Nebraska football’s schedule continues to get more puzzling as the college football season continues.
Entering the preseason, fans, analysts, and college football pundits alike would have agreed that Nebraska’s toughest battles awaited the Big Red in the month of November – specifically with a Nov. 22 matchup in Happy Valley against preseason No. 2 Penn State. Since the start of the season, Nebraska’s schedule has lost its marquee matchup due to Penn State’s three-straight losses – including back-to-back defeats to unranked UCLA and Northwestern.
Nebraska was tied for 91st in the country in the college football strength of schedule ranking of opponents’ record from 2024 (76-76) prior to the start of the 2025 season. The Huskers’ current strength of schedule rating from ESPN after six games is 74th in the country, while the final six games are slated at 41st. As of Oct. 12, Nebraska has only played one team with a top 25 record is scheduled to play one ranked team in its remaining regular season contests.
Wide receiver Nyziah Hunter (left) celebrates with teammates after his touchdown reception late in the first half against Cincinnati. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
However, the final six-game stretch for the Big Red remains with many hurdles in various forms that could give coach Matt Rhule and Nebraska plenty of hurdles to clear. Although only one team on the Huskers’ remaining schedule is ranked, each of the final six contests presents new problems for NU. Which is the toughest remaining for the Big Red?
Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Northwestern Wildcats quarterback Preston Stone (8) throws a pass during the fourth quarter against the Penn State Nittany Lions at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Although the Wildcats “shocked” the college football world with a stunning upset over Penn State in Happy Valley on Saturday, earning late-game heroics in a 22-21 road win, the result may have been more about what has been happening with the Nittany Lions than what the Wildcats proved. Credit where credit is due – Northwestern held an early lead and outscored the previously ranked home team in the fourth quarter to earn the win. However, the recipe to take down Penn State may have already been shown the week prior in the Nittany Lions’ 42-37 road loss at UCLA.
Likewise, Penn State lost quarterback Drew Allar to a season-ending injury on the final drive of the contest (more on that later) which prevented any late-game miracles for Penn State. The Wildcats only had 163 passing yards and 129 rushing yards in the contest, a recurring theme for a team that ranks near the bottom of college football in yards per game. Northwestern also ranks 120th in college football with 169 pass yards per game, and would need to keep up with a Husker passing defense that is second in the country with 128 passing yards allowed per game.
The Wildcats do boast a top 50 rushing attack, but are not an offensive scoring juggernaut, only averaging 19.6 points per game on the season. The most points scored by the Wildcats this season against a Power Four conference opponent was 22 against Penn State, and previously had been 17 on a road trip to UCLA on Sept. 27.
Nebraska’s offense, defense, and special teams show clear advantages over Northwestern for a home tilt at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 25. Also, Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers have cleared previous hiccups from the Wildcats in the coach’s first season, downing Northwestern 17-9 at home in 2023. Despite the Saturday surge that ultimately put a nail in the coffin of Penn State coach James Franklin’s tenure with the Nittany Lions, the win is likely more of a blip on the radar and a nice positive note for the Northwestern season that finishes with Purdue, Nebraska, USC, Michigan, Minnesota, and Illinois.
Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin looks over quarterback Drew Allar (15) as he sit injured on the ground during the fourth quarter against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Penn State’s matchup with Nebraska remains intriguing for a variety of reasons.
Forget that the Nittany Lions are without starting quarterback and likely NFL draft pick Drew Allar, the program fired its $50 million head coach on Sunday, or that the preseason No. 2 team is now unranked and on a three-game losing streak, including back-to-back losses to unranked opponents. Penn State returned 14 starters from its College Football Playoff team a season ago and had one of the highest-rated rosters in returning talent (based on recruitment and transfer rankings) entering 2025. That talent remains on the roster despite the recent woes for the program.
However, that team is seemingly in a complete free-fall despite the 3-0 start in non-conference play. After suffering a home loss in double overtime to No. 8 Oregon, Penn State’s defensive performance stumbled, allowing 435 total offensive yards – including 269 on the ground – to UCLA, which was in the bottom tier of the nation in offensive production. After giving up 42 points in the road loss at UCLA, Penn State’s defense settled in and only allowed 4.1 yards per play to Northwestern, but still failed to prevent two fourth-quarter scoring drives by the Wildcats that ultimately led to Penn State’s 22-21 home loss on Saturday.
Oct 11, 2025; University Park, Pennsylvania, USA; Penn State Nittany Lions head coach James Franklin stands on the field following the game against the Northwestern Wildcats at Beaver Stadium. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Now without their starting quarterback, Penn State’s offense, which was averaging 351 yards per game, will likely take another step back and rely on running backs Nick Singleton and Kaytron Allen to shoulder the load. Even in that regard, the Nittany Lions’ rushing yards per attempt have slipped from 5.3 yards per carry in 2024 to 4.7 yards per attempt through six games in 2025. Penn State is 59th in the country in rushing yards per game at 155 rushing yards per contest, while Nebraska’s rushing defense allows 164 yards per game, good for 86th.
