Nebraska Football Earns Top 25 Nod in Coaches, AP Polls After Colorado Win

After a five-year absence from the rankings, the Huskers earned a Top 25 nod in both major college football polls after defeating rival Colorado at Memorial Stadium on Saturday.

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers tight end Luke Lindenmeyer celebrates with fans after defeating the Colorado Buffaloes at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Saturday featured a near-perfect storm for Nebraska football to climb back into the national conversation. A rambunctious night atmosphere at Memorial Stadium, a victory over the rival Colorado Buffaloes, and a series of top 25 defeats land the Cornhuskers back both of college football's major polls.

The Huskers followed up their Week One victory over UTEP with a resounding 28-10 drubbing of Colorado, securing more national recognition along the way. The 2-0 start for NU has placed them in the top 25 of both the USA Today Coaches Poll and the Associated Press Top 25.

The Big Red were placed at No. 24 in the Coaches poll and No. 23 in the AP. It is the Huskers' first appearance in the major polls since 2019.

Nebraska had been receiving votes in both polls since the preseason, but finally edged into the national rankings with the help of losses by formerly ranked teams. No. 20/19 Kansas lost to Illinois 23-17, No. 24 North Carolina State dropped to Tennessee 51-10, and No. 21 Iowa lost on a last-second field goal to in-state rival Iowa State 20-19.

Iowa State players celebrate with the Cy-Hawk trophy after defeating Iowa Saturday, Sept. 7, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

Nebraska was one of the few Big Ten teams to climb the polls after Week Two, as Ohio State (No. 2 Coaches, No. 3 AP), Oregon (No. 6 Coaches, No. 9 AP), and Michigan (No. 16 Coaches, No. 17 AP) all fell despite mixed results. Ohio State hammered Western Michigan 56-0, while Oregon edged past Boise State 37-34. Michigan was blasted by No. 2 Texas 31-12 in Ann Arbor.

Other Big Ten teams featured in the polls include Penn State (No. 7 Coaches, No. AP) and USC (No. 11 Coaches/AP). Washington was also voted to No. 22 in the Coaches poll.

Illinois, Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan State, an Indiana all received at least a vote. The Big Ten Conference featured seven teams in the Coaches poll while six teams were included in the AP. The SEC leads college football with eight teams included in both major polls.

Sep 7, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) dives over the pile for a touchdown against the Colorado Buffaloes during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

As of the Week Two rankings, Nebraska has only two remaining contests against top 25 teams; at Ohio State on Oct. 26 and at Southern California on Nov. 16. Nebraska's next contest is a home battle against FCS foe Northern Iowa on Saturday.

MORE: Big Ten Football Week 2 Capsules

MORE: Stukenholtz: Nebraska Football's Road Back to National Relevance

MORE: WATCH: Nebraska Football Quarterback Dylan Raiola Meets with the Media Following Colorado Win

MORE: WATCH: Nebraska Football Coach Matt Rhule Meets with the Media Following Colorado Win

MORE: Tad Stryker: Blackshirts Pack a Punch

---

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following HuskerMax on X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.