The Nebraska Cornhuskers received two votes in the inaugural US LBM Coaches Poll of the 2024 college football season.
The Georgia Bulldogs are ranked No. 1 with 46 of a possible 54 first-place votes. Ohio State is ranked No. 2, followed by Oregon at No. 3, Texas at No. 4, and Alabama at No. 5.
Three of Nebraska’s opponents in 2024 appeared in the Top 25. Ohio State (Oct. 26) came in at No. 2, USC (Nov. 16) was ranked No. 23, and Iowa (Nov. 29) at No. 25.
Nebraska will kick off the 2024 season on August 31 when the Cornhuskers welcome UTEP to Memorial Stadium. The game will start at 2:30 p.m. and can be seen on Fox.
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Others Receiving Votes
Washington 123; Louisville 95; Virginia Tech 64; SMU 47; Memphis 44; Boise State 30; Auburn 25; West Virginia 22; Wisconsin 17; Liberty 15; Iowa State 15; Kentucky 12; Florida 11; South Carolina 10; North Carolina 6; UNLV 5; Maryland 5; UCF 4; Texas Tech 4; UTSA 3; Tulane 2; Texas State 2; Nebraska 2; Colorado 2; Appalachian State 2; Troy 1; Syracuse 1; Miami (OH) 1; James Madison 1; Air Force 1;
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As one of the most underrated scorers in this year’s draft class, Nebraska senior wing Brice Williams has quietly put together a strong case to be selected in the upcoming draft. He had a solid first year with the Cornhuskers last season after transferring from Charlotte, but he has truly broken out through the first 11 games of his final year of eligibility. While his offensive game has been efficient and effective so far, there are still several aspects of his all-around play that need continued improvement as he enters conference play.
Let’s break down Williams’ play so far this season, focusing on how his scoring potential could draw interest both as a whole and in his most recent outing against Hawaii.
Through his first 11 games of the year, Williams has averaged 19.2 points, 2.7 rebounds, 2.2 assists and 1.1 steals on promising shooting splits of 49.6%/45%/90.3%. While his ability to score from all over the floor has been very intriguing, he has also made noticeable strides in drawing fouls, leading to almost guaranteed points from the free throw line. Continuing to post big scoring nights in conference play could be the key to his rise up draft boards, and his most recent performance against Hawaii offers hope that he could be ready.
In Nebraska’s 69-55 victory over Hawaii at the Hawaiian Airlines Diamond Head Classic, Williams finished with a season-high 32 points, along with two rebounds, three assists and two steals. He did an excellent job of staying in attack mode throughout the game, constantly hunting for open space to get off shots. His efficiency on high volume stood out as he shot 55.6% from the field while tying a season-high with 18 attempts. Williams also connected on 4-of-5 attempts from three-point range and earned eight attempts from the free throw line, where he did not miss.
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This game highlighted his off-ball movement, as he navigated to his spots on the perimeter and found clear lanes to the rim. He knocked down several threes by losing his man on screens, taking one dribble to solidify his looks and hitting the jumpers with impressive touch. While his movement off the ball looked strong, his mechanics on catch-and-shoot opportunities were also clean and consistent.
Outside of his scoring ability, Williams has areas to improve if he wants to earn a shot at the next level. While he has enough athleticism to elevate for jumpers and defend at a serviceable level in college, he will need to find other ways to become a more versatile player. His passing and rebounding have flashed at times this year, but the consistency has been lacking. These concerns also extend to his defense; while he can stay with ball-handlers at a decent rate, his lack of ground coverage and switchability remain concerns.
In summary, Brice Williams has proven to be one of the more underrated offensive prospects in this year’s draft class. His scoring ability, particularly his efficiency and versatility as a shooter, positions him as a potential high-ceiling player who could contribute immediately at the next level. While there are areas of his game—particularly his passing, rebounding and defense—that need further development, his recent performance against Hawaii demonstrates that he has the potential to be a game-changer when he’s locked in. If he can continue to improve in these areas and maintain his offensive production throughout conference play, Williams could very well see his stock rise as the draft approaches.
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Nebraska football landed a commitment from former Kentucky Wildcats receiver Dane Key on Tuesday afternoon. He is the tenth overall player to join Nebraska from the transfer portal.
He recorded 47 catches for 715 yards and two touchdowns last season. He had two games of at least 100 receiving yards in 2024. The first game was against Ohio on September 21. He caught seven passes for 145 yards in a contest. He followed that up with an eight-catch, 105-yard performance against the Ole Miss Rebels the following week.
Key gives the Huskers a veteran body in the wide receiver room. There is young talent to be had at the position. He will be able to provide production right now, as well as help bridge the gap between the freshman and upperclassmen wide receivers.
It will be interesting to see Key’s role in this offense moving into 2025. This was a solid get for a wide receiver room that continues loading up. The program landed another solid weapon for quarterback Dylan Raiola.
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Joining Miami (Ohio)’s Javon Tracy and UCLA’s Logan Loya, Nebraska transfer wide receiver Malachi Coleman has committed to play for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
He has three years of eligibility remaining.
Coleman was a high school All-American, a four-star prospect, and a Top 100 recruit according to 247 Sports. He saw the field as a true freshman with the Huskers, catching eight passes for 139 receiving yards and one touchdown, before redshirting this season as a sophomore. Coleman brings size and speed to the Gophers’ wide receiver room.
Coleman, Tracy, and Loya will all have the opportunity to stake their claim atop the depth chart at wide receiver, as Le’Meke Brockington and Cristian Driver are Minnesota’s only returning wide receivers with game experience.