The Blackshirts

Honors

Nebraska Football: Justin Evans, Owen Chambliss and Andrew Marshall Named Mid-Season All-Americans

By Denny Paulsen ·

Nebraska cheerleaders stand along the sideline at dusk with Memorial Stadium full behind them.
Photo by Denny Paulsen

Three Huskers. Three mid-season All-Americans. One week.

Nebraska center Justin Evans and linebacker Owen Chambliss were named to The Athletic’s Mid-Season All-America Team, Nebraska announced Thursday. They join cornerback Andrew Marshall, a first-team mid-season All-American from both On3 and Sports Illustrated earlier this week.

Chambliss is everywhere

Fifteen tackles at Oregon. Nobody in a Husker uniform had done that since 2022.

Chambliss missed the opener with an injury. Since he came back, nobody on the Blackshirts has made more tackles. The senior from Corona, Calif., leads Nebraska with 46 tackles in six games, along with 3.5 tackles for loss and an interception. He has led the Huskers in tackles in three of their four Big Ten games, capped by that career-high 15 tackles and two tackles for loss at Oregon.

Since Chambliss returned, only one opponent has scored more than 20 points on Nebraska. He’s also on the Butkus Award Watch List.

Evans keeps the run game rolling

Nebraska had to replace first-team All-American running back Emmett Johnson this year. The run game got better anyway.

The Huskers are averaging nearly 50 more rushing yards per game than last season and 5.0 yards per carry. They rank in the top 40 nationally in total offense and scoring offense, and they’re second in the Big Ten on third down, converting more than half the time.

Evans, a two-year starter at center from East Orange, N.J., anchors that line. The Athletic also named him a preseason All-American, and he’s on the Rimington Trophy Watch List.

Quarterbacks have stopped looking at Marshall

Twenty seven targets. Eight catches. That’s what quarterbacks have gotten off Marshall through seven games, according to Pro Football Focus. Pro Football Network’s Impact Rankings have him as the No. 1 cornerback in the country.

The senior from Eastvale, Calif., has started all seven games with 21 tackles, four pass breakups and an interception. He has started all 20 games since arriving before the 2025 season. Last fall it was honorable mention All-Big Ten. This fall it’s first-team All-America at mid-season!

A defense with stars at every level

Chambliss and Marshall sit in the middle and the back of a defense that ranks in the top 20 nationally in three big categories entering this week:

  • 11th in total defense at 271.3 yards per game
  • 13th in turnover margin at plus .86
  • 16th in scoring defense at 15.4 points per game

Next up

Nebraska is off this week. The Huskers host Washington on Saturday, Oct. 31 at 7 p.m. Central on BTN and the Huskers Radio Network.

Husker Nation, three All-Americans at the halfway mark. Which one has been your mid-season MVP?

  • Honors
  • Football