Nebraska’s basketball path through the Big Ten is now set, and the conference’s Wednesday afternoon release gave the Huskers a layout that looks workable on paper.
The league unveiled its official schedules on the Big Ten Network, and Nebraska landed home-and-home matchups with Penn State, Iowa, and Michigan State. The Huskers will also get Michigan at home on January 5, a date that could come early enough for the defending national champion and its new coach to be in better rhythm by then.
Nebraska’s full 2026-27 Big Ten schedule 🌽🏀 pic.twitter.com/doUjs8OyBx
- Robin Washut (@RobinWashut) September 16, 2026
The rest of Wednesday brought a flood of Nebraska-related headlines across the sports world. At the volleyball arena, Nebraska swept Creighton, and college basketball analyst Jon Rothstein followed through on a promise tied to the Huskers and their NCAA Tournament result by throwing a “Happy Hour” open-bar celebration. The reported bill climbed as high as $14,458, and the scene matched the moment.
Jon Rothstein’s Happy Hour tab was $14,458. 🤯
Husker fans came to party. pic.twitter.com/JGgveArhWv
- Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) September 17, 2026
There was also a legal wrinkle involving a former Nebraska football player. Princewill Umanmielen is caught up in a dispute between LSU and Ole Miss, with the Rebels suing the defender after saying he signed a contract before entering the Transfer Portal and after following head coach Lane Kiffin to LSU. Umanmielen was served court papers in the athletic compound’s parking lot on Tuesday, and the timing and location were widely viewed as Ole Miss making a point ahead of this weekend’s game between the two schools.
Nebraska’s future football schedule picked up another notable addition as well. On Wednesday morning, the Huskers and Notre Dame announced they will renew an old rivalry with a home-and-home series in 2032 and 2033. The first meeting will be in Lincoln, followed by the return game in South Bend, marking the first time the programs have played since 2001.
There was even more news tied to Nebraska’s upcoming opponents. Earlier this week, Washington said one of its starting wide receivers will miss two or three months, which means he’ll also be out for the Huskies’ game against Nebraska. Three other Washington players are also sidelined for the foreseeable future and could still be out when Halloween arrives.
And in a different corner of the Nebraska conversation, The Athletic published a report on Wednesday estimating roster values across the Power 4. Nebraska checked in at No. 18 nationally and No. 6 in the Big Ten, with its roster valued between $31 and $35 million.
In Other News...
Nebraska Lost A Pass Rusher Now Stuck In A Mess Fans Wont Miss
Princewill Umanmielens path through the transfer portal has already been messy enough, and now the Nebraska pass rusher is dealing with another off-field wrinkle tied to his time at Ole Miss and LSU. According to the available details, he was served court papers connected to a lawsuit Ole Miss filed against him over his move from the Rebels to LSU after former Ole Miss coach Lane Kiffin left for Baton Rouge.
The unusual part is the timing. The papers were delivered during game week, which has drawn criticism from people who see it as gamesmanship more than routine legal process, and it adds one more layer to a situation Nebraska fans probably would rather not revisit. For the Cornhuskers, the football relevance is simple enough: Umanmielen is trying to keep his focus on the field while a transfer dispute from a previous stop continues to follow him around. [Read more 🡒]
Matt Rhule Just Lost Nebraskas Biggest Excuse For 2026
The money question around Nebraska football has taken another turn, and this one cuts against one of the programs oldest explanations for falling short. The Athletics latest estimate of Power 4 roster values placed the Cornhuskers at No. 18 nationally, in a range of $31 million to $35 million, which gives real weight to Matt Rhules argument that the Huskers have enough NIL backing to line up with the sports heavyweights.
For a program that has spent years hearing about resource gaps, the ranking matters beyond the headline. Nebraska sits sixth in the Big Ten by roster value, behind the likes of Ohio State and Michigan, but still in a tier that suggests the Huskers are no longer working from a severe financial disadvantage. That leaves Rhule with a different kind of pressure heading into 2026, because the usual excuse about not having enough support is getting harder to lean on. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Future Schedule Just Added A Rivalry Fans Will Debate
Nebraskas future non-conference slate just got a lot more interesting, and a lot more complicated, with the athletic department announcing home-and-home football games against Notre Dame for Oct. 30, 2032, in Lincoln and Oct. 29, 2033, in South Bend. It will be the first time the programs have met since 2001, giving Cornhuskers fans a fresh big-name matchup to circle long before those seasons arrive.
The announcement also signals how much Nebraskas scheduling picture is shifting in the years ahead, with Tennessee coming off the docket and other Power 4 opponents moving into place. For a fan base that has long debated the value of heavyweight non-conference games, Notre Dame is the kind of opponent that can spark the conversation all over again, even if the broader long-term slate is still taking shape. [Read more 🡒]