Huskers Bowl Game in 2025? Sports Site Makes its Call

Nebraska football optimists might be disappointed. They expect more. They might not truly think a College Football Playoff is possible this year, but it’s always good to have hope.

Athlon Sports recently predicted the bowl game participants for the 2025 season. The publication did not select the Huskers for the 12-team CFP.

That prediction shouldn’t come as a big surprise. While prospects are positive for the Huskers, if there is a consensus about 2025 it’s that Nebraska might be a year or two or so away from the lofty expectations held by some of its fan base.

Athlon Sports predicts coach Matt Rhule's Nebraska team will play in the Las Vegas Bowl, which is scheduled to be played on New Year’s Eve at 2:30 CT. This will be the first time the Las Vegas Bowl will be played on Dec. 31.

The Huskers’ opponent is predicted to be Arizona State, one of the darlings of the 2024 season. The Sun Devils, picked to finish last in a Big 12 media preseason poll last year, won the conference championship and earned a berth in the College Football Playoff. ASU then took Texas to overtime in the CFP before losing.

Nebraska last season made its first bowl game since 2016. The Huskers defeated Boston College, 20-15, in the Pinstripe Bowl at Yankee Stadium.

The Huskers’ storied bowl history has never included the Las Vegas Bowl. Nebraska is 27-27 all-time in bowl games and has played in 17 different bowl games.

Nebraska played in an NCAA-record 35 consecutive bowl games from 1969 to 2003.

Nebraska has played Arizona State once in a bowl game, a 17-14 Sun Devils victory in the 1975 Fiesta Bowl, at Sun Devil Stadium in Tempe, Ariz.

In last year’s Las Vegas Bowl, USC defeated Texas A&M, 35-31.

CFP predictions

Athlon Sports predicted the 12 CFP teams, but didn’t pick a champion.

In the first round:

No. 5 Ohio State vs. No. 12 Boise State
No. 6 Georgia vs. No. 11 Miami
No. 7 Notre Dame vs. No. 10 Oregon
No. 8 LSU vs. No. 9 Alabama

In the quarterfinals:

No. 4 Kansas State vs. No. 5 Ohio State (Cotton Bowl)
No. 3 Clemson vs. No. 6 Georgia (Orange Bowl)
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 7 Notre Dame (Rose Bowl)
No. 1 Texas vs. No. 8 LSU (Sugar Bowl)

In the semifinals:

No. 1 Texas vs. No. 5 Ohio State (Fiesta Bowl)
No. 2 Penn State vs. No. 6 Georgia (Peach Bowl)

In the final:

Texas vs. Penn State

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