Nebraska Football Has a Chance to End This Nine-Year Drought

Do the 2026 Huskers have seven regular-season wins in them? That's what it will take to beat the oddsmakers' over/under line for the first time since 2016.

Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule on the sideline with his players in their Blackout game last season against USC. The 2025 Huskers ended under their projected regular-season win total with seven. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Starting 10 days from now, the Huskers have a chance to do something they haven't achieved in nearly 10 years. The coming Nebraska football season presents its obvious opportunities, including a chance for a third straight bowl appearance and an outside shot at the College Football Playoff. But this could also be the year the Huskers surpass their predicted regular-season win total for the first time since 2016.

For those who are unfamiliar, every year before the season starts, analysts in Vegas determine a line for every college football program on how many games they will win during the upcoming season. Only regular-season wins are considered.

For Nebraska, the line is 6.5, which might seem doable. That being said, the Huskers haven’t surpassed their predicted regular-season win total since 2016, making it a nine-year drought for the scarlet and cream. Since the hiring of head coach Matt Rhule, however, Nebraska has seen an upward trend in regular-season wins, a number that has risen by one during each of his three years at the helm.

Nebraska's regular-season win totals in relation to the over/under lines since 2016. | Alex Kopf

Now comes Year 4. The Huskers have a solid chance to sweep their first five games of 2026, assuming they take care of business against two conference opponents they should be favored to beat, Michigan State and Maryland.

The challenge stiffens after that. Barring an unlikely Week 6 upset against the defending national champions, Indiana, that's a 5-1 record for the Huskers at the season's midpoint. If that's the case, fans will be tasked with finding two more games from the list below to mark down as victories in order for Nebraska to surpass its predicted win total for the first time in nearly 10 years.

• Oregon - Most likely a loss to the Ducks, who are No. 2 in the preseason AP poll.
• Washington - Will be interesting to see how both squads are in midseason form. The Huskies sit at No. 17 in the preseason AP poll.
• Illinois - Illinois and Nebraska reside in the same area of the preseason rankings (33-37), which will make this anticipated toss-up game one that could determine whether the Huskers go over their total.
• Rutgers - A must-win game for the Huskers. Rutgers is placed right outside the top 65 in the preseason ESPN Football Power Index.
• Ohio State - Nearly a zero percent chance Nebraska wins this game. The Buckeyes are a perennial powerhouse, and that is part of the reason they are No. 1 in the preseason rankings.
• Iowa - The long-awaited rivalry game between the neighboring states. The Hawkeyes are No. 22 in the preseason AP poll.

The oddsmakers have the Huskers at a slight favorite to go under their win total, as the odds currently sit at +115 for over 6.5 wins and -138 for under 6.5 wins on DraftKings Sportsbook. With so many changes having been made on both sides of the ball, however, this could be the year Nebraska ends the drought.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.

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