraska may have dropped a bit after Week 4, but the Big Red are no less impressive than they were throughout the non-conference slate.
4. Special Teams Has a Long Way to Go
Nyziah Hunter runs for a gain as Devin Vaught closes in. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
The Huskers’ special teams unit continues to underwhelm after taking a significant step in the right direction in 2025. Part of that, selfishly, is me considering how big of an asset Nebraska’s third phase was a season ago, and it may be a bit unfair to expect them to maintain that level in 2026.
Regardless, they look more like a unit that has regressed to net-even this fall. The Huskers arguably should’ve had a punt blocked had it not been for a ridiculously lucky defensive holding penalty called on Michigan State. They’ve also had their fair share of penalties and mental blunders throughout the year.
Kicking to former Husker Kenneth Williams four times, to me, seemed like coaching malpractice. If any staff in this conference was aware of what he could provide in the return game, it was Nebraska, yet the Huskers still kicked to him four times. He returned them for a total of 63 yards.
It just seems as if better decisions, from both players and staff, can be made moving forward. It hasn’t cost NU a game yet, but it certainly hasn’t helped them win one either.
5. NU’s Defensive Line Has Gotten Noticeably Better from Last Year
Anthony Jones Jr. makes the tackle during the first quarter. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
Three of the Big Red’s six sacks came from the defensive line, with former five-star edge prospect Williams Nwaneri recording a career-high 2.0 against Michigan State. After replacing Cam Lenhardt as the starter on the edge, Nwaneri arguably played his best game while wearing the scarlet and cream.
Pitt transfer Jahsear Whittington added another sack from the defensive line while also recording a forced fumble and an additional tackle. Kade Pietrzak and Riley Van Poppel each added a tackle as well, with Van Poppel’s coming for loss, while Anthony Jones and Owen Stoudmire combined for nine tackles Saturday night.
The unit helped NU limit the Spartans to 39 rushing yards on 32 attempts. They’ve now held three of their four opponents, with Ohio being the exception, to under 100 rushing yards. The Huskers only did that once in 2025, and a large part of that improvement has come from a defensive line that has looked determined to prove it can shut things down this fall.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow