Three Reasons Why Nebraska Will Win; Three Reasons Why Nebraska Will Lose vs. North Dakota

First off, this is North Dakota, not North Dakota State, the FCS powerhouse now 3-0 in its first season of playing in the FBS. That’s probably a nice break for Nebraska.

North Dakota is no slouch. The Fighting Hawks are 3-0 but still an FCS school. The game is Saturday night (6:15, Big Ten Network) at Memorial Stadium. FanDuel has installed Nebraska as a 24.5-point favorite. The Huskers are coming off a 56-7 win over Bowling Green. North Dakota defeated Portland State, 47-23, on Saturday.

Each week, we’ll give you three reasons why the Huskers will win and three reasons why the Huskers will lose. We’ll give you reasons even if the odds seem insurmountable either way.

Why Nebraska will win

Anthony Colandrea, vroom vroom

Football is more than the quarterback, quarterback, quarterback. But in Nebraska’s case, Colandrea is the high-powered engine driving the offense. Sure, the competition isn’t what the Huskers will face soon enough in the Big Ten. But Colandrea has been everything the Huskers had hoped for when he transferred to Lincoln from UNLV.

Colandrea has completed 38-of-56 passes (67.9 percent) for 497 yards, seven touchdowns and one interception. He also has gained 56 yards on 14 attempts with one touchdown.

But more than numbers on a ledger sheet, Colandrea has infused the Huskers with confidence and swagger. They believe.

Nebraska’s defense

North Dakota moves the ball and puts points on the scoreboard. Stopping the Fighting Hawks — or at least slowing them down — must be a top priority for the Huskers’ defense. Don't blink because North Dakota's offense will be on the move.

North Dakota will be the biggest challenge the Huskers’ defense has seen in 2026. They know it, too, and if their focus and fundamentals are sharp, they should get the job done.

Nebraska running back Isaiah Mozee breaks off a gain against Bowling Green on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. — Nebraska running back Isaiah Mozee breaks off a gain against Bowling Green. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Confidence, momentum

Nebraska, not unexpectedly, has gotten off to an impressive 2-0 start and has taken over first place in the MAC.

The Huskers like what they have seen. The energetic Colandrea is clicking, the running attack looks varied and effective. The defense has been stout.

Expect Nebraska to carry that shot of adrenaline and confidence and momentum right into the Big Ten opener next week against Michigan State. The Huskers are on a roll, and North Dakota doesn’t have enough to stop them.

Why North Dakota will win

Quarterback Jerry Kaminski

He’s good. Kaminski has completed 77.2 percent of his passes (61-of-79), presenting a challenge for the Nebraska defense. He has 11 touchdown passes and two interceptions.

Kaminski won this summer’s Manning Passing Academy skills competition that featured 40 top FBS quarterbacks.

“Yeah, I mean, they’re a really, really, really good team,” Nebraska middle linebacker Owen Chambliss said in a news conference this week.

“Quarterback does a lot of really good things in terms of leading their team and extending plays out of the pocket.”

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said about Kaminski: “When you watch Kaminski, he’s got great weapons, they can get spread, then can drop back, they can throw the football.”

Running attack

Kaminski is complemented by a strong running game. Four North Dakota runners have at least 100 yards this season, led by Charles Langama, who has gained 254 yards on only 29 carries (8.8 average per attempt). North Dakota averages 251.3 yards per game on the ground.

North Dakota averages 540 yards and 50.3 points per game. The Fighting Hawks have allowed some points, too, an average of 23.3 per game. With Nebraska averaging 534.5 yards and 52.5 points per game, this could be a shootout. Nebraska has allowed 14 points per game.

“They are an elite running team — 12 personnel, 11 personnel, they can play-action off of it and play-action is a tremendous equalizer, they can throw the RPOs [run-pass options],” Rhule said.

Charles Langama carrying the ball — Charles Langama is averaging more than eight yards per carry for North Dakota. | North Dakota Athletics

North Dakota magic

North Dakota football teams are successful. Both the Fighting Hawks and the ND State Bison. They are excellent teams, well coached, with a heritage of winning.

That legacy means something. It might not indicate winning a night game in Lincoln. But it might mean playing a closer game than oddsmakers expect, and maybe taking the game into the anything-can-happen fourth quarter.

“Went to Kansas State, who I view as a pretty good program, and almost won there [North Dakota lost last year, 38-35],” Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said at a news conference this week.

Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen knows FCS schools can present a challenge. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

“There’s examples every year of FCS teams playing their tail off against [Power 4 teams] and I think it’s more motivated for those kids with transfer portal stuff, too. You know, they have an opportunity to play at this level and they want to show that they can play at this level.

“And that each and every one of those kids are going to come in with that mindset and that mentality. And then when you pair that with a winning program who’s used to winning, then it's a dangerous situation …

“And you got to fight your tail off because the longer that game goes on, the more hope those guys get. It’s just reality of what it is.”

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