Nebraska

Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Nebraska

Published

3 months ago

November 21, 2025

Staff Predictions: Penn State vs. Nebraska

It’s the final stretch, folks.

The Nittany Lions secured their first win in an emotional victory over Michigan State last week, bringing home the Land-Grant Trophy as well as interim head coach Terry Smith and quarterback Ethan Grunkemeyer’s first career wins.

Penn State hosts Nebraska in a must-win home finale on Saturday night. With a bowl game on the line, the Nittany Lions are riding a wave of momentum in hopes of bringing down the 7-3 Cornhuskers. Here’s how some of our staffers think Penn State will do on Senior Day.

Fernando Martinez Ruiz De Esparza (7-3): Penn State 27, Nebraska 17

The Nittany Lions will go out with a bang in their final game at Beaver Stadium.

Penn State finally won a game last week after a six-game losing streak and gave interim head coach Terry Smith his first win. It continues to play well with a lot of effort and grit, and the squad just had its best performance of the season. Despite the lost season, this team is still playing with a purpose as it looks to maintain bowl eligibility. They must win the remaining two games of the season to be bowl eligible, and I think we will see a Nittany Lion team that will be hungry for the win. With home-field advantage, Senior Day, and the momentum from last week’s win, Penn State has a lot of things going right for it heading into its final home game.

As for Nebraska, Matt Rhule has done a great job in rebuilding the program. It is 7-3 this season, and has great wins over teams like Cincinnati and Northwestern. However, the Cornhuskers lost their starting quarterback, Dylan Raiola, for the rest of the season due to injury, and will play this game with the backup quarterback, TJ Lateef. While they did beat UCLA in his first start, Raoila’s injury might be too much for the team to overcome, especially playing in an atmosphere like Beaver Stadium.

This will be a good game, but I think Penn State has been playing inspiring football since Terry Smith took over, and for that reason, the Nittany Lions win this game and keep their bowl eligibility alive heading into the season finale. Matt Rhule will learn why he shouldn’t have signed that extension with Nebraska.

Michael Zeno (7-3): Penn State 28, Nebraska 21

I’ve bought back in. Terry Smith ain’t losing another game. Nebraska, with its newly extended coach, might have a better record and a bowl game secured, but they are without starting quarterback Dylan Raiola. Their backup fared well against UCLA, but this Penn State defense has been ruthless the last two weeks.

Jim Knowles needs to keep dialing up the pressure, and Nittany Nation needs to bring it. No Thanksgiving slumber, go out and beat the Cornhuskers and set up a battle for bowl eligibility in New Brunswick next week.

CJ Gill (7-3): Penn State 31, Nebraska 24

Terry Smith is coaching the Nittany Lions this Saturday, not Matt Rhule. And that’s a good thing for Penn State fans everywhere. Smith and the guys are coming off a much-needed win last week on the road at Michigan State, and the blue and white will use the momentum to get another win against the Huskers under the lights at Beaver Stadium on Senior Day.

Both teams are on their backup quarterback at this stage in the season, but I don’t expect the offenses to struggle to score points. Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton are both hungry as they are chasing program records. Penn State’s defense will need to do its best to contain Nebraska running back Emmett Johnson through four quarters if the Nittany Lions want Rhule to leave his alma mater with a loss.

Jamie Lynch (4-6): Penn State 35, Nebraska 21

I think Penn State is going to shine on Saturday. The pencil is sharp, and the team will continue to write its story.

Under the lights at Beaver Stadium, this group will keep proving to the world that they are not quitters. Look for the players to feed off the crowd energy, and for the defense to maintain its upward trajectory. I expect a strong offensive showing as well, with Kaytron Allen wanting to break the rushing record on his home turf.

Jason Perry (3-3): Penn State 31, Nebraska 24

I want to start by congratulating Terry Smith on his first win as head coach. No matter what direction Penn State decides to go next year, it would be nice to keep Smith on the staff. After he leads the team to another win this Saturday night, and there’s no doubt in my mind that he will, he has a strong case to keep that head coaching job for himself.

Nebraska will not be an easy opponent by any means, but I’m confident in this Nittany Lion defense to shut down a team that hasn’t scored more than 30 points in a game since early October and is playing with a backup quarterback. If the offense plays like it did against Michigan State, I expect Penn State to walk out of Beaver Stadium with the win.

