Nebraska Football Announces Two Home Night Games, Two 11 a.m. Kickoffs for 2026 Season

Four games on Nebraska's football schedule received time and television designations Wednesday, with two games getting evening kickoffs and two others being assigned 11 a.m. starts.

The Huskers' season opener against Ohio on Sept. 5 in Lincoln is now set for an 11 a.m. kickoff with television coverage provided by FS1 to open Matt Rhule's fourth season in Lincoln. The Huskers will then continue their nonconference slate with back-to-back night games at Memorial Stadium, taking on Bowling Green on Sept. 12, then facing North Dakota on Sept. 19.

The Bowling Green matchup will kick off at 6 p.m. on FS1, while the North Dakota contest is set to begin at 6:15 p.m. on the Big Ten Network.

Nebraska football's last non-conference night game came against Akron in 2025, when the Huskers blasted the Zips 68-0 at Memorial Stadium. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

At the other end of the Huskers' 2026 slate, the kickoff time for Nebraska's annual rivalry matchup with Iowa is now nailed down. The Huskers' and Hawkeyes' regular-season finale on Black Friday in Iowa City has received a CBS broadcast and an 11 a.m. kickoff.

Nebraska also announced Wednesday that the Huskers' Oct. 3 home contest with Maryland will be designated as Nebraska's Homecoming contest and will begin no later than 4 p.m.

Earlier this month, the Huskers' game at Illinois in early November was selected for a Friday night primetime kickoff. The Huskers and Illini will kick off on Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. on FOX.

Husker fan Maggie Norris cheers during the Nebraska-Northern Illinois football game Sept. 16, 2023, at Memorial Stadium. | Craig Chandler | University of Nebraska Communication and Marketing

Kickoff times and television designations for the remainder of Nebraska's 2026 schedule will be announced six to 12 days in advance during the season. Those contests include Nebraska's Sept. 26 game at Michigan State, an Oct. 10 home tilt against Indiana, the Oct. 17 visit to Oregon, welcoming Washington to Lincoln on Oct. 31, a Nov. 14 trip to Rutgers, and the Huskers' home finale against Ohio State on Nov. 21.

Nebraska received six prime-time kickoff times during the 2025 season, going 3-3 in the matchups. The Huskers took down Cincinnati, Akron, and UCLA while falling to Minnesota, USC, and Penn State. Nebraska went 2-1 in 11 a.m. kickoffs, downing Houston Christian and Northwestern, but fell to Iowa 40-16 to close the regular season.

Nebraska appeared on five different broadcast channels during the 2025 season: ESPN, FS1, FOX, CBS/Paramount+, NBC/Peacock, and the Big Ten Network.

Shirtless fans brave the wintry weather during the 2025 Iowa-Nebraska game in Memorial Stadium in Lincoln. | Cory Edmondson, KFGE

The 2025 season included a few challenging turnarounds from travel and competition, as the Huskers took down Maryland 34-31 in College Park on Oct. 11, only to quickly return to Big Ten road action at Minnesota six days later. Likewise, the Huskers took on Iowa six days after traveling to University Park, Pa., to face Penn State. The Huskers lost each of the quick-turnaround contests, falling to Minnesota 24-6 and Iowa 40-16.

The 2026 schedule does not feature as many rough patches in travel, as the notable concern revolves around Nebraska's Oct. 31 home tilt with Washington, followed by a Nov. 6 test at Illinois. After that visit, Nebraska travels to Rutgers eight days later on Nov. 14.

"One of the great things about being in Nebraska is we’re centrally located," Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said during the 2025 season. "We’re on only six-hour flights. I think about some of these guys going West Coast to East Coast and how hard that is. Even in the NFL, you probably only do that like once a year; you go from the East Coast to West Coast or vice versa. We study everyone and reach out to everyone after they do it, and if they play, we ask ‘hey what’d you do’. There is great collegiality amongst the league because we all have to deal with it."

Matt Rhule and Nebraska football will have one West Coast and an East Coast visit to make during the 2026 season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

The Huskers' 2026 schedule features one trip to each coast this season: at Oregon on Oct. 17 and at Rutgers in New Jersey on Nov. 14. Last season, Nebraska had lengthy trips east to Maryland and Penn State and another one to UCLA on the West Coast.

Nebraska Football 2026 Schedule

Sep. 5 vs. Ohio - 11 a.m. (FS1)
Sep. 12 vs. Bowling Green - 6 p.m. (FS1)
Sep. 19 vs. North Dakota - 6:15 p.m. (BTN)
Sep. 26 at Michigan State - TBD
Oct. 3 vs. Maryland - TBD
Oct. 10 vs. Indiana - TBD
Oct. 17 at Oregon - TBD
Oct. 31 vs. Washington - TBD
Nov. 6 (Friday) at Illinois - 7 p.m. (FOX)
Nov. 14 at Rutgers - TBD
Nov. 21 vs. Ohio State - TBD
Nov. 27 (Black Friday) at Iowa - 11 a.m. (CBS)
Home games in boldface

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