Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, Nebraska and Husker sports fans!

The HuskerOnline team has put together a Christmas Wishlist for Nebraska Athletics for this upcoming year. This list includes hopes for Husker football, basketball, volleyball, and recruiting. In between opening gifts and spending time with your family, dive into our wishes.

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Some wishes might require more magic than others, but Christmas time is the best day to dream.

Now, onto the wishes.

Sean Callahan’s Christmas Wishlist

Portal QB help that fits Nebraska’s needs: It’s clear what Nebraska will be looking for in the transfer portal. The Huskers want a dual-threat veteran quarterback that can help bridge the gap, potentially between TJ Lateef and Trae Taylor.

Finding the right guy ranks right up there at the top of my list.

A win vs. a ranked opponent: Nebraska has not beaten a ranked team since 2016, when it took down Oregon.

I would love to see the Huskers figure out a way to get that done in 2026. Heck, even on Dec. 31 in Las Vegas would do.

Offensive line growth: After four years of Donovan Raiola, Nebraska will turn the page on its offensive line to the Geep Wade/Lonnie Teasely era.

My wish list includes improved offensive line recruiting and development. There’s no way NU will take a step forward as a program without improvement in this area.

Clear answers to the future of college football: This is a big “if,” but my wish is to come up with clear answers to the rules of NIL and rev-share. As we sit here today, we still don’t know.

Also, hopefully, we get a modified College Football Playoff system and a season start date that might shift the calendar up by at least one week.

A March full of happiness: Finally, Fred Hoiberg has set the table so far with what will most likely be a 13-0 start heading into January.

Now, take care of business in conference play to put yourself in a position to be seeded high enough that getting the school’s first NCAA tournament win won’t be decided in an 8 vs. 9 or 7 vs. 10-type game.

Steven Sipple’s Christmas Wishlist

Joyful Novembers ahead for NU football: November is an inherently tough month in college football. The season begins to feel long for many people involved in it. In many places, the weather turns cold and nasty.

November can tell you a lot about a player. Does he fully embrace the challenges associated with big-time football? You tend to find out in this month.

November can tell you a lot about a program. The best programs often improve as the season progresses and begin playing their best this time of year.

Matt Rhule is 2-10 in November as Nebraska’s head man. Here’s hoping all of his changes in the program begin to reap more rewards in the hardest month on the schedule.

Some form of relief for Nebraska on its 2026 schedule: It’s hard not to think about how daunting Nebraska’s 2026 Big Ten football schedule appears.

One can always hope that a few of those teams experience a drop-off.

Heavens that could help Rhule in his plight to build Nebraska’s program.

Granted, it’s not a strong or confident way of thinking – it’s just realistic.

To be sure, Rhule will enter his fourth year as the Huskers’ head coach preparing to face a schedule that is sort of ridiculous. How treacherous is it? Well, it would be hard for an NU fan to look at any of the nine games and say, “Oh, that’s a surefire win.”

My advice: Embrace the pain while hoping for the best.

More All-American-caliber players for Rhule: We all saw how much impact an All-American-level player can have on a program.

Thank you, Emmett Johnson, for all you did for Nebraska’s program in 2025.

Now, Husker fans, imagine what it’d be like to have two or three or more players of All-American caliber – or at least first-team All-Big Ten caliber – on the same team. That’s what it takes to win big in the Big Ten.

Without that sort of firepower, you’re just an eternal underdog. An also ran, as it were.

Merry Christmas to all.

Robin Washut’s Christmas Wishlist

Yeah, you guessed it: A Nebraska NCAA Tournament win: Just like every year, my No. 1 wish for Nebraska Athletics this Christmas is for the men’s basketball program to finally get that elusive first NCAA Tournament win. The thing is, I actually truly believe it will happen in 2026.

The Huskers have all the makings of a team that can win in March. This is the year it happens. Speak it into existence, from our lips to Santa’s ears.

