Overview
- Reports and an announcement by Tikey Hayes on Tuesday confirmed he is joining Nebraska’s 2026 roster after a spring at Iowa Western Community College.
- Hayes has four years of NCAA eligibility remaining and is expected to be available for Nebraska’s Sept. 5 season opener against Ohio at Memorial Stadium.
- He played sparingly at Penn State in 2025, totaling three carries for 18 yards, which makes this a low-risk signing with upside based on his pedigree.
- Hayes was a four-star recruit out of Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, with more than 7,000 career high school rushing yards and 95 touchdowns, which underpins expectations for his playmaking potential.
- The pickup adds depth to a running back room that lost Emmett Johnson to the NFL and faces uncertainty at other spots, and Hayes could step into a physical, between-the-tackles role if needed.