While a trip to Happy Valley is never easy, there is a chance the home crowd is indifferent to the result – unless a loss for the Nittany Lions brings them closer to bringing in Penn State football alum and current Nebraska coach Matt Rhule back to the program. Could the crowd be rooting for the visitors after its season slipped away, or will one of the most difficult road environments return if Penn State goes on a run over the next month prior to the Big Red’s road trip?
If Penn State plays competently (or even upsets) Iowa, No. 1 Ohio State, or No. 3 Indiana over its next stretch of games – including a bye week between the road trip to Iowa City and its visit to Columbus – maybe this game gets more interesting. But, as we saw from Florida State a season ago, once a playoff contender slips early, that team can take a full year to recover. Nebraska should be favored in its road trip to Penn State on Nov. 22, and I expect that the Huskers’ significant advantages in their pass defense compared to Penn State’s passing attack will provide enough coverage for a much simpler contest than what it appeared to be in early August.
Oct 11, 2025; East Lansing, Michigan, USA; UCLA Bruins quarterback Nico Iamaleava (9) throws the ball in the second quarter at Spartan Stadium. / Brendan Mullin-Imagn Images
The hottest team in the Big Ten Conference may reside in California currently.
After an 0-4 start to the season that resulted in the firing of former coach Deshaun Foster, the Bruins earned new life following back-to-back upsets over Penn State and Michigan State. UCLA’s offense, sparked by new play caller and former Bruin quarterback Jerry Neuhisel, has revitalized the program with two straight games scoring 38 or more points. UCLA had only scored 57 total points in its first four games, and is averaging nearly 400 yards per game in its last three games – including the 17-14 defeat prior to the coaching change.
That being said, plenty is still left to find out about the Bruins and what the team is moving forward after two incredible showings from the team. Prior to playing Nebraska at home on Nov. 8, the Bruins will battle Maryland at home on Oct. 18, then travel to Bloomington, Ind., for a test at No. 3 Indiana on Oct. 25. UCLA will then await the Huskers after a bye.
While the new offense is exciting, it can also be concerning for a Nebraska defense that has struggled in the middle-half of its past two contests. UCLA scored 24 points in the second and third quarters combined in the Penn State upset and 28 points in the same time frame at Michigan State Saturday. The Blackshirts allowed 21 points in the middle half to the Spartans on Oct. 4, and all 31 points the Terrapins scored on Saturday came in the second and third quarters.
The spread for the contest will shrink as the game gets closer, but Nebraska is still more talented than the Bruins and will have enough film on UCLA that nothing should surprise the Huskers. The road trip mixed with the upstart Bruins’ new motivation to potentially push for a bowl bid makes this a sure-fire “trap game” territory before Nebraska’s second bye week.
Oct 11, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Golden Gophers head coach P.J. Fleck and defensive back Koi Perich (3) are interviewed after the game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Huntington Bank Stadium/ / Matt Krohn-Imagn Images
Similarly to another team coming up on this list, most of what comes with the Minnesota contest is variables outside of the play on the field.
Nebraska owns the more talented roster in terms of recruitment ratings, returning talent percentage, and transfer impact ratings and has a better statistical offense and defense in major categories than the Golden Gophers. However, Minnesota remains a boogeyman that Nebraska has yet to shake in the Matt Rhule era.
Nebraska has lost five straight to Minnesota, with the last victory coming in Scott Frost’s first year in 2018. The 53-28 home win was Frost’s first as the Cornhusker coach, and the last time the former coach had a warm feeling following a matchup with P.J. Fleck’s Gophers. Minnesota has won the past four contests by seven points or less, including the 13-10 road loss for Matt Rhule in the 2023 season opener.
The Huskers are also returning from an East Coast trip to Maryland from Saturday night, with one less day of preparation for a short flight to Minneapolis for Friday night’s contest. Minnesota played Purdue to a 27-20 home win late Saturday night, but has the reward of remaining home and does not have to waste a day of travel for the Big Ten standalone game. Under Rhule, Nebraska is 2-4 in regular-season mid-week games, including the 2023 Minnesota loss and Nebraska’s season-opening 20-17 win at Arrowhead Stadium.
Iowa Hawkeyes quarterback Mark Gronowski (11) is tackled by Indiana Hoosiers linebacker Isaiah Jones (46) Sept. 27, 2025 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Nebraska’s end-of-season nemesis is a regular at this part of any scheduling list for the Cornhuskers. That remains the same for 2025’s ranking of the final six game opponents, even if the season has been to a slower start than the fans in Iowa City would like to admit.
After a sluggish offensive start to the season despite hiring a new offensive coordinator and bringing in FCS-champion Mark Gronowski at quarterback, the Hawkeyes have gained some momentum following a 47-7 home win over UMass on Sept. 13. Iowa is 2-1 to start Big Ten play that includes a 20-15 home loss to No. 3 Indiana. In that stretch, the Hawkeyes scored 38 and 37 points in road tilts at Rutgers and Wisconsin, respectively. While the Scarlet Knights and Badger defenses don’t compare to Nebraska’s defense – the Huskers allow 4.7 yards per play, good for 27th in the country, while Rutgers is 133rd (7.3) and Wisconsin’s is 67th (5.5) – a confident offense can still create problems for the Huskers.
