Nebraska Football 2022 Season Prediction Preview Awards Bowl Game

2022 must be the season Scott Frost flips his football program in Nebraska.

You’d think the fifth-year Nebraska football team should go bowling under Scott Frost.

Though he’s never won more than five games since leaving UCF when his alma mater called, Frost should have his best team yet at Lincoln. Nebraska may have gone 3-9 (1-8) a season ago, but the Cornhuskers have not lost by more than nine points in any of their nine losses. Because of this, with a few lucky jumps this team could go 6-6, possibly a win or two better than that.

So arrives at No. 50 FanSided’s Preseason Top 50 Rankingthe Cornhuskers of Nebraska!

Nebraska Football Season 2021 in Review

Last season’s story for Nebraska was largely determined by how the Week 0 game went against division rivals Illinois. The Cornhuskers lost a thriller to the Fighting Illini in Champaign on Bret Bielema’s debut as head coach, 30-22. Though Nebraska would blow out Fordham and Buffalo in the non-conference, another narrow loss to former Big Eight rivals Oklahoma only set the tone even more.

After a seven-point loss at Norman, Nebraska lost to Michigan State in overtime to end September 3-2. While Nebraska throttled division opponents Northwestern in Lincoln to start October on the right foot, the Huskers didn’t win a game for the remainder of the season thereafter. From Michigan to Iowa, Nebraska lost six straight conference games by no more than nine points…

For 2022, three players were selected from last year’s Nebraska team NFL draft. Cam Jurgens and Cam Taylor-Britt went into the second round while Samori Toure went into the seventh. Although 17 players entered either that transfer portal or have committed to a new school since late last year, no loss is greater than Adrian Martinez, who will play quarterback at Kansas State.

Nebraska Cornhuskers offense preview for the 2022 season

• Returners (3): Omar Manning (WR), Bryce Benhart (RT), Rahmir Johnson (RB)
• Newcomers (3): Trey Palmer (WR), Kevin Williams Jr (LG), Casey Thompson (QB)
• striker: Casey Thompson (QB)

Even if Nebraska only technically has three recurring starters on offense, remember that a year ago the Cornhuskers were a 3-9 football team. You still have Omar Manning at wide receiver and Rahmir Johnson in backfield. Bryce Benhart is expected to do the right tackle again. Turner Corcoran is still with the team, but he could switch inside after playing as a left tackle last year.

Trey Palmer joins the Nebraska Receiver Corps after playing three seasons at LSU. Kevin Williams heads to Lincoln after graduating from northern Colorado. A native of Omaha, he is Gabrielle Union’s cousin. And of course, the biggest transfer the Huskers have picked up on offense is former Texas quarterback Casey Thompson. Just last year, he shared the tee time with the Hudson Card.

Despite replacing a longtime starter in Martinez, there is hope that Thompson will be a more consistent playmaker at quarterback than his Nebraska predecessor ever was. Not to say Nebraska was that close to being a 9-3 team instead of a 3-9 team, but the Cornhuskers were more competitive in Big Ten play than most people would ever give them credit for.

Nebraska Cornhuskers defense preview for the 2022 season

• Returners (6): Ty Robinson (DT), Garrett Nelson (DE), Caleb Tannor (DE), Luke Reimer (LB), Nick Henrich (LB), Quinton Newsome (CB)
• Newcomers (2): Devin Drew (DT), Tommi Hill (CB)
• striker: Lukas Reimer (LB)

On paper, the biggest reason to be optimistic with the Huskers this year is how many starters they’re bringing back on defense. While they no longer have Taylor-Britt or JoJo Domann in the high school, they still have Quinton Newsome at cornerback as well as a bevy of talent in the front seven. From Ty Robinson in the trenches to Luke Reimer and Nick Henrich as linebackers, this unit is looking up.

Devin Drew joins the party in the Nebraska Front-Seven as he transfers to Lincoln after spending the last two years at Texas Tech. He was a junior college standout first before joining the Red Raiders in 2019. Tommi Hill is expected to be a hit starter in the high school for the Cornhuskers after playing his true freshman season in the chaotic state of Arizona in the Pac-12.

As a player to watch, linebacker Luke Reimer is expected to have a breakout season in his junior year. He was a starter in last year’s Nebraska defense. Reimer plays alongside many of the same players as a season ago on the Blackshirts defense and could be a candidate for an all-conference player as the Cornhuskers push for the elusive mark of bowl qualification.

Clock for Nebraska football players for the 2022 season

Three Nebraska football players have appeared on the 2022 college season watchlists.

