Saturday, September 5
Lincoln, NE
12 p.m. ET
at
Nebraska
Ohio Football Set to Open 2026 Season at Nebraska
9/1/2026 11:45:00 AM | Football
FOLLOW OHIO FOOTBALL: Facebook | Twitter | Instagram
Â
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team is set to open the 2026 season when it takes on Nebraska on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET and can be seen on Fox Sports One with Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman on the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on The Varsity Sports Network. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannnister is reprising his role as Ohio's play-by-play broadcaster. Bannister will be joined by color analyst Rob Cornelius, who has been part of the broadcasts for more than two decades.
Â
SERIES HISTORY VS. NEBRASKA
This will be the first matchup between the Bobcats and Cornhuskers, but the two schools have a shared history with former head coach Frank Solich. Solich spent 41 seasons at Nebraska as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. Solich led the Cornhuskers to a 58-19 record, the 1999 Big 12 Championship, and a berth in the 2001 BCS National Championship Game. Following his time at Nebraska, Solich joined the Ohio Bobcats coaching staff in 2005, and was head coach until 2020. Solich was the winningest coach in MAC history, with 115 overall wins and the second most conference wins with 77. Solich coached the Bobcats to 11 bowl appearances and the first five bowl victories in program history.
Â
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska enters the 2026 season after finishing 7-6 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play in 2025, averaging 23.5 points, 154.5 rushing yards, and 218.8 passing yards per game. The Cornhuskers will be led by junior quarterback Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from UNLV who earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2025. Ohio is familiar with Colandrea after holding him to 184 passing yards and an interception in a 17-10 victory over UNLV in last season's Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl. Protecting Colandrea will be senior center Justin Evans, an experienced lineman with 31 career starts.
Junior wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. returns as one of Nebraska's top offensive threats after recording 45 catches for 484 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. Defensively, transfer linebacker Owen Chambliss arrives from San Diego State after posting 110 tackles and earning First Team All-Mountain West honors, while Rex Guthrie and Donovan Jones help anchor a secondary that ranked third nationally in pass defense last season.
Senior kicker Kyle Cunanan also returns after converting 16-of-19 field-goal attempts and all 45 extra points, leading Nebraska with 93 points in 2025.
Â
#OUohyeah
Â
Â
ATHENS, Ohio – The Ohio football team is set to open the 2026 season when it takes on Nebraska on Saturday, Sept. 5, at Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET and can be seen on Fox Sports One with Eric Collins and Spencer Tillman on the call.
The Bobcats' matchup can also be heard on The Varsity Sports Network. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannnister is reprising his role as Ohio's play-by-play broadcaster. Bannister will be joined by color analyst Rob Cornelius, who has been part of the broadcasts for more than two decades.
Â
SERIES HISTORY VS. NEBRASKA
This will be the first matchup between the Bobcats and Cornhuskers, but the two schools have a shared history with former head coach Frank Solich. Solich spent 41 seasons at Nebraska as a player, assistant coach, and head coach. Solich led the Cornhuskers to a 58-19 record, the 1999 Big 12 Championship, and a berth in the 2001 BCS National Championship Game. Following his time at Nebraska, Solich joined the Ohio Bobcats coaching staff in 2005, and was head coach until 2020. Solich was the winningest coach in MAC history, with 115 overall wins and the second most conference wins with 77. Solich coached the Bobcats to 11 bowl appearances and the first five bowl victories in program history.
Â
SCOUTING NEBRASKA
Nebraska enters the 2026 season after finishing 7-6 overall and 3-6 in Big Ten play in 2025, averaging 23.5 points, 154.5 rushing yards, and 218.8 passing yards per game. The Cornhuskers will be led by junior quarterback Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from UNLV who earned Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year honors after throwing for 3,459 yards and 23 touchdowns in 2025. Ohio is familiar with Colandrea after holding him to 184 passing yards and an interception in a 17-10 victory over UNLV in last season's Scooter's Coffee Frisco Bowl. Protecting Colandrea will be senior center Justin Evans, an experienced lineman with 31 career starts.
Junior wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. returns as one of Nebraska's top offensive threats after recording 45 catches for 484 yards and five touchdowns in 2025. Defensively, transfer linebacker Owen Chambliss arrives from San Diego State after posting 110 tackles and earning First Team All-Mountain West honors, while Rex Guthrie and Donovan Jones help anchor a secondary that ranked third nationally in pass defense last season.
Senior kicker Kyle Cunanan also returns after converting 16-of-19 field-goal attempts and all 45 extra points, leading Nebraska with 93 points in 2025.
Â
#OUohyeah
Â
Monday, August 31
Friday, August 28
Thursday, August 20
Friday, August 14
