If you woke up this morning, grabbed your lucky red hoodie, and started wondering is the Nebraska football game on tv today, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but you can put the wings back in the freezer.
Today is Sunday, January 18, 2026.
The short answer? No. There isn't a Nebraska Cornhuskers football game on television today.
Honestly, it’s that weird, quiet stretch of the year where the pads are in storage and the transfer portal is humming louder than the Memorial Stadium crowd. We are officially in the deep offseason. The Huskers' 2025 campaign wrapped up back on New Year's Eve with that tough 44-22 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl. While the NFL is busy with its Divisional Playoff games today—you've got the Broncos and Seahawks hosting some massive matchups—the Big Red is currently focused on weight rooms and recruiting boards rather than kickoff times.
Why isn't the Nebraska football game on tv today?
The college football calendar is pretty rigid. Once the National Championship trophy is hoisted (which happened just a few days ago on January 19), the sport goes into a sort of hibernation.
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Unless you're looking for a replay of a classic 90s blowout on the Big Ten Network, you aren't going to find Matt Rhule’s squad on your screen this afternoon. Most of the guys are just now settling back into classes in Lincoln after the winter break.
It’s a bummer, I know.
But just because there isn't a live game doesn't mean the program is stagnant. In fact, this week has been wild for Nebraska news. We just found out that Ndamukong Suh was selected for the College Football Hall of Fame—a long overdue honor for one of the most dominant defensive players to ever wear the jersey. If you're really itching for Husker content, the Big Ten Network often runs "The B1G Show" throughout the day, which has been leaning heavily into Nebraska’s recent portal additions.
What about other Nebraska sports?
If you just need to see that "N" on your TV, you do have some options, just not on the gridiron. The athletic department is actually pretty busy today:
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- Women's Basketball: The Huskers are active, though you might have to hunt for the right stream depending on the schedule.
- Wrestling and Track: The Winter sports season is in full swing. The Graduate Classic just wrapped up at the Devaney Center, and the wrestling team has been tearing it up in Big Ten duals.
- The Big Ten Network: This is usually your best bet for "passive" Husker viewing. They’ve been re-airing highlights from the 2025 season, including that win over Michigan State that had everyone thinking the corner had finally been turned.
When is the next Nebraska football game?
Since we've established there is no Nebraska football game on tv today, let’s look at the calendar. We actually have some surprising news on this front. Coach Matt Rhule recently announced that the Red-White Spring Game is moving up.
Usually, we have to wait until late April to see the team scrimmage. Not this year.
Nebraska is planning to start spring ball in late February. The actual Spring Game is tentatively set for March 28, 2026. Rhule mentioned he wants to get the team moving faster because of how many new faces are coming in through the transfer portal. He’s treating spring break like a "mini-bye week" and then getting right back to the action.
As for the 2026 regular season, mark your calendars for Saturday, September 5. The Huskers are scheduled to open at home against Ohio. Yeah, it’s a long wait. We've got roughly seven months of speculation, recruiting rankings, and "best shape of his life" stories to get through first.
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The Transfer Portal Drama
If you’re wondering why the roster looks so different, it’s because the portal window just closed on January 16. It’s been a revolving door. We saw some heartbreakers, like Dylan Raiola heading to Oregon, which definitely stung the fan base. But the staff hasn't been sitting on their hands.
They’ve picked up some massive depth on the offensive line, including Paul Mubenga from LSU. The goal is clearly to get more "Big Ten ready" in the trenches. If you're bored today, I'd highly recommend hitting YouTube to watch some of the tape on these new commits. It’s not a live game, but it’s the best way to see what the 2026 version of this team is going to look like.
Actionable Next Steps for Husker Fans
Since you can't watch a game today, here is how you can stay locked in:
- Check the Big Ten Network Schedule: They often run "Big Ten Elite" episodes featuring Nebraska’s championship years on Sunday afternoons.
- Follow the Portal Tracker: Keep an eye on the final list of January enrollees. These are the guys who will be participating in those early spring practices next month.
- Set an Alert for March 28: That’s your first real chance to see the new-look offense under the lights at Memorial Stadium.
- Watch the NFL Playoffs: Plenty of former Huskers are scattered across the rosters of the teams playing today. It’s not Big Red, but it’s the next best thing.
Basically, today is a day for rest and maybe a little bit of "what if" thinking regarding the 2026 schedule. The game isn't on, but the grind in Lincoln never really stops.