Nebraska
Vanderbilt braces for a ‘road game’ in NCAA Tournament as Nebraska fans flood Oklahoma City
OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — Vanderbilt coach Mark Byington expects a hostile environment when the Commodores play Nebraska on Saturday in the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
Byington is well aware of how Nebraska’s fans flooded Oklahoma City’s Paycom Center for a first-round game. A sea of red witnessed history on Thursday as Pryce Sandfort led the fourth-seeded Cornhuskers (27-6) to a 76-47 victory over Troy for their first-ever tournament win.
Byington said his fifth-seeded Commodores (27-8) will need to stay connected and lean on their experience to deal with the atmosphere. The arena is just a six-hour drive from Nebraska’s campus in Lincoln, and Cornhusker fans took advantage by creating a caravan down Interstate 35.
“I think it’s neutral by name only,” Byington said. “This is going to be a road game. I heard reports. They said it was even better than the home games in Nebraska — the noise, the environment.”
Nebraska entered March Madness as the only team from a power conference without an NCAA Tournament win. Now, the loyal fanbase wants more. Nebraska guard Sam Hoiberg believes the crowd could be more intense on Saturday.
“I think it’s going to be maybe even louder, because people are going to be off work and come down for the weekend,” he said. “Yeah, we fully expect to have another amazing crowd, but you can’t rely on that to win a game. You have to still execute and focus on the game plan.”
Vanderbilt, which rallied to defeat McNeese in the first round on Thursday, has faced tough environments this season, and things have not gone well. The Commodores played Southeastern Conference road games against NCAA Tournament teams Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee and came out of those contests with a 1-4 record.
Big Red shenanigans
Hoiberg addressed a Nebraska fan jumping into the Bricktown Canal in downtown Oklahoma City on Thursday night.
“I saw one guy jumped in the canal last night,” he said. “Yeah, they (Nebraska fans) took over. It’s almost like they didn’t want the day to end, you know? That was fun to see all that stuff, although I’m guessing he got in a little bit of trouble for doing that.”
‘Better and better’
VCU has kept winning since mid-February, including a run through the Atlantic 10 Tournament to get a bid to March Madness and set up its massive comeback from 19 down to beat sixth-seeded North Carolina in overtime. And coach Phil Martelli Jr. had a clear message about what could be ahead for his 11th-seeded Rams (28-7) entering Saturday’s second-round game against Illinois.
“What I told those guys is every time you win in March, the wins feel better and better and better as you go along,” Martelli said. “Last night felt pretty good. Winning the championship felt good. Last night felt a little bit better.
“I told them, if you want to feel a pretty sweet feeling, you go get No. 2 tomorrow.”
That said, the pressing challenge is stopping an offense ranked No. 1 in KenPom’s adjusted offensive efficiency by averaging 131.7 points per 100 possessions.
“One thing I know about these guys is they’ve responded to every challenge and they’ll be ready to go,” Martelli said.
The third-seeded Fighting Illini (25-8) faced the least drama of any winner in Thursday’s four first-round games in Greenville, South Carolina. Illinois advanced with a 105-70 win against Penn after shooting 50% and making 15 of 36 3s (.417), while the Illini dominated the glass (48-25) with their size.
“We have so many versatile players on the team that we kind of spaced the floor, and we were able to pick the defense apart with our skill,” guard Andrej Stojakovic said.
This is Illinois’ sixth consecutive NCAA bid. The Illini have failed to reach the second weekend in four of the previous five years, the outlier being a run to the Elite Eight two years ago before falling to UConn on the Huskies’ romp to a second straight national title.
Another Cinderella run?
VCU looks to add to its long history of tournament upsets.
Illinois is a 10 1/2-point against VCU, favorite according to BetMGM. But VCU has a long history of pulling shockers during March Madness.
In 2011, the 11th-seeded Rams got all the way to the Final Four, defeating No. 3 seed Purdue and No. 1 seed Kansas along the way. In 2007, No. 11 seed VCU knocked off No. 6 Duke in the first round. In 2012, No. 12 VCU defeated No. 5 Wichita State in the first round.
