The 2023 Nebraska Cornhuskers football team represented the University of Nebraska–Lincoln as a member of the West Division of the Big Ten Conference during the 2023 NCAA Division I FBS football season. Led by first-year head coach Matt Rhule, the Cornhuskers played home games at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. At the conclusion of the 2023 season, Nebraska had lost 19 games by single digits over the course of the previous 3 seasons, a Division I NCAA Record. The Nebraska Cornhuskers football team drew an average home attendance of 86,802 in 2023.
Offseason
Transfers
Incoming
Name Position Height Weight Class Hometown Previous Jeff Sims QB 6'3" 205 Junior Jacksonville, FL Georgia Tech Corey Collier CB 6'1" 170 Sophomore Miami, FL Florida Marco Ortiz LS 6'5" 236 Junior Richmond, VA Florida Joshua Fleeks WR 5'10" 190 Senior Dallas, TX Baylor Chief Borders LB 6'4" 242 Sophomore Chicago, IL Florida Elijah Jeudy DL 6'3" 295 Sophomore Philadelphia, PA Texas A&M Ben Scott OT 6'5" 290 Junior Honolulu, HI Arizona State Arik Gilbert TE 6'5" 248 (R) Sophomore Marietta, GA Georgia Billy Kemp WR 5'9" 172 Senior Highland Springs, VA Virginia Jacob Hood OT 6'8" 342 (R) Freshman Nashville, TN Georgia MJ Sherman LB 6'2" 250 Senior Washington, D.C. Georgia Tyler Knaak OT 6'7" 300 (R) Freshman Salt Lake City, UT Utah
Outgoing
Name Number Position Height Weight Class Hometown Destination Brant Banks #74 OL 6'7" 300 Junior Houston, TX Rice Ernest Hausmann #15 LB 6'2" 220 Sophomore Columbus, NE Michigan Decoldest Crawford #1 WR 6'0 180 (R) Freshman Shreveport, LA Louisiana Tech Kamonte Grimes #13 WR 6'3 200 Sophomore Naples, FL Northern Iowa Jaeden Gould #18 CB 6'2 200 (R) Freshman Somerset, NJ Syracuse Marquis Black #96 DL 6'3" 300 Junior McDonough, GA Western Kentucky Mosai Newsom #52 DL 6'4" 285 Senior Waverly, IA South Dakota Jaquez Yant #0 RB 6'2" 235 Junior Tallahassee, FL Florida A&M Kevin Williams #78 OL 6'5" 325 Graduate Omaha, NE Charlotte Charlie Weinrich #24 K 5'11" 190 (R) Freshman Stillwell, KS Kansas Alante Brown #4 WR 6'0" 190 Junior Chicago, IL Michigan State James Carnie #81 TE 6'5" 220 (R) Sophomore Firth, NE Concordia (NE) Evan Meyersick #48 WR 6'5" 185 (R) Sophomore Omaha, NE N/A Richard Torres #15 QB 6'5" 210 Sophomore San Antonio, TX Incarnate Word Victor Jones Jr. #88 WR 6'2" 184 Sophomore Orlando, FL Liberty Stephon Wynn Jr. #90 DL 6'4" 299 Senior Anderson, SC Ole Miss Shawn Hardy II #80 WR 6'3" 190 (R) Sophomore Kingsland, GA Tennessee–Martin Logan Smothers #8 QB 6'2" 190 Junior Muscle Shoals, AL Jacksonville State Braxton Clark #11 CB 6'3" 180 Senior Orlando, FL South Florida Casey Thompson #11 QB 6'1" 194 Graduate Oklahoma City, OK Florida Atlantic Noa Pola-Gates #21 S 5'11" 165 Junior Gilbert, AZ New Mexico Jalil Martin #17 S 6'3" 190 Sophomore Chicago, IL Syracuse Ajay Allen #9 RB 5'11" 182 Sophomore Monroe, LA Miami (FL)
Scholarship recruits
Source:
Schedule
Roster
Depth chart
Game summaries
at Minnesota
Statistics NEB MIN First downs 18 20 Total yards 295 251 Rushes/yards 37/181 25/55 Passing yards 114 196 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–19–3 24–44–1 Time of possession 29:18 30:42 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Jeff Sims 11/19, 114 yds, TD, 3 INT Rushing Jeff Sims 19 carries, 91 yds Receiving Alex Bullock 3 rec, 56 yds, TDMinnesota Passing Athan Kaliakmanis 24/44, 196 yds, TD, 1 INT Rushing Sean Tyler 10 car, 41 yds Receiving Daniel Jackson 9 rec, 68 yds, TD
