It is finally happening. After years of "close but no cigar" moments, the Nebraska 2025 football schedule actually feels like a turning point. If you’ve spent any time in Lincoln lately, you know the vibe is different. There’s this weird mix of cautious optimism and genuine fear because, let’s be honest, the Big Ten isn’t getting any easier with the West Coast arrivals.
The Huskers finished 2025 with a 7-6 record. That might not sound like a world-beater season to an outsider, but for a fan base that has been starved for a winning record, it was oxygen. Matt Rhule’s third year saw the team make a bowl game for the first time since the Pelini era. Looking back at how the Nebraska 2025 football schedule unfolded, it’s clear that the path was a gauntlet designed to test exactly how much "process" this team had actually absorbed.
The Weird Start in Kansas City
Everyone expected the season to kick off at Memorial Stadium. Instead, Nebraska hauled itself down to Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City to play Cincinnati on August 28th. It was a Thursday night. It was hot. Honestly, it felt more like a Big 12 throwback than a modern Big Ten opener.
Nebraska escaped with a 20-17 win. Dylan Raiola, as a sophomore, looked like he’d spent the entire summer in the film room. He wasn't perfect, but he was efficient. The defense, led by guys like Ty Robinson and Nash Hutmacher (the "Polar Bear" himself), basically lived in the Bearcats' backfield. It wasn't pretty, but a win's a win.
Then came the home stretch.
Akron and Houston Christian (HCU) were basically appetizers. Nebraska hung 68 points on Akron. Sixty-eight! It was the kind of game where the walk-ons get to play the entire fourth quarter while the starters are already thinking about post-game pizza. They followed that up with a 59-7 drumming of HCU on September 13th. At 3-0, the hype train was officially leaving the station, and tickets for the Michigan game were going for astronomical prices on the secondary market.
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That Brutal Big Ten Reality Check
Everything changed on September 20th. Michigan came to Lincoln.
You’ve probably seen the highlights. It was a 30-27 heartbreaker. Nebraska led for a good chunk of that game, but the Wolverines did what they always do—they squeezed. They waited for one mistake, and they found it late in the fourth. It was a reality check. You can beat up on the Akrons of the world all day, but when the big boys show up, the margin for error is basically zero.
The Mid-Season Grind
- September 27th: Bye Week. Much needed.
- October 4th: Michigan State. This was Homecoming. The Huskers won 38-27 in a game that felt more comfortable than the score suggests.
- October 11th: At Maryland. A 34-31 nail-biter in College Park.
- October 17th: At Minnesota. A Friday night disaster. The Gophers won 24-6. It was cold, the offense was stagnant, and it felt like 2021 all over again for a minute.
The Nebraska 2025 football schedule didn't let up there. Northwestern came to Lincoln on October 25th, and the Huskers managed to grind out a 28-21 win. This moved them to 6-2. They were bowl eligible before November! Do you realize how long it's been since Husker fans could say that?
The West Coast Influence and the Black Friday Blues
November was where the wheels started to wobble a bit. USC visited on November 1st. It was a night game, 7:30 PM on NBC. The atmosphere was electric, but the Trojans' speed was just too much in the second half. Nebraska lost 21-17.
Then came the trip to the Rose Bowl. Playing UCLA in that historic stadium is always cool, but it’s even cooler when you win. Nebraska took that one 28-21 on November 8th. But then, the schedule makers decided to be cruel.
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A trip to Beaver Stadium to play Penn State on November 22nd ended in a 37-10 blowout. It was a "white out," it was loud, and Nebraska just looked tired. By the time Black Friday rolled around for the Iowa game, the team was running on fumes.
Iowa won 40-16 in Lincoln. Losing to the Hawkeyes at home on a short week is becoming a tradition no one in Nebraska wants. It’s a bitter pill to swallow every single year. The Hawkeyes didn't even do anything fancy; they just punted the Huskers into submission and waited for the turnovers.
The Las Vegas Bowl and What We Learned
The season ended on December 31st in the Las Vegas Bowl against Utah. Final score: 44-22, Utah. It wasn't the ending anyone wanted. Losing three in a row to end the year (Penn State, Iowa, Utah) definitely dampened the mood.
However, context matters.
Nebraska finished 7-6. They played one of the toughest schedules in the country. They beat the teams they were supposed to beat and split the 50/50 games. Raiola ended the year with over 3,000 yards passing, which is a massive step forward for this program.
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Why the 2025 Schedule Matters for 2026
If you're looking at the Nebraska 2025 football schedule and wondering why it was so "up and down," look at the travel.
- Kansas City
- College Park, MD
- Minneapolis
- Los Angeles
- State College, PA
- Las Vegas
That is a lot of miles. The Big Ten is no longer a regional conference; it's a professional travel schedule. The depth of the roster was tested, and frankly, it wasn't quite there yet in November.
Actionable Steps for the 2026 Season
If you are planning to follow the Huskers as they transition into the 2026 season, here is what you need to do to stay ahead of the curve.
First, keep a close eye on the transfer portal this spring. The 2025 season proved that while the starting lineup is talented, the drop-off at linebacker and offensive tackle is too steep. Rhule is likely to hit the portal hard for veteran depth.
Second, check the 2026 non-conference dates. Nebraska opens with Ohio, Bowling Green, and North Dakota. All three are at home. This is a massive opportunity to build momentum and get to 3-0 before heading into the Big Ten schedule.
Finally, look at the 2026 Big Ten away games. If you're a traveling fan, the trips to Washington and Oregon are going to be the "bucket list" games. Book your flights early because those Seattle and Eugene hotels fill up months in advance. The lessons learned from the 2025 schedule show that road performance is the final hurdle for this coaching staff. If they can win on the road in the PNW, Nebraska is officially "back."
The 2025 season was a bridge. It wasn't a championship, but it was a foundation. For the first time in a decade, Nebraska football isn't just a punchline—it's a problem for the rest of the Big Ten.