Brandon Collica (4-0): Penn State 27, Nebraska 20

Penn State, coming off a big win against Michigan State, will look to continue its newfound streak against the Cornhuskers of Nebraska. Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is out for the season, which will lead to the Nittany Lions’ victory and Terry Smith’s second career win.

Karlee Feger (3-1): Penn State 21, Nebraska 10

I think Penn State is going to close out its last home game on top. Coming off an exciting win for coach Terry Smith, this team has a new fire. As Grunkemeyer gains more confidence each game and Kaytron Allen is creeping in on becoming the all-time career rushing yards leader for a Penn State running back, this team is more motivated than ever to finish the season strong.

Brian Kriley (1-1): Penn State 24, Nebraska 10

Penn State was able to finally gain momentum and secure its first Big Ten win last week. Most of the Nittany Lion offense went through Kaytron Allen on the ground, and they should be able to keep that going against a bad Nebraska run defense. Ethan Grunkemeyer is looking more comfortable as he gets more in-game reps, and he should be fine enough to manage the game. On the other side of the ball, Penn State’s defense has had a really strong last couple of games. With a backup quarterback, I don’t see Nebraska getting much going on offense, and Penn State should be able to send the Cornhuskers packing with a comfortable win on Senior Day.

Ericka Apolskis (1-2): Penn State 27, Nebraska 10

Nittany Lions by a million.

Melanie Thalhimer (0-2): Penn State 28, Nebraska 14

After the emotions of last week’s win, I’m hopeful the Nittany Lions can pull off another one. Penn State was able to build solid momentum on both offense and defense, so if they carry that same energy into Saturday, I’m confident the team can give coach Terry Smith and the seniors one last win at Beaver Stadium.

Alexander Holmes (0-0): Penn State 17, Nebraska 10

The soon-to-be chilly night game at Beaver Stadium between Penn State and Nebraska should be exciting. This quarterback battle will be something no one wants to miss between Ethan Grunkemeyer behind the Penn State offense and the true freshman TJ Lateef behind the Nebraska offense. I believe Penn State wins this game 17-10. I don’t think the game will be high-scoring, primarily because of Penn State’s elite defense, but also because the Nittany Lions’ offense hasn’t been as hot as we’d like.

Oscar Orellana (4-6): Penn State 24, Nebraska 13

Penn State will build off its momentum gained against Michigan State and pull within one game of bowl qualification. The Nittany Lions will roll into Beaver Stadium for one last ride in 2025 behind Terry Smith while celebrating their seniors. It’ll be a special and emotional night for Penn State, which is why I think the boys will pull out the win. Kaytron will go for 150+ to break the all-time rushing record at home.

Cooper Cazares (4-6): Penn State 24, Nebraska 20

Penn State is riding a wave of momentum right now. With their back against the wall in a night game at Beaver Stadium, the Nittany Lions will roll to their second straight win on Saturday night. #BackItUpTerr #CoachT

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Nebraska

Legislative committee hears proposals to regulate AI chatbots

Published

47 minutes ago

February 9, 2026

Press Room

Legislative committee hears proposals to regulate AI chatbots

Sen. Eliot Bostar is the sponsor of legislation (LB1185) that would require providers of conversational artificial intelligence, or AI services, to disclose to users under 18 that they are not human. Such disclosures would have to be made at the start of each session and at least every three hours after that. Providers would also be required to avoid providing sexual content or simulating romantic relationships. And if users talk about self-harm or suicide, providers would have to make “reasonable efforts” to refer them to suicide hotlines or other appropriate services.

Among those supporting the bill in the hearing before the Banking, Commerce and Insurance Committee was author Mary Pipher, a clinical psychologist and author of Letters to a Young Therapist. Pipher reflected on changes in society since 2004.

“Social media was really just getting started. Cell phones came in in 2007 so the changes between 2004 and 2016 were significant. But since 2016 till now, we’ve had the rise of AI and chatbots. We’ve had the COVID pandemic, and we’ve had a rapidly changing culture that presents all of us with unique challenges that humans have never faced before,” Pipher said.

Support also came from representatives of Google and from Emily Allen of Tech Nebraska, part of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Allen said the bill takes a reasonable approach.