Almost home
Houston is one win from going back home for the Sweet 16.
The Cougars (29-6) will face Texas A&M (22-11) in the second round Saturday in Oklahoma City. If they win, they would then need two wins at the Toyota Center in Houston — just a few miles from campus — to return to the Final Four.
The Cougars have fought the urge to look ahead from the moment the brackets were announced. They looked focused when they rolled past Idaho 78-47 in the first round on Thursday.
They’ll face a tough Aggies team that defeated Saint Mary’s 63-50 on Thursday.
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AP Sports Writer Aaron Beard contributed from Greenville, South Carolina.
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AP March Madness bracket: https://apnews.com/hub/ncaa-mens-bracket and coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/march-madness
Heading into a football season brimming with uncertainty, Nebraska is building toward training camp. Spring heading into summer is the time for self-assurance and conviction.
Confidence is the coin of the realm in the offseason.
Here, in mid-June, let’s look at two reasons Huskers’ fans can feel confident about 2026, and two reasons for pessimism.
2 reasons for optimism
1. New quarterback
Excitement overflows about a new quarterback and what he can bring. The big arm; the mobility; the fearlessness to run the ball, to keep plays alive and pick up drive-sustaining first downs.
Anthony Colandrea brings impressive credentials to Lincoln after two seasons at Virginia, and last year when he was the Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year at UNLV.
Colandrea’s strength is his accuracy while throwing on the run, on rollouts, on pass-run options, while under pressure. That style tends to reduce sacks, a problem last season when Dylan Raiola was sacked 30 times.
But, the caveat.
Isn’t this what they call a double-edged sword?
A new quarterback also could be a reason for concern. Despite Colandrea’s obvious confidence, no one knows how he will adjust to the Big Ten’s bigger stage. Colandrea will face Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon, among others, this season.
He didn’t face anywhere near that level of competition last season.
You get the point.
After the Huskers’ first three games, it’s all Big Ten games the rest of the way. As Big Ten schedules go, Nebraska has a brutal one. This isn’t the Mountain West, son, a nice conference for sure, but, well.
Still, the Huskers hope Colandrea will be an upgrade from Raiola and that his athleticism will result in more points. It’s June and we’ll take the optimistic approach with Colandrea.
2. New coaches
Matt Rhule wasn’t happy with how the Huskers finished last season and he shouldn’t have been. Nebraska’s 5-1 start disintegrated into a 7-6 finish that included blowout losses in the last three games (to Penn State, Iowa and Utah).
Rhule, starting his fourth season in Lincoln, made changes in the offseason, moves believed to be necessary. Rhule went ahead and made sweeping changes on both sides of the ball.
New coaches include defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, who brings sterling credentials from San Diego State. Geep Wade (Georgia Tech) is now the offensive line coach. Roy Manning (San Diego State) coaches the edge rushers.
As with a new quarterback, you never know when there is drastic change. Doubts about chemistry and technique are natural. These three coaching changes — and there were others — were made to address obvious shortcomings in 2025.
These new coaches were brought in not just to fix the errors of the past but to make notable improvements in their area of expertise.
Questions remain about Rhule, who is 19-19 at Nebraska, but is armed with a long-term contract. Is Rhule the right guy? Is 19-19 good enough after three seasons? Has he shown the capacity to win — and win big — at Nebraska? Winning big is the expectation.
For now, let’s feel optimistic. It’s June, right?
2 reasons for concern
1. Running back room
After last season, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen spoke with confidence about his 2026 running back room.
Holgorsen didn’t seem concerned that the Huskers hadn’t yet added a running back in the portal. He talked up the players in the building, especially Mekhi Nelson.
With Big Ten Running Back of the Year Emmett Johnson sitting out the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah to prepare for the NFL, Nelson gained 88 yards on 12 carries and a touchdown. Nelson also had three receptions for 43 yards.
