These Three Games Are Crucial For a Successful Nebraska Football Season

Faced with a difficult schedule, the Huskers need to win these toss-up Big Ten games

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule faces a challenging schedule in 2026 with three toss-up games that could determine the season. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In a 12-game schedule, every Nebraska football game is important, every game means something. Here in early June, it’s fun to employ deep-in-the-grass analysis — or hunches — and decide which games the Huskers will win and which ones they won’t.

It’s what college football people do.

Such assessments keep college football fresh on our minds, and tend to run optimistic. It’s how college football people think — at least in June.

 You can look at Nebraska’s 2026 schedule  — strikingly more difficult than the 2025 slate that yielded a 7-5 regular-season record — several ways. One, it’s a massive challenge and opportunity for Matt Rhule to move his program forward in a significant way.

Two, it’s a schedule that is going to take a toll.

Nebraska plays the last two national champions, Indiana and Ohio State. Both games are in Lincoln but home-field advantage might not be an equalizer.

Difficult trips are sprinkled through the rest of the schedule: at Oregon, Illinois and Iowa.

Faced with such a schedule, the Huskers need to win the winnable games and the toss-up games. Three jump-ball games stand out … 

Hello, Michigan State, Washington and Iowa

As we go through the schedule, and check off the wins and losses, three games jump out as crucial to the Huskers’ season — again with the understanding that every game is important and, to some, every game is a must win. Winning these three games is almost necessary for a decent season.

(Of course, defeating either Indiana, Ohio State or Oregon would be a real pick-me-up, too … )

* Michigan State at Spartan Stadium on Sept. 26.
* Washington at Memorial Stadium on Oct. 31.
* Iowa at Kinnick Stadium on Nov. 27.

Garrett Nelson, Casey Thompson and Chancellor Brewington celebrate Nebraska's 2022 win over Iowa, the Huskers' last win over the Hawkeyes. | Joseph Cress/Iowa City Press-Citizen / USA TODAY NETWORK

As always, the Iowa game will be enormous. Nebraska’s bowl eligibility could be on the line on that Black Friday, along with another chance to end the Hawkeyes’ recent domination of the rivalry. Iowa has won 10-of-11 against the Huskers.

An added bonus: A win over Iowa would kick-start the 2027 season.

But let’s get there first.

Sparty game is a key

Nebraska eases into its schedule with two MAC opponents in Ohio and Bowling Green, then finishes its three-game homestand against North Dakota.

Then, the Huskers hit the road to Michigan State, where they are 2-3 at Spartan Stadium. East Lansing will be buzzing for Michigan State’s first Big Ten game under new coach Pat Fitzgerald.

Michigan State is counting on former Northwestern coach Pat Fitzgerald to revitalize the Spartans' football program. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Fitzgerald is accomplished. Across 17 years at Northwestern, the former Wildcats linebacker was 110-101, with a 5-5 record in bowl games. When you have that kind of success at a academically orientated Big Ten school such as Northwestern, you can coach.

MSU has endured four consecutive losing seasons, two under Jonathan Smith and two under Mel Tucker. But Sparty has a long football heritage and the wherewithal to return to prominence. MSU went to 13 bowl games from 2007 to 2021.

Expect Fitzgerald, at some point, to bring back the Spartans. That time might not be in 2026, but the inspirational Fitzgerald will have his team at an emotional pitch for the conference opener. MSU has an experienced quarterback in Alessio Milivojevic, who completed 6-of-7 passes for 71 yards and one touchdown in a backup role as the Spartans lost, 38-27, at Nebraska in 2025.

Michigan State quarterback Alessio Milivojevic played against the Huskers last season. | Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Nebraska, which could be an expected 3-0 heading into Spartan Stadium, should be on high alert. MSU will be ready. Michigan State feels like a game the Huskers need to win to keep their season intact.

How about those Huskies?

Nebraska will be coming off a bye before Washington visits Memorial Stadium on Oct. 31. Before the bye, Nebraska will be coming off a home game against defending national champion Indiana on Oct. 10, and at visit to Oregon on Oct. 17.

If Huskers fans checked those boxes as losses — and that wouldn’t be disloyal even for the most faithful — they know the Washington game could make or break the season.

We recently placed Washington in our third tier of Big Ten teams — “just about there” with Penn State and Iowa. We picked the Huskies as the sixth-best team in the Big Ten. We picked Nebraska as the 11th-best Big Ten team in a tier “not quite there.”

Teams “not quite there” in the Big Ten have a huge task moving up. The conference is stacked and every week is a potential battle. Washington should be a prime target for Nebraska, an opportunity to defeat, finally, a likely ranked team. Washington is 1-2-1 in Lincoln.

A Nebraska win over Washington — which could be 7-0 coming into Lincoln if it wins at USC and defeats Iowa — would be Rhule’s biggest win in Lincoln. Nebraska hasn’t defeated a ranked opponent since 2016.

Washington is a program with huge aspirations and is perhaps close to returning to the College Football Playoff. Only three seasons ago, the Huskies played in the national title game. That’s where Washington believes it belongs.

Washington quarterback Demond Williams Jr. brings a running game along with his prowess throwing the ball. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Washington has played in 14 bowl games in the last 15 seasons (excluding the 2020 season). Dual-threat quarterback Demond Williams Jr. will have the benefit of a veteran and talented offensive line.

Washington had the nation’s 21st-ranked defense in 2025. It’s a new season, but Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea and the Huskers should expect a battle against a team that prides itself on defense.

New Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea was the Big Sky Conference Offensive Player of the Year in 2025 with UNLV. | Raymond Carlin III-Imagn Images

USA Today predicts a 9-3 season for Washington. Nebraska is predicted to finish 6-6. A Nebraska win over Washington would be a windfall.

Defeating Washington would turn up the swagger for the Huskers and send a signal that, for at least a week, Nebraska is on the right track.

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