at No. 22 Colorado
Statistics NEB CU First downs 15 24 Total yards 341 454 Rushes/yards 41/222 33/58 Passing yards 119 396 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–22–1 32–44–0 Time of possession 29:41 30:19 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Jeff Sims 9–15, 106 yds, 1 INT Rushing Gabe Ervin Jr. 17 car, 74 yds Receiving Billy Kemp IV 5 rec, 57 ydsColorado Passing Shedeur Sanders 31–42, 393 yds, 2 TD Rushing Dylan Edwards 9 car, 55 yds Receiving Xavier Weaver 10 rec, 170 yds, 1 TD
Northern Illinois
Statistics NIU NEB First downs 12 23 Total yards 149 382 Rushes/yards 22/26 44/224 Passing yards 123 158 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–36–1 14–24–0 Time of possession 23:43 36:17 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthern Illinois Passing Rocky Lombardi 11/28, 73 yds, 1 INT Rushing Antario Brown 8 carries, 16 yds Receiving Davis Patterson 2 rec, 30 ydsNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 14/24, 158 yds, 2 TD Rushing Heinrich Haarberg 21 carries, 98 yds Receiving Thomas Fidone II 4 rec, 42 yds, 1 TD
Louisiana Tech
Statistics LT NEB First downs 17 20 Total yards 338 419 Rushes/yards 21/46 48/312 Passing yards 292 107 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–42–1 8–18–0 Time of possession 28:02 31:58 Team Category Player StatisticsLouisiana Tech Passing Jack Turner 27–42, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Jacob Fields 6 car, 28 yds, 1 TD Receiving Cyrus Allen 6 rec, 102 yds, 1 TDNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 8–17, 107 yds, 1 TD Rushing Heinrich Haarberg 19 car, 157 yds, 1 TD Receiving Billy Kemp IV 5 rec, 62 yds
No. 2 Michigan
Statistics MICH NEB First downs 26 10 Total yards 436 305 Rushes/yards 51/249 21/106 Passing yards 187 199 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 16–23–0 14–25–1 Time of possession 38:01 21:59 Team Category Player StatisticsMichigan Passing J. J. McCarthy 12–16, 156 yds, 2 TD Rushing Blake Corum 16 car, 74 yds, 1 TD Receiving Roman Wilson 4 rec, 58 yds, 2 TDNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 14–25, 199 yds, 1 INT Rushing Josh Fleeks 1 car, 74 yds, 1 TD Receiving Billy Kemp IV 4 rec, 61 yds
at Illinois
Statistics NEB ILL First downs 18 16 Total yards 312 310 Rushes/yards 49/158 19/21 Passing yards 154 289 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–24–1 29–47–1 Time of possession 37:07 22:43 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 12–24, 154 yards, 1 INT Rushing Heinrich Haarberg 18 car, 82 yds, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Fidone II 3 rec, 42 ydsIllinois Passing Luke Altmyer 29–47, 289 yards, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Kaden Feagin 5 car, 15 yards Receiving Pat Bryant 4 rec, 76 yards, 1 TD
Northwestern
Statistics NW NEB First downs 12 14 Total yards 257 248 Rushes/yards 39/81 39/163 Passing yards 176 85 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–23–1 8–17–2 Time of possession 30:52 29:08 Team Category Player StatisticsNorthwestern Passing Brendan Sullivan 12–23, 176 yds, 1 INT Rushing Anthony Tyus III 6 car, 63 yds Receiving Bryce Kirtz 3 rec, 96 ydsNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 8–17, 85 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Emmett Johnson 12 car, 73 yds Receiving Malachi Coleman 1 rec, 44 yds, 1 TD
Purdue
