Today is the 4 of July and the United States is celebrating 250 years of independence. Fifty years ago, 1976, we celebrated our 200th year of Independence. For some reason it seemed like a much bigger deal then. Was it because I was only 16, was their more American pride, did the word bicentennial make it sound better, what was it? I’m not sure, but yes, it was a much bigger deal.
After the 1970-71 seasons Nebraska football also became a big deal. Over the next 30 years it brought more notoriety to the state of Nebraska than anything else. There was no place across the fifty states you could go wearing a red ball cap with a big white ‘N’ on it without someone seeing it and saying, “Cornhuskers.”
In 1976 American manufacturing companies celebrated the bicentennial with creating commemorative models of almost everything made. There were tractor companies that made bicentennial-colored machines with red, white, and blue hoods lined with stars. Every major automobile company had a model with a flag-colored paint scheme or interior along with commemorative badging. Coca-Cola was just one of the soda companies that had a commemorative colored can. McDonalds made red, white, and blue milkshakes. The Dallas Cowboys, self-proclaimed as America’s team, added a red stripe to their helmet to go along with the current white and blue stripe. The 1976 Super Bowl, one of the first major sporting events of the new year, saw the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Dallas Cowboys wear official American Revolution Bicentennial patches on their jerseys. Everybody attended the party.
So, yea, it was a big deal. And yes, even after 26 downtrodden years, people still recognize the red cap with the white block ‘N’. I was recently in Vancouver, Canada when I guy saw me and hollered, “Nebraska.” And yes, he was a local.
But things have changed, and this year companies and citizens alike seem to be lukewarm on the 250th birthday of the USA. And likewise, nobody in college football is talking about Nebraska either.
I can’t be sure why no one is talking more about the USA’s 250 birthday but maybe it has something to do with the current hot product, marketing, and making money. Right now, that’s FIFA or soccer’s Federation International Football Association.
Let’s face it, if you’re Coca-Cola there is more money to be made selling your product to the world rather than the just the United States. Everywhere you go FIFA is being followed and talked about, and why not. With the 2026 World Cup being played in three countries, Mexico, Canada, and the United States, and with 16 cities hosting games, 11 of those located in the US, it makes sense. Especially with the United States still in the game.
So, why all the 250th birthday talk about flying under the radar?
Because that’s exactly what’s going on with Nebraska football in 2026. Nobody is talking about the Huskers this coming season. Not even head coach Matt Rhule who always seems to add some hype before the season gets underway. In his year one, we saw all the videos showing us everything the team was doing, and his, “If we die, we die” speech. In listening, we were already counting the wins in Rhule’s year three. We finished 5-7.
In year two we saw mat drills and all the ‘Chasing 3’ videos. Yet, we had to win the Pinstripe Bowl to finish 7-6.
In year three, the videos died down, but we saw an influx of NFL coaching and a quote from Rhule about the defensive line being, “Hell on wheels.” And yes, it was year three, time for double digit wins. But a sinking November and a loss in the bowl left us finishing 7-6.
So, what do fans want from Rhule and his Huskers in 2026? How about a little less talk and a little more action, because flying under the radar is a good thing.
There could be no better story than the USA winning the 2026 World Cup, it would hands down, be the biggest story of the year. But how big would it be in the state of Nebraska if they made the college football playoffs? I won’t get carried away and suggest winning the Big Ten title or the National Championship. That would be mythical Indiana stuff.
But just like the 4th of July, I see Nebraska making some big noise this season. Everybody thinks I’m crazy. They ask, “Have you seen the schedule?” Yes, I have and it doesn’t scare me. In fact, it’s set up perfectly for the Huskers to jump out to a possible 5-0 start, building continuity and confidence. They also could have the opportunity to play six opponents ranked in the Top 25 at the time they meet, in Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Illinois, Ohio State, and Iowa. Each of those games supply plenty of material to make some big booms.
And like the 4th, the Huskers have all the tools for explosive plays. For defenses, defending quarterback Anthony Colandrea will be like picking up that duct taped homemade tin can bomb that didn’t go off. It’s a tricky proposition. Call his play unscripted or unpredictable, either way you know it isn’t safe.
As of now we don’t know if running back Mekhi Nelson will be playing, but we’ve already seen he has the potential to burn defenses. Ask Utah about his 38-yard flash for a touchdown. It may not be Nelson, but we’ve seen Isiah Mozee and freshman Jamar Rule have the same ability to burn defenses.
And while you won’t find the names of any Husker players on preseason lists for best wide receiver group, there isn’t a team out there that wouldn’t take two or three of Nebraska’s wide receivers and plug them in to theirs. We’ve seen Jacory Barney explode as both a wide receiver and a kick returner. Nyziah Hunter has taken on the look of a bottle rocket on screen passes and split defenses wide open. And new addition, Kwazi Gilmer fits right in, creating a show that defender’s eyes will have trouble following. Just call Barney, Hunter, and Gilmer the “Smoke Show Trio”.
But it doesn’t end there, add Quinn Clark and Cortez Mills. We’ve seen Clark smoke bomb his way down the middle deep and Mills has put on more than one fireworks display. And the percussion guy nobody talks about or remembers but is all boom, Janiran Bonner will bust some eardrums this fall. And the guy behind the Big Red Fireworks Factory, Dana Holgorsen, giggling and saying, “watch this, watch them scatter,” as he lights up another play from his arsenal.
Yes, it’s the 4th of July and nobody is really talking about the 250th birthday of the USA like they were 200. And nobody is talking about Nebraska making any noise in 2026. That’s okay, because sometimes it’s better to fly under the radar, burst into the open and drop a bomb nobody saw coming.
GO BIG RED!! SIMPLE, FAST, VIOLENT!!
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