Why are we again playing an FCS team?
We’re not the only one, 3 teams in the conference are playing Howard.
But 3 are playing Notre Dame, too. (But not USC, which is still looking for a 12th game.)
Games against power conferences tend to be scheduled years in advance. (Notre Dame games are scheduled when that year’s freshman class is still in utero.)
Michigan has Oklahoma on the schedule and Ohio State has Texas.
The question was rhetorical. I know why we’re playing North Dakota, we need the assumed win. At least it’s North Dakota and not North Dakota State. They’d probably beat us.
We need to be bowl eligible again. It’s a very tough back end schedule.
Northwestern has a bye in week 2, which may be at their request because their new stadium is reportedly a little behind schedule and might not be ready for their season/home opener against South Dakota State, but that would mean the first game in the new stadium would likely be in week 3 against Colorado. Watching Colorado’s transfer portal ins and outs has been fascinating, maybe some of the magic is wearing off Coach Prime?
It’s an interesting stadium design, smaller capacity but with a roof over most of the seating so the crowd noise (if there is any) ought to be reflected down onto the field even more than at Washington.
I get it and I agree about NDSU. They’d be far from the weakest team on our schedule
It’ll almost always be a tough back-end schedule, if only because half of the front-end is non-conference games. The SEC’s practice of having their final non-conference game the week before rivalry week isn’t a stupid idea, just one with bad optics.
CBS ranks Nebraska’s schedule as 4th toughest in the conference.
Only Oregon, Northwestern and Ohio State have tougher schedules, Wisconsin has the easiest.
Northwestern gets Indiana, Oregon and Ohio State, all on the road.
Indiana gets Ohio State and Michigan back-to-back.
Nebraska needs a 7th home game because they have 5 conference games on the road. There are only so many G5 teams available in August/Sept.
Also - there is no reward for playing tough p4 opponents in the big ten or SEC.
I’m not saying I like this aspect of college football, but I understand it.
Also - they are gonna do everything they can so Rhule wins at least 6 games again and the local media can sell us on “progress.”
6 wins will NOT be progress. 8 might be, because it’s a tough schedule (again), 4 road games in the final 6 and probably at least 4 rated opponents during the season. Can Rhule break his losing streak against rated teams?
Ohio (H)
Bowling Green (H)
North Dakota (H)
Michigan State (A)
Maryland (H)
Indiana (H)
Oregon (A)
Washington (H)
Illinois (A)
Rutgers (A)
Ohio State (H)
Iowa (A)
I sometimes dislike making predictions because in any athletic contest anything can happen. But, here goes for UNL football in 2026.
Probably sure wins:
Ohio
Bowling Green
North Dakota
Maryland
Probably sure losses:
Michigan State
Indiana
Oregon
Washington
Ohio State
Toss up games:
Illinois
Rutgers
Iowa
I would have said Rutgers likely would be a sure win if it was played in Lincoln.
Might be dangerous!