Nebraska’s path to bowl eligibility may run straight through Rutgers.
That sounded far-fetched when the Huskers opened 5-0, but the picture looks a lot different now. Nebraska has dropped four straight and still needs one more win to get to six. With trips to Rutgers and Iowa still on the schedule, plus a home date with Ohio State, Saturday’s game in Piscataway suddenly looks like the most realistic shot.
Rutgers helped create that opening by falling at Wisconsin, 31-10, and slipping to 2-7 overall and 1-5 in the Big Ten. The Scarlet Knights were beaten by Badgers freshman backup quarterback Ryan Hopkins, who threw three touchdown passes.
Nebraska, meanwhile, took another step backward Friday night at Illinois, losing 24-13 to fall to 5-4, 2-4. The Huskers’ offense has been stuck in neutral during the skid, averaging 13.5 points in the four losses. Over the weekend, head coach Matt Rhule made a change, firing offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
Rutgers has not exactly been rolling into this matchup, but Nebraska should still expect a fight. The Scarlet Knights pushed USC and Michigan into the fourth quarter before losing those games, 42-35 and 28-21. So even with the record sitting where it is, Rutgers has every reason to see Nebraska as a real chance to grab a win.
Saturday’s kickoff is set for 11:30 CT on Big Ten Network.
Elsewhere around the conference, Ohio State’s rough stretch continued in a big way. Oregon went into Columbus and beat the Buckeyes, 41-28, after trailing 14-3. The Ducks then ripped off 38 straight points, helped by a 30-yard completed jump pass on a fake punt from linebacker Teitum Tuioti to linebacker Matayo Uiagalelei out of punt formation.
The Buckeyes are now 6-3, 4-2, and have lost two straight since starting quarterback Julian Sayin was injured against Indiana. Oregon improved to 6-3, 4-2 and will host Michigan on Saturday, while Ohio State welcomes Northwestern.
Iowa stayed in the College Football Playoff mix with a 24-10 win at Northwestern. The Hawkeyes are 7-2, 4-2, while Northwestern dropped to 6-3, 3-3 after its second straight loss.
Iowa hosts Purdue this weekend, then visits Illinois before closing the regular season on Black Friday against Nebraska. If the Hawkeyes win their next two, that season finale could carry CFP implications.
Michigan State finally got the kind of win it had been chasing, beating host Michigan, 15-6, in one of the sport’s fiercest rivalries. Pat Fitzgerald’s team forced four turnovers, recorded five sacks and scored all 15 points on field goals.
The Spartans improved to 3-6, 1-5, while Michigan fell to 5-4, 2-4 and is now in danger of missing a bowl. The Wolverines still have Oregon, UCLA and Ohio State left, and on Sunday they fired offensive coordinator Jason Beck, believed to be the highest-paid OC in the nation at $3 million per season.
Maryland also snapped a skid, winning its first conference game by beating Purdue, 34-29, and ending a six-game losing streak. The Terrapins are 3-6, 1-5, while Purdue fell to 3-6, 2-4. Maryland hosts Wisconsin on Saturday, and Purdue heads to Iowa.
Indiana got a much quieter weekend after surviving back-to-back overtime games. The Hoosiers, now 8-1, 5-1, were on bye and will return to face USC on Saturday in what could be a CFP play-in game for the Trojans. USC, also off last weekend, comes in at 7-2, 4-2.
Washington’s momentum from its win at Nebraska disappeared quickly. The Huskies lost at home to Penn State, 28-25, after trailing 28-6 at halftime.
Washington is 5-4, 2-4 and visits Michigan State on Saturday. Penn State is also 5-4, 2-4 and hosts Minnesota.
UCLA kept rolling, winning its ninth straight by beating host Minnesota, 34-20. The Bruins are 9-0, 6-0, and will host Illinois on Friday night.
In Other News...
Rutgers Is Betting On Greg Schiano After A Brutal 2026
Rutgers is choosing stability after a frustrating 2026, with the schools athletic department signaling that it still believes Greg Schiano can guide the program forward. The decision comes after a season that fell short of expectations, but the message from the university is clear: the focus is on building something stronger over time rather than reacting to one rough year.
The athletic director said the call was made after conversations with university leadership and a series of meetings about where the program is headed. Rutgers is framing the move as a commitment to long-term success, while also acknowledging that meaningful changes will be needed if the Scarlet Knights are going to become more competitive. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Just Sent A Clear Message About Its Defensive Future
Nebraskas defensive future got a little clearer this week when Rob Aurichs contract extension was confirmed by head coach Matt Rhule. The move keeps the defensive coordinator in place as the Huskers continue trying to build a tougher, more consistent unit, and Aurich made it clear he sees the job as more than a short-term stop. He talked about his commitment to putting together a strong defense while also expressing confidence in the players on that side of the ball and the offensive staff working alongside them.
Aurich also touched on the way the team has responded after a recent loss, pointing to the kind of resilience Nebraska needs as it heads into the next stretch of games. For a program still trying to establish stability, keeping a coordinator who believes in the roster and the broader staff matters just as much as any single result. The extension gives the Huskers some continuity on defense, even as the bigger question remains how quickly that belief turns into production on the field. [Read more 🡒]
Rutgers Fans Just Got The Answer They Feared On Greg Schiano
Rutgers footballs long-running uncertainty around Greg Schiano finally got a public answer, and it was the one many fans had been bracing for. Athletic director Keli Zinn said the head coach will return to lead the program in 2027, a decision that comes after a disappointing season and plenty of frustration over the teams direction under Schiano.
The move signals that the school is betting on stability and on the possibility that meaningful changes can still turn things around, even with the programs recent struggles. It also comes with the financial reality attached to any coaching change, since Rutgers would be facing a significant buyout if it decided to move on, leaving the Scarlet Knights to keep watching whether this reset can actually take hold. [Read more 🡒]