Nebraska’s 2026 football schedule has the look of a grind from top to bottom, and that’s before you even get to the final stretch.
The Cornhuskers are coming off a 7-6 season, but this year’s path may be tougher to navigate even if the team takes a step forward. The middle of the schedule brings a brutal three-game run: home against defending national champion Indiana, then a trip to Oregon, then back home for Washington. And the regular season doesn’t ease up late, either, with Ohio State coming to Lincoln before a road trip to Iowa.
There’s still reason for Nebraska to feel like it has some upside. Transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea arrives after winning the Mountain West’s offensive player of the year last season, and he’ll get his chance to operate under offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. The Huskers also have to account for the loss of Emmett Johnson, last season’s Big Ten rushing leader.
Nebraska opens the season at home against Ohio on Sept. 5, and the first month sets the tone for what follows. Bowling Green comes to town on Sept. 12, then North Dakota visits on Sept.
- After that, the schedule turns into a long test of survival.
Here’s Nebraska’s 2026 schedule:
Sept. 5 - Ohio - Noon - FS1
Sept. 12 - Bowling Green - 7 p.m. - FS1
Sept. 19 - North Dakota - 7:15 p.m. - Big Ten
Sept. 26 - at Michigan State - TBA - TBA
Oct.
3 - Maryland - TBA - TBA
Oct.
10 - Indiana - TBA - TBA
Oct. 17 - at Oregon - TBA - TBA
Oct. 31 - Washington - TBA - TBA
Nov. 6 - at Illinois - 8 p.m. - FOX
Nov. 14 - at Rutgers - TBA - ESPN
Nov. 21 - Ohio State - TBA - TBA
Nov. 27 - at Iowa - Noon - CBS
Dec.
6 - Big Ten Championship - 8 p.m. - FOX
In Other News...
Nebraskas First 2026 Depth Chart Raised A Few Eyebrows Fast
Nebraska released its first official depth chart for the 2026 season ahead of the matchup with Ohio, and the list gave fans an early look at where things stand on both sides of the ball. It also offered a fresh snapshot of a program that is juggling the present and future at once, with the staff continuing to sort out starters and notable changes while still keeping a close eye on recruiting.
Owen Herricks upcoming visit adds another layer to the week, especially with the 2028 quarterback recruit standing as one of Nebraskas top targets. And while the current roster is getting its own attention, seven former Huskers landing on NFL practice squads around the league is another reminder of how much talent the program still has moving through the pipeline. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule Turned Frank Solichs Return Into A Bigger Nebraska Message
Frank Solichs return to Nebraska is carrying plenty of meaning beyond a simple ceremonial visit. The College Football Hall of Fame inductee will be honored with the Nebraska Football Hall of Fames Legends Award and public recognition during a game, giving the program a chance to celebrate one of its most accomplished figures in front of the home crowd. Solichs coaching rsum stretches well beyond Lincoln, including six years as Nebraskas head coach and 16 seasons at Ohio, but his place in Cornhusker history remains unmistakable.
Matt Rhule has treated the moment as more than a tribute to the past. The Nebraska coach has praised Solich not just for what he accomplished on the field, but for the way he carried himself through the twists of a coaching career and the example he set around the program. In doing so, Rhule has turned the spotlight on Solich into a broader message about Nebraskas standards, its history and the kind of people the program wants attached to it. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas First Depth Chart Leaves One Big Battle Very Much Alive
Nebraskas first official depth chart of 2026 gave the clearest look yet at how the Cornhuskers are lining up for the season opener, and it confirmed several of the expected answers. Gunnar Gottula has the right tackle job, Owen Stoudmire and Jahsear Whittington are set at defensive tackle, and Anthony Colandrea has emerged as the starting quarterback as the staff puts the opening plan on paper.
Even with those pieces in place, the document still reads like a snapshot of a roster with plenty left to sort out. Multiple spots remain marked as OR, a sign that several jobs are still being decided as camp winds down and Nebraska tries to settle the last of its lineup questions before the real games begin. [Read more 🡒]