Nebraska’s 2026 schedule had a rough Week 3, with the Huskers’ opponents outside of North Dakota going 6-5 and the non-conference teams all taking losses.
That included Nebraska’s next two opponents, though there wasn’t much shame in either result. Michigan State fell at Notre Dame, and Maryland lost to Virginia Tech. Rutgers at least made things interesting, hanging around with USC.
The rest of the schedule? Much cleaner. Six other teams combined to win by a lopsided 332-29, a reminder that the road ahead starts getting more demanding.
Here’s how the full slate shook out.
Bowling Green was hit hard in a 55-7 loss at Iowa State, dropping to 0-3. Eddie George’s team allowed 507 yards of offense, and the Falcons are off to their worst start since opening 0-5 in 2017.
Michigan State, listed as North Dakota’s opponent, lost 27-10 at Notre Dame and is now 2-1. The Spartans made Notre Dame earn its points, but their offense never got going, finishing with just 167 total yards and 44 on the ground.
Maryland also fell to 2-1 after a 35-26 loss to Virginia Tech. James Franklin’s Hokies built a three-touchdown cushion before the Terps trimmed the margin late.
Maryland quarterback Malik Washington kept piling up numbers, throwing for 359 yards. The Terrapins now turn to UCLA before coming to Nebraska.
Washington handled Eastern Washington 48-16 to move to 3-0. It was a steadier afternoon for the Huskies than the first two weeks, even if the non-conference run wasn’t especially flashy. Still, Jedd Fisch’s team heads into its Big Ten opener against Minnesota unbeaten.
Illinois rolled past Southern Illinois 48-10 to improve to 2-1. Katin Houser passed for 305 yards, and the Illini finished with more than 500 yards of offense. Next up: Ohio State.
The source text also notes Indiana at Oregon and Ohio State at Iowa among the weekend’s other matchups on Nebraska’s schedule, but no results were provided for those games in the report.
In Other News...
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Nebraska basketball pulled off a major recruiting win with Dawson Battie, a five-star power forward who is ranked No. 26 overall in the 2027 class and has committed to the Huskers. Battie picked Nebraska over 22 other Division I offers, a decision that gives Fred Hoiberg's program a jolt of credibility on the trail and instantly raises the profile of a class that already includes four-star forward Ty Schlagel.
When Battie signs, he will become the highest-ranked recruit in program history, a milestone that says plenty about where Nebraska is trying to go under Hoiberg. Landing a prospect with that kind of national attention does not solve everything, but it does give the Huskers a centerpiece to build around and a reason for fans to pay closer attention to what comes next in 2027. [Read more 🡒]
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Trae Taylors first season at Millard South has given Nebraska plenty to feel good about, even before the quarterback recruit reaches Lincoln. The 2027 commit has piled up more than 1,300 total yards and 16 touchdowns through four games, and the production has come despite an early stretch of injuries that could have slowed a lesser player down. For Matt Rhule and the Huskers, it is the kind of early return you hope for when a top young quarterback plants his flag so far ahead of signing day.
The bigger question around Taylor is not whether he can play, but how long Nebraska can keep everyone else from turning up the pressure. He transferred into Millard South this season and has already kept his commitment firm while other programs, including Ohio State, remain in the mix. For Nebraska, having Taylor continue to perform at a high level while staying locked in on the Huskers is a welcome boost, and one that could matter a lot as the recruiting picture gets more complicated. [Read more 🡒]