Nebraska’s 2026 schedule is already giving us a messy little snapshot of what’s ahead, and Week 6 didn’t clear much up. A few opponents won, a few got knocked around, and one of the more important quarterback situations on the slate took a hit.
Start with Indiana, because the Hoosiers are still perfect. They went into Nebraska and walked out with a 20-17 win, moving to 6-0.
And yes, as the source put it, “You saw it.” That one sets up Indiana-Ohio State in Bloomington this Saturday, leaving Husker fans with a long stretch after that game ends and before Nebraska kicks off.
Illinois also picked up a win, but it came with a cost. The Illini outlasted Michigan State 38-37 in overtime to improve to 3-3, and the game turned when Michael Clayton II stepped in after Katin Houser went down with a broken hand.
Bret Bielema said Houser is likely to be out “a considerable amount of time,” which may not mean the whole season, but it does put real doubt around his availability for Nebraska in four weeks. Clayton finished the game with 88 passing yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead 25-yard score on the first play of overtime.
Michigan State, meanwhile, was right there until the end and still came up short. Pat Fitzgerald’s team fought back from a 31-17 fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, then lost when a two-point conversion failed.
The Spartans tried a wildcat look, then flipped it to QB Alessio Milivojevic, whose short pass to the end zone hit the turf. The team is 2-4 now, and Fitzgerald MSU was so banged up on defense that going for two there was the obvious call.
Washington also took a loss, falling 41-24 to Iowa to drop to 3-3. The Huskies have been the biggest letdown on Nebraska’s schedule so far, and this one looked familiar: no stop when they needed one, 465 yards allowed, and 263 of them on the ground. A trip to Purdue comes next, then a bye before Nebraska.
Oregon didn’t play, but there’s still quarterback uncertainty hanging over that matchup. The Ducks are 3-2, and the source noted that they tried to rally but failed twice on a two-point conversion that would have tied the game late.
A penalty gave them another shot, but it still didn’t work. Dylan Raiola struggled badly and was benched in the fourth quarter after completing only 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards and two interceptions.
Oregon managed 272 yards total, with most of its success coming after Brock Thomas entered at quarterback. Dante Moore could return later this season from concussion, but that’s not definite, and Dan Lanning said Saturday they want to take an “abundance of caution” with him.
Maryland dropped to 2-4 after a 45-16 loss at Ohio State. Even so, the Terrapins did show some fight, hanging around at 14-10 early in the second quarter before the Buckeyes pulled away in the way most people expected.
There was also a tough outing for Nebraska’s trip to face North Dakota at Michigan State, where the Spartans’ 38-37 overtime loss to Illinois left them at 2-4. They pushed hard and nearly survived it, but the missed two-point try ended it.
In Other News...
Nebraska Let A Breakthrough Win Slip Away In The Worst Moment
Indiana had to dig itself out of a hole to beat Nebraska, and Curt Cignetti was quick to frame the comeback as more than just a fortunate rally. He pointed to the kind of effort it took to erase the deficit and credited Nebraska as a strong team, which only made the loss sting more for a Cornhuskers group that had put itself in position to land a breakthrough win.
The turning point came on Indianas side through the passing game, with long touchdown throws to wide receiver Nick Marsh helping swing the momentum late. Cignetti also noted Nebraskas defensive approach, a reminder that the Cornhuskers had a plan in place before the game tilted away, and now the challenge is turning the disappointment into something useful before the next matchup with Ohio State. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Dylan Raiola Reunion Brewing With One Big Catch
Oregons preparation for Nebraska comes with a little more quarterback drama than expected, and it starts with Dante Moore working through concussion protocol. If Moore cant go, the Ducks may turn to Dylan Raiola, the former Cornhusker who transferred out of Lincoln and still brings plenty of familiarity to a matchup that already has a built-in edge.
Raiola would be facing the program he left, which adds an obvious layer to a game that matters in the Big Ten race and for Oregons short-term stability under center. He came off a strong showing against USC before a tougher outing against UCLA, so the Ducks are staring at a decision that could carry both practical and personal weight, with Nebraska watching a possible reunion from the other sideline. [Read more 🡒]
Dylan Raiola Faces A Huge Oregon Test After Nebraskas Latest Letdown
Dylan Raiola is still lined up to start for Nebraska against Oregon, and the matchup comes at a tricky moment for the freshman quarterback. His last outing against UCLA was a rough one, as he completed 6 of 19 passes for 43 yards, but the Cornhuskers do not have much time to dwell on it with another major test waiting. The backdrop is not ideal, either, after Nebraska let a 17-6 lead slip away in a loss to Indiana, a defeat that added to the pressure around a team trying to find its footing.
Raiola has already acknowledged the challenge of seeing a former team on the schedule, and he also made clear the respect he still has for former coach Matt Rhule. For Nebraska, this is about more than one bad performance or one disappointing finish, because the next step against Oregon will say plenty about how quickly the offense can respond. Even with Indiana coach Curt Cignetti praising Nebraska's competitiveness in that loss, the Cornhuskers still need cleaner execution if they want this stretch to stop feeling like a series of missed chances. [Read more 🡒]