“We view this bill as a constructive starting point for what we often call smart regulation, policy that protects people while still allowing innovation to move forward,” Allen said. “Tech and in this case, AI, is evolving faster than any legislative body can realistically keep pace with. That being said, this bill reflects a good faith effort to put reasonable guardrails in place.”

No one spoke against the bill.

The committee also heard another bill (LB1083), which would require large chatbot developers or providers to take measures to protect public safety and children, and disclose how they assess and manage such risks.

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Nebraska

Cold weather grasshopper reappears in Nebraska after over a century

Published

13 hours ago

February 9, 2026

Press Room

Cold weather grasshopper reappears in Nebraska after over a century

The “whole time” is almost uncomfortably accurate. As he mapped each colony, Brust overlaid them on the habitats of the state’s glacial relict fish populations; in other words, those that have been present since the Ice Age glaciers have retreated.

Wherever he found the fish, he’d find the hopper.

“It has everything to do with the cold water system,” he said, “That water is keeping the environment cold enough for that fish to survive.”

But those environments and the grasshoppers therein could be in danger if the state endures milder and milder winters.

“You know, there is cause for concern, especially as climate change keeps warming things up,” he said. “These are already a cool weather species, they’ll probably become even more and more limited.”

Brust is also concerned that human intervention may cause some habitat destruction.

“We could see a change in land use, drainage of some habitat areas, and I’m especially concerned, here in Nebraska, about invasive grasses,” he added.

The northern spur-throat eats only a handful of specific native plants.

However, Brust said the good news is that the species isn’t extinct, or even declining yet, and he’s hoping that its resurgence and growth can prove to be a bellwether for the state’s cold-weather ecosystems.

“The number of these wetland sites that I surveyed thoroughly versus how many are out there in the Sandhills, and how extensive they are, I’d bet there’s probably five to 10 times more out there than I accounted for,” Brust said.

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Nebraska

The western US is in a significant ‘snow drought’: what it means for neighbors in Nebraska and Iowa

Published

1 day ago

February 8, 2026

Press Room

The western US is in a significant ‘snow drought’: what it means for neighbors in Nebraska and Iowa

You may not be surprised, but winter in Nebraska and Iowa has been dry…again.

On average, we see about 16″ of snow up to early February. This winter, Omaha has received 6.5″. Not as bad as last year, but nowhere near our seasonal average. We are in a ‘snow drought’, but we are not alone.

The hotspots for snow this year have been to our east and south, leaving much of the western US high and dry. In fact, the Rocky Mountain states of Colorado, Utah, Wyoming, and Montana are experiencing some of the driest winters on record.

Why is this? Ridging in the atmosphere has kept winter storms away from the west and favored the east. Likewise, a series of rainstorms in early January melted much of the snowpack, which means less to melt come spring.

You can see this in these two images. The first shows the “snow water equivalent (SWE)” over the west, which is the water content in the snowpack. The numbers are in %. Anything below 100% is below average, anything above 100% is above average. This time last year, much of the West was seeing above-average snowpacks.

USDA

2025 Snow Water Equivalent numbers over the western United States.

This year, nearly every station is well below average.

2026 SWE in West.png — 2026 Snow Water Equivalent map for the western United States

This is shown in the satellite imagery of the western US snowpack. Last year, the snowpack was quite healthy.

2025 Satellite Image.jpg — Satellite image from 2025 depicting a healthy snowpack over the western US (NOTE: Some of the white is due to cloud cover)

This year, it’s a much different story, with only the tallest mountains having any snow.

2026 Satellite Image.jpg — Satellite image from 2026 depicting a barren snowpack over the western US (NOTE: Some of the white is due to cloud cover)

So, what does this mean for Nebraska and Iowa? In the short-term, disappointed skiiers, sledders, and kids, alongside happy drivers.

However, in the long term, the lack of moisture out west could be a serious concern.

Take the Platte River in Nebraska. The Platte gets a lot of its water from snow runoff in Colorado and Wyoming. If those states see little snow, there is less water that flows into the river. Since the reservoirs in Nebraska are already low, this could create some water issues come the summer.

Likewise, runoff into the Missouri River will be lower, with the Army Corps of Engineers predicting a lower runoff in 2026. This could impact river levels, which widens into impacted river travel & recreational activities.

While this sounds doom and gloom now, it’s only early February. We are just entering the snowiest time of the season for many of these places. All we need is a pattern change, and the snow issues out west could go away. Time will tell.

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