Nebraska’s future schedule just got a lot more interesting.
The Huskers have added Notre Dame to their 2032 and 2033 slates, setting up a home-and-home series that will send the Irish to Lincoln on Oct. 30, 2032, before Nebraska heads to South Bend on Oct. 29, 2033.
It will be the first meeting between the programs since 2000 and 2001, when Nebraska won both games. The new series also ends a long gap between matchups that has stretched for just over three decades.
Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen framed the addition as exactly the kind of game college football fans want on the calendar early.
“The series with Notre Dame is the type of matchup that college football fans circle on their calendars years in advance,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “Our fans have a tremendous appreciation for the history of college football and iconic venues. We are excited to welcome Notre Dame and their fans to Lincoln in 2032, and I know our fans will travel to South Bend in full force in 2033.”
The timing is notable because Nebraska had drawn criticism for dropping Tennessee from its 2026 and 2027 non-conference schedules and replacing those games with Bowling Green and Northern Iowa. Dannen pointed to the financial need for eight home games in 2027, a year when stadium reconstruction will reduce available seating. South Stadium is set to come down after the 2026 season.
There was also some speculation that broader scheduling trends may have played a role, with the Big Ten and SEC both making recent changes to their conference setups. The SEC has since added another conference game, and Nebraska’s non-conference schedule beyond 2027 was already shaping up well.
The Notre Dame series fills the last open Power 4 slot on Nebraska’s schedule through 2035. In fact, 2033 now features two Power 4 opponents, with the Huskers already set to face Cincinnati that season.
Here’s how Nebraska’s future Power 4 slate now looks:
Sept. 16, 2028 vs. Arizona
Sept. 15, 2029 at Oklahoma
Sept. 14, 2030 vs. Oklahoma
Sept. 13, 2031 at Arizona
Oct. 30, 2032 Notre Dame
Sept. 10, 2033 Cincinnati
Oct. 29, 2033 at Notre Dame
Sept. 16, 2034 Oklahoma State
Sept. 15, 2035 at Oklahoma State
In Other News...
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Nebraskas Defensive Progress Faces A Bigger Test Than Fans Realize
Nebraskas defense took a meaningful step forward in Week 2, especially in how it limited explosive plays against Bowling Green. Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich pointed to the work of Williams Nwaneri, Dylan Berrymon and Malcolm Simpson as part of that improvement, and their production could earn each of them a bigger role as the season moves on.
North Dakota brings a different kind of challenge, though, and one that should test how real Nebraskas early defensive gains actually are. Aurich stressed the need for continued improvement heading into a matchup with an FCS offense that has been effective, which makes this week less about what the Huskers already fixed and more about whether they can keep building against a much sharper test. [Read more 🡒]