Statistics PUR NEB First downs 10 14 Total yards 195 277 Rushes/yards 29/96 48/155 Passing yards 99 122 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 17–33–2 6–11–0 Time of possession 26:50 33:10 Team Category Player StatisticsPurdue Passing Hudson Card 16–32, 100 yds, 1 TD, 2 INT Rushing Devin Mockobee 7 car, 42 yds Receiving Jayden Dixon-Veal 4 rec, 38 yds, 1 TDNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 6–11, 122 yds, 2 TD Rushing Emmett Johnson 13 car, 76 yds, 1 TD Receiving Jaylen Lloyd 1 rec, 73 yds, 1 TD
at Michigan State
Statistics NEB MSU First downs 19 11 Total yards 283 295 Rushes/yards 41/154 31/63 Passing yards 129 232 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 12–28–2 15–24–0 Time of possession 31:31 28:29 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Heinrich Haarberg 12–28, 129 yds, 2 INT Rushing Emmett Johnson 13 car, 57 yds, 1 TD Receiving Thomas Fidone II 3 rec, 43 ydsMichigan State Passing Katin Houser 13–20, 165 yds, 1 TD Rushing Nate Carter 15 car, 50 yds Receiving Montorie Foster Jr. 4 rec, 94 yds, 1 TD
Maryland
Statistics MD NEB First downs 19 18 Total yards 384 269 Rushes/yards 26/101 40/183 Passing yards 283 86 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 27–40–1 10–21–4 Time of possession 28:59 31:01 Team Category Player StatisticsMaryland Passing Taulia Tagovailoa 27–40, 283 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Roman Hemby 16 car, 74 yds Receiving Jeshaun Jones 5 rec, 86 ydsNebraska Passing Jeff Sims 8–13, 62 yds, 2 INT Rushing Emmett Johnson 17 car, 84 yds Receiving Billy Kemp IV 2 rec, 30 yds
at Wisconsin
Statistics NEB WIS First downs 19 19 Total yards 364 316 Rushes/yards 40/195 40/156 Passing yards 169 160 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 169 160 Time of possession 15–23–1 18–28–0 Team Category Player StatisticsNebraska Passing Chubba Purdy 15–23, 169 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Chubba Purdy 14 car, 105 yds, 1 TD Receiving Jaylen Lloyd 1 rec, 58 yds, 1 TDWisconsin Passing Tanner Mordecai 18–28, 160 yds, 1 TD Rushing Braelon Allen 22 car, 62 yds, 2 TD Receiving Will Pauling 8 rec, 79 yds
No. 17 Iowa
Statistics IA NEB First downs 14 10 Total yards 257 264 Rushes/yards 40/163 30/75 Passing yards 94 189 Passing: Comp–Att–Int 11–28–1 15–28–1 Time of possession 31:45 28:15 Team Category Player StatisticsIowa Passing Deacon Hill 11–28, 94 yds, 1 INT Rushing Leshon Williams 16 car, 111 yds Receiving Steven Stillanos 2 rec, 38 ydsNebraska Passing Chubba Purdy 15–28, 189 yds, 1 TD, 1 INT Rushing Chubba Purdy 12 car, 42 yds Receiving Jaylen Lloyd 1 rec, 66 yds, 1 TD
Big Ten awards
Player of the week honors Weekly awards Quinton Newsome Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week Week 9
All-Conference awards
2023 Big Ten offense all-conference teams and awards2023 Big Ten All-Conference Teams and Awards
Coaches All-Big TenLBLuke ReimerThird teamOTBryce BenhartHonorable mentionSOmar BrownHonorable mentionCBIsaac GiffordHonorable mentionDBTommi HillHonorable mentionDTNash HutmacherHonorable mentionSQuinton NewsomeHonorable mentionDETy RobinsonHonorable mentionCBen ScottHonorable mention
Media All-Big TenOTBryce BenhartHonorable mentionSOmar BrownHonorable mentionLBJimari ButlerHonorable mentionCBIsaac GiffordHonorable mentionDBTommi HillHonorable mentionDTNash HutmacherHonorable mentionSQuinton NewsomeHonorable mentionLBLuke ReimerHonorable mentionDETy RobinsonHonorable mentionCBen ScottHonorable mention
Rankings
References