Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea posts strong debut as Huskers beat Ohio, while Bowling Green's Jay Kastantin struggles in loss
Anthony Colandrea led Nebraska to a 49-21 win over Ohio with three passing touchdowns and no turnovers, earning an 84.3 PFF grade, whereas Jay Kastantin threw for 262 yards without a score as Bowling Green fell 20-13 to Tarleton State and received a 61.8 PFF grade.
Nebraska opened its 2026 season with a 49-21 victory over Ohio at Memorial Stadium, highlighted by transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea's first start. The former UNLV player completed 18 of 32 passes for 275 yards and three touchdowns, added 23 rushing yards and a rushing touchdown on ten carries, and avoided any turnovers. His performance earned an 84.3 overall Pro Football Focus (PFF) grade, with a 75.9 passing and 78.8 rushing grade, ranking among the best on the Huskers' offense in Week 1.
Bowling Green's newcomer Jay Kastantin, who transferred from Division II Assumption, made his FBS debut against Tarleton State. He completed 24 of 30 passes for 262 yards, posting an 80% completion rate and 8.7 yards per attempt, and recorded 17 rushing yards on nine carries. Despite the statistical output, Kastantin did not score and Bowling Green lost 20-13 after falling behind early. PFF assigned him a 61.8 overall grade, including a 68.0 passing and 50.6 rushing grade, indicating a less effective performance than the raw numbers suggest.