Nation on Notice: Nebraska Sweeps Texas, Challenge Up Next

Was there any doubt that Nebraska would be a championship contender this season? Of course not. They are the No. 1 team in the country after all. But a 25-19, 25-19, 25-16 sweep over Texas? The No. 2 team in the country? That’s not just a win. It’s a message — a challenge, for whatever teams stand between the Huskers and a national title. 

In Sunday’s heavyweight clash, Nebraska trailed at the beginning of the first two sets before mounting 10-0 and 6-0 rallies to take advantages that they’d never surrender. Manaia Ogbechie’s seven blocks created pressure at the net to force errors, while Bergen Reilly’s 30 assists and playmaking mastery kept the Longhorn defense off-balance. The one-two punch of Andi Jackson (nine kills) and Harper Murray (eight kills) proved too much for the SEC contender, as Nebraska left Las Vegas with its third ranked win already this season.  Read more from Nebraska . 

More Weekend Updates 

• No. 14 Minnesota used dominant defense to  sweep No. 13 Creighton . After dropping a 3-0 opener to No. 12 Arizona State, the Gophers rebounded behind Mckenna Wucherer, who led the attack with 10 kills. Junior setter Stella Swenson helped orchestrate the bounce-back victory with 29 assists, while Minnesota hit .298 as a unit and held the Bluejays to just .068. 
• No. 20 USC  trounced the 12^th-ranked Sun Devils , riding double-digit kill performances from London Wijay and Abigail Mullen to the 3-0 sweep. Lilli Etter anchored the Trojans with 36 assists while the defense kept Arizona State to just .143 hitting. USC was stymied by Creighton on Sunday, 3-1.  
• Despite a stellar debut from redshirt freshman Addy Tindall (22 kills, .463 attack percentage), No. 9 Purdue dropped a heartbreaker against Creighton. 
• No. 6 Wisconsin fell in its contests against No. 5 Stanford (3-1) and No. 4 Pitt (3-0). 

Thirty-Four Teams. Two Conferences. One Epic Week of Collegiate Volleyball.  

The matchups only get better as volleyball season ramps up, with the Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week kicking off Sept. 1. Here are some of the best matchups to start. 

Marquee Matchups 

No. 9 Purdue vs. No. 8 Texas A&M 

Looking to bounce back from a five-set heartbreaker, Purdue welcomes defending NCAA Champion Texas A&M to Mackey Arena. The Boilermakers need efficiency from pins Tindall and Mimi Mambu to out-swing the Aggies' physical net defense. If Purdue establishes a middle presence early, this top-10 clash could set the tone for the challenge.  

No. 14 Minnesota vs. No. 17 Florida 

After the decisive sweep of Creighton, Minnesota brings momentum into a high-octane battle against Florida, who already faced a Big Ten opponent in Nebraska at Spikes Under the Lights in Texas. The Gophers will rely on Swenson’s quick distribution and Wucherer’s hot hand to bypass Florida’s net coverage. Neutralizing the Gators' dynamic slide attack and staying clean out-of-system will be key to securing a massive non-conference resume win. 

No. 16 Indiana vs. No. 8 Texas A&M 

Indiana also faces a massive early-season litmus test against the formidable Texas A&M squad. The Hoosiers must lean on low-error offensive execution and aggressive baseline serving to disrupt the Aggies' fast-tempo passing system. If Indiana’s primary pin hitters find seam gaps in transition early, an impressive top-10 upset is well within reach.  

No. 6 Wisconsin vs. No. 17 Florida 

Wisconsin hosts Florida in a fifth straight ranked matchup for the Badgers. The Gators’ serve-and-pass pressure aims to test Wisconsin's passing unit, but the Badgers possess the net height and back-row stabilization to take over long rallies. After a pair of tough weekend losses, the Badgers' young team hopes to bounce back with a strong performance against the Gators. 

No. 20 USC vs. No. 2 Texas 

USC faces a significant challenge against powerhouse Texas, but the Trojans possess the pin firepower in London Wijay and Abigail Mullen to create chaos. If setter Lilli Etter keeps USC hitting efficiently out of system while disrupting Torrey Stafford and Cari Spears, the Trojans could push this titan to the limit. 

Challenge Starts Tomorrow 

Rutgers serves first in the 2026 Allstate Big Ten/SEC Challenge Week against Arkansas on Tuesday at 4 p.m. ET. The historic rivalry week will be capped off with the  first-ever volleyball matches played at Wrigley Field , but we’ll see plenty of championship-caliber contests before then —  See the full schedule .