Holgorsen also complimented Isaiah Mozee, Kwinten Ives, and true freshman Jamal Rule.
“He’s [Mozee] going to get better and better,” Holgorsen said at the news conference. “Kwinten Ives, everybody’s mad about our short-yardage run game including me. He was 4-for-4 on short-yardage third downs in the bowl game.
“He took a step in December. If he would’ve went the other way, we might have went out and got somebody but he showed promise.”
Promise and opportunity are admirable. Replacing Emmett Johnson is an enormous task. Johnson was the fourth-leading rusher in the nation with 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns. He also led the Huskers’ with 46 receptions.
Johnson gained extra yards out of nothing. He broke tackles. His cutbacks were amazing to watch and they effectively gained yards. Another concern: The Huskers will be working with a rebuilt offensive line run by a new offensive line coach.
Add it all up: It’s a reason for pessimism.
2. Run defense
An improved run defense might be Nebraska’s top priority. A national publication said Aurich’s hiring was Nebraska’s best offseason move.
The Huskers need it.
Nebraska’s run defense was at its worst when it counted the most. Nebraska ranked 133rd in the nation in red-zone defense. On 38 trips to the red zone, opponents scored an astounding 37 times — 30 touchdowns and seven field goals. Twenty-four of the touchdowns were on the ground.
Nebraska ranked 98th nationally in rushing defense, allowing 175.4 yards per game.
Until proven otherwise, Nebraska’s run defense is a major cause of pessimism.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
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KEARNEY, Neb.(KSNB) — Local organizations played a critical role in supporting firefighters during recent Nebraska grass fires, with Hot Meals USA providing food to crews battling the blazes.
Hot Meals USA responds to disasters after receiving a phone call.
“Any natural disaster or human disaster, and we are invited in, we go and feed people,” Brenda Cochran said. Cochran is manager of Hot Meals USA.
Cochran said mobilizing volunteers is not a problem when the community is in need. The organization deployed to Ogallala during the fires.
“We had people show up at 5 a.m. or 5:30 a.m.,” Cochran said. “We had people stay the majority of the day.”
Lorena Beckius said the Ogallala team handled the Morrill Fire while North Platte covered the Cottonwood Fire.
“At that point I didn’t know what we were signing up for, but you know as district governor when there is a situation, and something happens like you just step in without even thinking,” Beckius said.
Workers prepared 600 meals three times a day.
Grand Island Rural Fire Chief Mike Keene was among those fighting the fire. He said the meal service was essential.
“We don’t have time to go to a store before we leave to head out west,” Keene said. “I mean we are out there for 48 hours. Without them, we won’t be able to do what we do.”
Janet McKee said the organization maintains readiness for deployment.
“We have to prepare because we go whenever we are called,” McKee said. “So, it could be here in Nebraska or anywhere in the country.”
Beckius said volunteers appreciated the response from firefighters.
“They like how everyone greeted them with smiles so it was a great opportunity to be part of it,” Beckius said.
Information about volunteering with Hot Meals USA is available online.
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Copyright 2026 KSNB. All rights reserved.
The Kansas City pipeline continues to produce for the Big Red.
On Saturday afternoon, three-star wide receiver Justyn Lindsay of Blue Springs High School in Blue Springs, Mo., announced his commitment to the Huskers. The 6-foot-3, 175-pound pass-catcher chose Nebraska over five other Division I schools.
Here’s the latest on the newest addition to NU’s 2027 recruiting class.
Other Schools in the Race
Surprisingly, Lindsay flew under the radar for much of his recruitment. In fact, Nebraska became the first program to offer him after a standout performance on the camp circuit last summer. Since then, Lindsay had made four unofficial visits to Lincoln, more than any other school.
The Missouri native returned to Nebraska to camp over the weekend of June 5, earning an invitation to officially visit campus the following week. After making yet another trip to Lincoln, the 6-foot-3 rising senior ultimately pledged to the Big Red.