Nebraska’s biggest hurdle remaining with the Hawkeyes is a mental block; NU is 1-9 over the last decade of facing Iowa and is 0-6 since 2013 in home contests with the cross-state rival. Nebraska’s last win inside Memorial Stadium against Iowa came when its current coach, Matt Rhule, was still an assistant with Temple in 2011. The Huskers will also have to overcome another one-score narrative, as the last seven contests in the series have been decided by seven points or less, including last year’s 13-10 walk-off win for Iowa in Iowa City.
Iowa Hawkeyes defensive lineman Deontae Craig (45) pressures Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) Friday, Nov. 29, 2024 at Kinnick Stadium in Iowa City, Iowa. / Julia Hansen/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Rivalry games always add another layer to a matchup, and couple the Black Friday contest with an early kickoff time (Nebraska has only played one 11 a.m. kickoff through its first six games) and potentially more expectations on Nebraska entering the game, the pressure for the Huskers to perform could be turned up to a new level the team has yet to see under Rhule.
Leading into the game, Nebraska will have played at Minnesota, Northwestern, No. 20 USC, at UCLA, and at Penn State. ESPN’s projections have Nebraska earning at least four more wins in its final six games, and providing push games against USC and Penn State. If the Huskers were to go 4-1 in that stretch and enter the Black Friday game at 9-2 with a potential College Football Playoff bid on the line, the added pressure could motivate or derail the Huskers against an Iowa team whose sole goal would likely be to spoil the Big Red’s best season in two decades. There is also a chance that Iowa catches fire at the right time with favorable matchups at home against Penn State, Minnesota, No. 8 Oregon, and Michigan State, with a road trip to No. 20 USC on Nov. 15 sandwiched in as well.
Like many other Heroes Game contests through the rivalry, Nebraska will likely have the statistical advantage, but will need to make the plays it has yet to make under three coaching regimes against the Hawkeyes to overcome Iowa in the regular season finale. An added note – if Nebraska is playing exceptionally well at this point of the season and is 9-2 or 10-1 entering the game, the Huskers will have more distractions regarding their head coach potentially returning to his alma mater as well as the pressure of being a Big Ten and College Football Playoff contender.
Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley (wearing white visor) celebrates along with defensive end coach Shaun Nua after kicker Ryon Sayeri (48) hit a 54-yard field goal in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
All roads lead back to Nov. 1 at Memorial Stadium.
Not only will Nebraska be wearing alternate uniforms for a “Black Out” in Memorial Stadium, but the Huskers will have their best opportunity to likely take down their only remaining top 25-rated program in its final six games. The No. 20 Trojans may not even have a ranking by the first Saturday in November, as USC faces No. 13 Notre Dame on Saturday, then takes a bye prior to its potential top 25 tilt with Nebraska in Lincoln. The contest serves as Nebraska’s second-half of the season test after failing its previous Big Ten-ranked battle with Michigan on Sept. 20.
USC’s only loss on the year is a 34-32 road defeat to RV Illinois as the Trojans once again boast one of college football’s most lethal offenses led by coach Lincoln Riley. The Trojans rank near the top of all major statistical categories offensively through six games, ranking 1st in yards per game (552), 1st in points per game (45.5), 13th in rushing yards per game (227), and third in passing yards per game (326). However, the offense has a penchant for turnovers, giving up at least one per game.
USC also handled its recent test with Michigan on Saturday, dominating 31-13 while scoring in every quarter and tuning up the Wolverines’ defense to 7.2 yards per play and 224 rushing yards. The Michigan offense that ran through Nebraska’s defense for 286 rushing yards in the 30-27 Husker loss only mustered 109 in Southern California Saturday.
Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans running back Woody Marks (4) runs the ball ahead of Nebraska Cornhuskers linebacker John Bullock (5) during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
While the main stress will be emphasized on Nebraska’s defensive coordinator, John Butler, the Huskers’ offense will aim to continue its renaissance under coordinator Dana Holgorsen, who took over play-calling duties prior to the 2024 matchup with USC. Since the 2024 contest, Nebraska’s yards per game, points per game, and efficiency ratings have all improved and have the Huskers as one of the top units in the conference.
Likewise, USC brings in one of the most talented rosters Nebraska will face at Memorial Stadium this season. The talent on the roster is closer in comparison to Penn State’s Orange Bowl returning team, making it an advantage for the Trojans over the Huskers. While the moment and impact of the game will loom large for each side, the Trojans will still remain with contests at home against Iowa, on the road at No. 8 Oregon, and the city rivalry with UCLA to close out its season. USC may not view it as the most important game on its schedule, but Nebraska’s season expectations hinge on the result from the Nov. 1 contest.
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