How Every Nebraska Player Who Saw the Field on Offense Against Bowling Green Graded Out on PFF

Anthony Colandrea helped Nebraska operate at a high level Saturday night.

In the Huskers' (2-0) 56-7 victory over Bowling Green (0-2), NU totaled 546 yards from scrimmage and went 4-for-4 on touchdown drives in the red zone. The Big Red continued to move the ball seemingly at will against the Falcons after scoring seven touchdowns in its season debut.

In total, 33 different players recorded snaps on offense against Bowling Green. Here are their final snap counts and grades, courtesy of Pro Football Focus. (Go here for defensive grades.)

Quarterback

The aforementioned Colandrea continued to show that he can make plays that make the crowd jump to its feet. On Saturday night, the fourth-year signal-caller completed 20-of-24 passing attempts for 222 yards and four touchdowns while adding 33 yards rushing on four carries.

Though charged with an interception on the game's stat sheet, PFF did not fault Colandrea for the turnover. He also had zero passes batted down against the Falcons, while Husker wide receivers did not drop a single pass.

Colandrea accounted for three of NU's eight carries of 10-plus yards in Week 2. Sophomore quarterback TJ Lateef had another while completing 6-of-8 passing attempts for 60 yards and one score.

Running Back

NU's running back room was able to showcase its depth, as all six ball carriers on the Huskers' roster saw the field. Jamal Rule led the team in rushing, carrying the ball eight times for 88 yards and the third rushing touchdown of his collegiate career. His performance was capped by a 59-yard touchdown in the second quarter before he was pulled for the remainder of the game. Rule has now accounted for 257 all-purpose yards and four scores through six quarters of play.

Mekhi Nelson and Isaiah Mozee also carried the ball eight times. Nelson averaged six yards per attempt, finishing the night with 48 yards rushing and 34 yards on two receptions. Mozee totaled 55 rushing yards and a score while catching one pass for 14 yards.

Kwinten Ives, Connor Booth, and Vincent Genatone got their first offensive snaps of the 2026 season in Week 2. On a combined 14 offensive snaps, the trio of backs totaled five touches for 36 all-purpose yards and one score.

Wide Receiver

UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer and returning starter Jacory Barney Jr. continue to separate themselves from the rest of the pack. In Saturday's win, Barney finished with eight receptions on 10 targets for 115 receiving yards and two scores, while Gilmer matched that touchdown total, catching six passes for 39 yards of his own. The duo has now accounted for 24 receptions on 34 targets. The rest of the Huskers' wide receiver room has been targeted 11 times through two games, catching seven passes.

Even though offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen's comments earlier in the week about wanting to get Nyziah Hunter the ball more, he was targeted just twice, catching one pass for four yards. As stated in my observations from the game, it is not a problem just yet. However, NU will need to find a way to get one of its more talented and proven offensive skill-position players more involved.

Sophomore pass-catcher Cortez Mills saw the field for the first time this fall, while senior wideout Demitrius Bell recorded the first reception of his collegiate career. Quinn Clark is clearly the Big Red's first wide receiver off the bench, but he's caught just two passes for 16 yards in 2026.

Tight End/Fullback

Luke Lindenmeyer is clearly Nebraska's most trusted tight end option, recording 45 snaps against Bowling Green. After opening the season by catching two passes for 22 yards, the Nebraska native added another two receptions on three targets for 16 more in Week 2.

In somewhat surprising fashion, junior tight end Carter Nelson saw the second-most snaps, though he was not targeted in the passing game. Even so, it's clear that the Huskers are trying to ramp up his workload before Big Ten play arrives.

Despite a lack of production from the group, they've helped Nebraska's running backs account for 419 yards through the first eight quarters of play in 2026. The Big Red has looked like the more physically overwhelming team against its nonconference opponents thus far, as it should, and a large part of that success on the ground is the result of Marcus Satterfield's position group doing its job of opening up holes for them to run.

Offensive Line

NU's starting center, Justin Evans, has been elite through two weeks, recording a 71.0 overall grade against Ohio before seeing it jump to 78.4 against Bowling Green. On 130 offensive snaps, he has not allowed a sack, quarterback hit, or hurry while committing just one penalty. After not surrendering a single sack in 2025, he's proving to scouts why he entered the fall regarded as the No. 4 interior offensive lineman ahead of the 2027 NFL Draft.

For the second straight week, South Carolina transfer Tree Babalade was the first offensive lineman to take the field off the bench. He's played just 25 offensive snaps, but, like Evans, he hasn't allowed a sack, hurry, or quarterback hit. His performance, for the most part, has been exactly what NU has wanted to see from a trusted depth piece at the line of scrimmage. If he can continue that level of production, it will allow the offensive line to keep its players fresh without lowering the level of play.

PFF has charged Nebraska's offensive line with just five hurries, one sack, and three quarterback hits through the first eight quarters of 2026. The group has helped the Huskers total 1,069 yards of offense and 15 touchdowns in two games. That's not bad considering Nebraska welcomed in two new position coaches and two new starters this fall.

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