Lindsay was also scheduled to officially visit Kent State on June 19, though that trip will likely no longer take place. For the Huskers, the pledge provides a second addition to the wide receiver room in the 2027 class. For Lindsay, it presents an opportunity to continue proving himself at the highest level of college football.
A Weird Turn at Wideout
Following the commitment flip of three-star pass-catcher Kaden Howard, Nebraska appeared to have his replacement lined up in the form of four-star wide receiver Matthew Gregory of Pottstown, Pennsylvania. However, in a surprising turn of events, Gregory this week announced his commitment to UCLA.
That left the Big Red in an unusual position, especially considering they hold a commitment from five-star quarterback Trae Taylor. Even with perhaps the nation’s best signal-caller in the fold, NU continued to see several of its top wide receiver targets come off the board.
In Lindsay, the Huskers appear to have steadied the ship. With 18 wide receivers already on the roster, Nebraska did not necessarily need to land the highest-rated prospect available. Instead, the Big Red had the flexibility to take a chance on a player they clearly believe has significant upside. Given Lindsay’s athletic profile and familiarity with the program, that appears to be exactly what they did.
2027 Wide Receiver Class
Before Lindsay’s decision, Antayvious Ellis was the Huskers’ only verbal pledge at wideout for 2027. The three-star pass-catcher, originally from Crowley, Texas, announced his decision to transfer to Millard South (NE) ahead of his senior year.
Listed at 6-foot, 175 pounds, Ellis is definately on the smaller side, but has the athleticism needed to player bigger than his frame suggests. Still, NU wanted to pair him with another option within the class.
Ellis will finish his prep career as a teammate with Taylor. Together, the two will look to bring another NSAA Class A state championship to the Patriots before joining the Big Red in the spring of 2027.
Huskers Wide Receiver Outlook Following 2026
Nebraska’s wide receiver room in 2026 is one of the deepest (apparent) position groups on the team. Eighteen players are listed on scholarship ahead of this fall, with only two of them expected to exhaust their eligibility this season.
The Huskers’ junior pass-catcher class headlines the room. Returning starters Jacory Barney Jr. and Nyziah Hunter are expected to be joined by UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer as the top group. Others expected to factor in include Janiran Bonner, Cortez Mills, and Quinn Clark, but the room could see as many as double-digit players take snaps in the fall.
Four receiver signed with Nebraska in the 2026 recruiting class: Nalin Scott, Larry Miles, Maurice Purify II, and Jamari Brown. Each of the four was regarded as a three-star recruit in the final 247Sports rankings.
Wide Receivers on Roster:
- Sr: Janiran Bonner
- Sr: Roman Mangini
- Jr: Jacory Barney Jr.
- Jr: Nyziah Hunter
- Jr: Kwazi Gilmer
- Jr: Demetrius Bell
- So: Quinn Clark
- So: Cortez Mills
- So: Keelan Smith
- So: Connor Schutt
- So: Hayes Miller
- So: DJ Singleton Jr.
- RFr: Jackson Carpenter
- RFr: Jeremiah Jones
- Fr: Larry Miles
- Fr: Nalin Scott
- Fr: Maurice Purify II
- Fr: Jamari Brown
What Lindsay’s Commitment Means
Even though the Huskers have had one of the top signal-callers in the 2027 recruiting class committed for over a year, NU has struggled convincing pass-catchers to join him in Lincoln. With Lindsay, that is no longer the case.
Lindsay’s commitment won’t make national headlines, but he’s performed well enough to impress the Husker staff. More importantly, they’ve now seen him perform with their own eyes multiple times.
Upon the Missouri native’s decision, he became the 17th addition to the Big Red’s 2027 recruiting class. When everything is said and done, NU will likely have north of 20 prospects added to its ranks. The future in Lincoln is bright. The continued success on the recruiting trail only argues that further. Carrying that momentum over to the defensive side of the ball will be the Huskers’ staff’s next task.
Let’s see if it can be done.
Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, subscribing to HuskerMax on YouTube and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.
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