A renewed NIL commitment to Husker men’s basketball: Fred Hoiberg’s squad has become the talk of the college basketball world through the first half of his seventh season. Nebraska’s 12-0 start has been nothing short of miraculous, especially considering how Hoiberg and his staff had to construct this roster.

NU’s revenue share payout is supposedly between $3-3.5 million. That puts them roughly in the middle of the pack of the Big Ten. However, its NIL budget still ranks toward the bottom of the league. This team deserves more support through external NIL opportunities, especially if fans want these good times to keep rolling.

An elite PBA for Michigan State: The University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s spring semester doesn’t begin until Jan. 12. That means many students won’t be back in town yet for the Huskers’ massive Friday night showdown vs. Michigan State on Jan. 2. In a game that could be yet another signature piece to NU’s NCAA Tournament resume, Pinnacle Bank Arena needs to be rocking – students or not.

You couldn’t help but be impressed with the fan turnout for Sunday night’s win over North Dakota. PBA is already sold out for the Spartans, so it should be another packed house. This will be the first time Nebraska has hosted a top-15 matchup since No. 15 NU faced No. 10 Kansas back on March 3, 1991. Husker fans need to bring the juice and make The Vault as electric as possible.

Abby Barmore’s Christmas Wishlist

Nebraska volleyball to finally get it done: Husker volleyball had its third straight season end in heartbreak. The legendary program hasn’t won a national title since 2017. After a record-breaking first season, Dani Busboom Kelly will continue to feel great pressure for national title No. 6. My wish for the Huskers is that they finally get it done in 2026.

A smooth and successful renovation and reseat: Nebraska volleyball is going through its first-ever reseat. The John Cook Arena will undergo construction in April to increase its capacity to 10,000 and implement several other significant changes. I hope the reseating and renovation go smoothly. 

More Husker volleyball in PBA: I would love to see Nebraska volleyball play a match or two in Pinnacle Bank Arena in 2026. The 2025 AVCA First Serve showed that PBA is a great volleyball venue. Husker fans will sell out any arena, in Lincoln or otherwise.

For Natalie Potts to return soon and strong: Nebraska women’s basketball forward Natalie Potts is nearing the end of her ACL rehab. The redshirt sophomore has been practicing with the Huskers, but there is no timeline for her return. She had a great freshman season, winning Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors, and is projected to come back strong.

A Nebraska softball trip to WCWS: Husker softball was one win away from the 2025 Women’s College World Series. They have one more season with the outstanding Jordy Bahl, who proved herself as a threat all over the field last season. Head coach Rhonda Revelle has put together a great group. Can they make a run to Oklahoma City in May?

Bryan Munson’s Christmas Wishlist

Nebraska finds what it’s looking for in the portal: It starts with a quarterback, but it doesn’t end there. Nebraska could take two quarterbacks, a running back, a tackle, a guard, a wide receiver, an interior defensive lineman, a linebacker, and a safety. The Huskers have a lot to shop for this offseason.

A top-10 recruiting class: This is a tall order, but Nebraska is doing a great job right now. There are several other top recruits the Huskers are well-positioned to land, including Ahmad Hudson, Xavier Bala, Cooper Terwilliger, and others. Husker Nation would love to see a top-rated class after 2026.

Rhule gets a top-25 win: Yes, it’s coming. Nebraska needs to step out of some of these long, dark shadows and into the light. The Huskers need to shed some of the negative streaks. Speaking of…

Hoiberg gets a tournament win: I am doubling down here. Hoiberg is coaching a really fun team to watch. They are talented and selfless. It would be great to see Nebraska secure its first tournament win.

Is it too early to think about baseball?: One thing I look forward to is going to Globe Life Stadium in Arlington, Texas, when Nebraska is playing baseball. The Amegy Bank College Baseball Series begins February 20 and will feature Florida State, Kansas State, Louisville, and the Huskers. Nebraska opens the next weekend away at Auburn.

I am hopeful Nebraska can find consistency throughout the season, identify the right starters for a three-day series, win another conference tournament, and return to the CWS.

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