Lukas Reimer, Butkus/Lott

As expected, Reimer is the country’s top linebacker on the list to win the Butkus. He is also there to bring Lott home as well. While the Cornhuskers have never had a Lott receiver in the award’s short history (since 2004), they did have a linebacker that brought home the Butkus. That would be none other than current Nebraska athletic director Trev Alberts. He won it in 1993.

Ochaun Mathis, Nagurkski

Keep an eye on Ochaun Mathis to consider winning the Nagurski. The former TCU edge rusher only moved to Nebraska a few months ago. While he’s not at the top of Lincoln’s defensive depth chart, look to the Cornhuskers to use him effectively. The only Blackshirt to ever win the Nagurski was Ndamukong Suh. He did so during his memorable 2009 college season.

Brian Buschini, Ray Guy

Sophomore Brian Buschini is ready for the Ray Guy going to the best punters in the country. Even if Nebraska wins more than three games this year, the Cornhuskers can still stab a ton. If Buschini won the Ray Guy, not only would he be the first Nebraska player to receive the award, but he would also be the first Big Ten player to win it since BJ Sander did so in Ohio State in 2003.

Biggest football game in Nebraska on schedule for 2022

A look at Nebraska’s 2022 football schedule, the goal is to get six wins and eventually gain bowl eligibility. There might be eight winnable games on the table if everything goes according to plan. Perhaps the greatest either-or game comes just before they leave Purdue. The Boilermakers are a marginal top 25 team so stealing a game from the Spoilermakers would be huge.

Best case scenario for Nebraska football

The best-case scenario for this year’s team is likely 8-4. They don’t beat Oklahoma in the non-conference but should beat North Dakota and Georgia Southern. If Nebraska starts hot and beats Northwestern at home in Dublin, Indiana and Rutgers in Piscataway, that’s five wins before the Purdue game. A win at West Lafayette has them 6-1 and a leaderboard en route to a bye.

If Nebraska can win at Ross-Ade, the Cornhuskers should be able to beat Illinois at home in a rematch game from last year with an extra week of prep. At 7-1, Nebraska could have enough momentum to win one of its last four games to end the regular season 8-4: against Minnesota, at Michigan, against Wisconsin and at Iowa. 9-3 is possible, but 8-4 is infinitely more likely.

Nebraska football worst case scenario

Okay, let’s say it hits the fan for the Huskers in 2022…well…because they’re Nebraska. Another painful 3-9 season ahead for Big Red? Let’s not count on it, but there’s a path for Nebraska that’s getting murky 4-8, resulting in Alberts being left with no choice and canning the former Cornhuskers quarterback. It all begins with the Week 0 game against Northwestern across the pond…

Being an even year means Pat Fitzgerald’s boys could be mighty lively. If Northwestern wins in Dublin, Nebraska could go 2-2 into its first of two byes of the year. Let’s say they split the pair between home Indiana and Rutgers so the Huskers go 3-3 into the decider Purdue game. A loss to the Boilermakers leads to a tough second half.

While Nebraska could still find a way to beat Illinois at home based on sheer emotion, that will be all she has written for the Huskers as they haven’t won their last four games. To be fair, the Michigan and Wisconsin games will be tough and likely losses anyway, but another season going haywire means a likely loss to Minnesota and another fat L to Iowa on Black Friday.

Prediction for the 2022 soccer season in Nebraska

So which extreme is more likely? 8-4 seems pretty rich, but this defense might be too good to be a 4-8 team. Suppose the offense takes a step forward under new coordinator Mark Whipple, and Nebraska should finally do what was once unlikely and go bowling, baby! The big Bang Theory curse is no more! Time to grab yourself Cinammon and celebrate with a little extra frosting!

Nebraska goes 6-6 (4-5) with victories over North Dakota and Georgia Southern in the non-conference. While pulling Oklahoma certainly doesn’t help, the Cornhuskers are lucky not to be able to face Ohio State, Michigan State or Penn State of the Big Ten East this year. Nebraska grabs Big Ten victories over Northwestern, Indiana, Rutgers and Illinois for a taste of sweet, delicious bowl eligibility.

Nebraska football players won’t be anymore mocked openly in broad daylightso this is a success!

Nebraska Football 2022 Bowl Match Prediction

You know what? Why the hell not?! Just because Martinez moved to K-State doesn’t mean he’s done breaking the hearts of Nebraska fans again. That’s because Nebraska will play absolutely 100 percent against Kansas State of the Big 12 on December 27 at Chase Field. In a battle of 6-6 teams, only one who played quarterback in Nebraska will be victorious.

Next: No. 49: Cyclones in the state of Iowa

For more NCAA football News, analysis, opinion and unique coverage from FanSided, including Heisman Trophy and College Football Playoff Make sure to bookmark these pages.