Do you want to see Nebraska play Tennessee and Oklahoma?

 The big games to me are Tennessee and Oklahoma.  The Tennessee series has already been moved before for Bristol but I believe that fans would love a visit to Knoxville and the Rocky Top faithful would travel well to Lincoln.  Oklahoma doesn't need explained.  It's throwing a bone to tradition and rich history in a sport that has increasingly less of it as the years go by.  Hopefully more great stories from Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer while they are still with us.  Those are the two valuable series I would like for Nebraska to honor. If the Tennessee games were switched it would have been an opportunity to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the '97 team in Lincoln since Michigan isn't on the schedule to troll. 


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I'm an old guy that thinks playing a hard non conference schedule is a bad idea in today's college football.   Yes, it can be a measuring stick, and a lot of fun for fans,  but most of the teams you are competing for playoff spots with already play a lighter schedule.(SEC)  Just doesn't make sense to make our already more difficult schedule even harder if the real goal is a playoff spot.     
And you have to be honest with yourself when scheduling non-con games, with 3 being the deciding factor.  This year showed us that you will not make the playoffs if you lose 3 games, unless you win your conference championship game with 3 losses.  

If you lose a non-con tough game, go 7-2 in conf, play in the CCG because it's the scenario, you are 9-3 and need to win.  

I don't think there will be a time when a 6-3 conference team will play in the B1G CG.  So even winning 3 easy peasy non-conf games, you still are cooked.

Therefor, it might be best to play a good opponent in non-con that the fans will get excited for, and risk going 8-1 in conference or 7-2.  

 
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There was a time when I would have cared. But for me, at this point, the old feelings are gone. Oklahoma is just another team on the schedule if/when we play them.

 
And you have to be honest with yourself when scheduling non-con games, with 3 being the deciding factor.  This year showed us that you will not make the playoffs if you lose 3 games, unless you win your conference championship game with 3 losses.  

If you lose a non-con tough game, go 7-2 in conf, play in the CCG because it's the scenario, you are 9-3 and need to win.  

I don't think there will be a time when a 6-3 conference team will play in the B1G CG.  So even winning 3 easy peasy non-conf games, you still are cooked.

Therefor, it might be best to play a good opponent in non-con that the fans will get excited for, and risk going 8-1 in conference or 7-2.  
The problem is many times you won't make the B1G CG at 7-2 so counting on winning the conference should be secondary imo.  A 10-2 B1G team is in the playoffs most years, regardless of who you played in the non-con.  At 9-3, most years you won't have a chance...  

 
2026 might also be 14 or 16 teams in the playoff.  I think it's trending that way.  If the top 4 team playoff guarantees are in place from the Big Ten and SEC taking a hardline it could change perspective as well.

 
2026 might also be 14 or 16 teams in the playoff.  I think it's trending that way.  If the top 4 team playoff guarantees are in place from the Big Ten and SEC taking a hardline it could change perspective as well.
Excellent observation  :thumbs   Expanded playoffs will allow 3 losses without winning a title game and perhaps missing out of the ccg.  It will come down to good wins and good losses.  A 3 point loss to TN that makes the playoff would be considered good loss.  A 3 point win over OU would be considered a good win more than a 10 point win over Rutgers.  

To be honest, I am back and forth about having 1 ranked non-con opponent.  Probably be best to skip for now until we can start finishing in the top 3 or 4 of the Big Conf.

 
2026 might also be 14 or 16 teams in the playoff.  I think it's trending that way.  If the top 4 team playoff guarantees are in place from the Big Ten and SEC taking a hardline it could change perspective as well.


Excellent observation  :thumbs   Expanded playoffs will allow 3 losses without winning a title game and perhaps missing out of the ccg.  It will come down to good wins and good losses.  A 3 point loss to TN that makes the playoff would be considered good loss.  A 3 point win over OU would be considered a good win more than a 10 point win over Rutgers.  

To be honest, I am back and forth about having 1 ranked non-con opponent.  Probably be best to skip for now until we can start finishing in the top 3 or 4 of the Big Conf.
This year 3 loss Illinois wouldn't have been in.

2023 was the same- needed to be at 2 of fewer losses.

Since we increased team numbers, I think it will be a rare occurrence that a 3 loss team is in the top 4 of our conference.  

 
This year 3 loss Illinois wouldn't have been in.

2023 was the same- needed to be at 2 of fewer losses.

Since we increased team numbers, I think it will be a rare occurrence that a 3 loss team is in the top 4 of our conference.  
Agree with you for sure. 

 
Well I got my answer.  I assume Oklahoma will follow.  Bad news for the fans IMO.


This is a tough one. The Tennessee series was originally agreed to in 2006, to be played in 2016 & 2017. We agreed to reschedule when Tennessee wanted to play in Bristol, so it was switched to 2026/2027. Then our stadium rebuild became a reality, and it's not going to make sense to reschedule again.

We just need to get good enough to get into the playoffs. Maybe we'll see Tennessee and/or Oklahoma again.

 
Future non-conference series against Autonomy 4 Conference opponents include the University of Arizona (2028, 2031), the University of Oklahoma (2029, 2030), the University of Cincinnati (2032) and Oklahoma State University, (2034, 2035), none of which are impacted by the scheduling changes. 

 
We should be playing Kent State's non conference schedule than our own.



Ours noncon is what you think of when you think of G5.



While Kent State is a school that uses it program to play bye games to help supprot the university each year and makes it impact as a "basketball and baseball" school. I belive we should be playing more P4 games each year... They have played games at Penn State, Ohio State, Tennessee, Cal, Alabama, Georgia, Oklahoma, and more over the year.



2025 KENT STATE NON-CONFERENCE OPPONENTS



  • 08/30 - Merrimack
  • 09/06 - at Texas Tech
  • 09/20 - at Florida State
  • 10/04 - at Oklahoma



Huskers upcoming nonconf 
2025
Wk 1 @ Cincinnati (In KC -  Huskers AD said that 50k tickets were sold in the opening week)
Wk 2 - vs Akron (This is a reschedule game from 2018 - Scott Frost first home game canceled by storms)
Wk 3 - Houston Christian

2026 
Wk 1 - Ohio 
Wk 2 - BGSU (replaces Tennessee home game)
wk 3 - FCS North Dakota 

2027
Wk 1 - NIU
Wk 2 - Miami OH (replaces Tennessee away game)
Wk 3 - FCS - Northern Iowa

2028 
Wk 1 UTEP
Wk 2 SDSU
Wk 3 Arizona - This is the Huskers next P4 non conference game

 
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It would be absolutely hilarious if the Big Ten-SEC scheduling alliance comes to fruition and Nebraska and Tennessee matchup.  Let the record show I think a scheduling alliance between the leagues to shut out the ACC and Big XII and increase the money gap is a bad idea.

 
It would be absolutely hilarious if the Big Ten-SEC scheduling alliance comes to fruition and Nebraska and Tennessee matchup.  Let the record show I think a scheduling alliance between the leagues to shut out the ACC and Big XII and increase the money gap is a bad idea.
I mean, in principle I agree but can we all come to terms with the fact that if you aren’t in one of the Big 2 you don’t really matter?

 
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