2026 games, tackles for loss per game. W and L: the team’s results.
3 stories this week, from 2 outlets.
Is Riley Van Poppel playing against Washington? Nebraska football injury update
Husker Corner Oct 31
Riley Van Poppel
Wins the gap play after play. Fourth year in the same defensive front at Nebraska. A game that shows it: 4 tackles and 2 tackles for loss against Washington — Week 9, 2026.
11 tackles · 2.5 sacks
Play style
Stout at the point of attack — steady tackle-for-loss production without a standout pass-rush number.
Closest statistical matches, adjusted for opponent strength.
from 2 outlets
Is Riley Van Poppel playing against Washington? Nebraska football injury update
Husker Corner Oct 31 · 1 outlet
from 4 outlets
Is Riley Van Poppel playing against Washington? Nebraska football injury update
Husker Corner Oct 31 · 1 outlet
Corn NationEach week: his team’s game, the stories about him that week, and the week’s biggest news headline.
Stories are headlines grouped by what they are about, counted through Nov 4.
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Game log · Week-by-week
2026 season · 6 games
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| Wk | Opp | TKL | SOLO | TFL | SACK | INT | PD | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wk 1 | W 49-21vs Ohio | 2 | 2 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 2 | W 56-7vs Bowling Green | 2 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 3 | W 34-7vs North Dakota | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 1.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 4 | W 31-13@ Michigan State | 1 | 1 | 1.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 5 | W 48-23vs Maryland | 1 | 1 | 0.0 | 0.0 | — | 0 | |
| Wk 9 | L 10-17vs Washington | 4 | 1 | 2.0 | 0.5 | — | 0 | Season-high 4 tackles |
| Total | 11 | 7 | 6.0 | 2.5 | — | 0 |
Oct. 31 · L 10-17 vs Washington, play by play
4 tackles, including 2 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 4-yard loss. Fourth quarter, up 7-3.
Against his own season: his best backfield disruption game of the season so far.
His game this year: disruption in the backfield — 6 tackles for loss, 2 of them sacks, in the 6 games with play by play.
How Nebraska’s defense played that day
Washington’s 10 drives: 8 stopped · 2 scored. While the game was within a score they held 8 of 10. His sack came with Nebraska up 4.
1 tackle.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
1 tackle, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
1 tackle, including 1 sack. He hurried the quarterback once.
Sacked the quarterback for a 10-yard loss. First quarter, up 7-0.
2 tackles, including 1 more for loss.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
2 tackles, including 1 sack.
Each small tick is one of his tackles on the play-by-play. His sacks are drawn as sacks.
Sacked the quarterback for a 2-yard loss. Second quarter, down 10-7.
Ratings of the games shown run from -18 to +10 points against an average team (SP+ rating of each opponent).
Where his impact shows up on the stat sheet
TFL rate
55%6 TFLSack rate
23%2 sacksHurry rate
9%1 hurry11 tackles · 6 for loss · 2.5 sacks.
4 seasons under Matt Rhule — 24-22 over that span.
Splits · Per-game
2026 season · 6 games
Home vs Road
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Home5g | 2.0 | 1.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
| Road1g | 1.0 | 1.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
First half vs Second half
| TKL/g | TFL/g | SACK/g | PD/g | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Weeks 1-75g | 1.4 | 0.8 | 0.4 | 0.0 |
| Weeks 8+1g | 4.0 | 2.0 | 0.5 | 0.0 |
Supporting cast · Scheme
Staff and system around the player
Head Coach
Matt Rhule
Pass share
48.1%
276 pass / 298 run
Plays / game
71.8
8 games
Team sack rate
4.6%
306 dropbacks · PBP
Scheme: Balanced.
Player standing · 2026
Fewer tackles a game than most FBS defensive linemen who play every week.
Recognition
Production · CFB Zeitgeist Score
Former four-star. Now #71 at the position.
2026 outlook
Outside shot for All-Big Ten
Based on 2025: #49 of 69 Big Ten DLs
A base rate for the rank, not a forecast of this player: 15% of returning players who ranked #21 or lower at their position in their conference made an all-conference team the next season (95% confidence interval 13–17%).
2026 is in progress.
A stat line in 26 games over four seasons.
Coaching lineage · 2023–2026
1 coachPlayed every college season under Matt Rhule.
