Three Games That Will Define Nebraska's 2026 Season

In 2024 and 2025, the Nebraska Cornhuskers began the season 3-0 and 5-1, respectively, before collapsing. Both seasons ended with Nebraska at 7-6, leaving Husker fans hungry for more. In 2026, Nebraska has more talent than they've had in quite a while, and a 7-6 record certainly won't cut it. Nebraska needs to do something notable this season, and these three games will determine whether or not Nebraska can get back to contention.

At. Michigan State

Nebraska should easily start the year 3-0, as they host Ohio, Bowling Green, and North Dakota to start the season. Over the last two years, Nebraska has started 3-0, though there's one common thing: they lose their first conference game. In fact, Nebraska has lost its first conference game every year since 2019. If Nebraska is going to improve next season, they need to prove it can win in a hostile Big Ten environment, especially in the early part of the season. The Huskers should win this game, considering that Michigan State is considered one of the worst teams in the conference, but Pat Fitzgerald isn't a pushover, and this is still a big test. The momentum Nebraska can gain from starting 4-0 and likely 5-0 with Maryland the next week could be huge, especially considering they have a massively overlooked game in Lincoln in Week 6.

Vs. Indiana

Nebraska has a very good chance of starting the year 5-0, especially after defeating both MSU and Maryland last season and entering this season as good as they are. In week 6, there is a good chance both teams, the Indiana Hoosiers and Huskers, are 5-0, setting up a massive Big Ten game with playoff implications. If Nebraska starts 5-0, it isn't going to aim for 8-4 or better. At that point, they want to beat Indiana. Nebraska hasn't defeated a ranked team since 2016, but in the last two seasons, Nebraska has proved it can give a very good team fits. In 2024, a very young Husker team would lose 21-17 to the eventual National Champion Ohio State on the road in a game that they could've pretty easily won with better execution. In 2025, Nebraska may have handily defeated the USC Trojans if Dylan Raiola had not fumbled and gone down with a season-ending injury.

Nebraska can be a very hostile environment, and they have the talent to give an elite team like Indiana a very hard time. If Nebraska could somehow win this game, then Matt Rhule has done it. Rhule has turned the program back into a contending program. Nebraska is no doubt the underdog in this game, especially considering their 56-7 loss at Indy in 2024. However, Nebraska didn't pay attention to Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers, and it was punished for it. In 2026, that won't happen again.

Vs. Washington

Even if Nebraska somehow pulls off an upset against Indy, they will have to deal with Oregon on the road, which is an even taller task given the hostile environment. The good news is that we will have a bye week before hosting the Washington Huskies. This game is huge because Nebraska can't afford to lose it with their upcoming schedule. Washington itself could be a ranked team, possibly even undefeated, with a schedule easier than Nebraska's, so this game could be a huge ranked matchup with playoff implications. Even if Nebraska loses to both Indy and Oregon, they could still be 5-2, which doesn't knock Nebraska out of the playoff picture quite yet. Washington could be a bit of a last stand in terms of the 2026 season, much like the USC game last season, where Nebraska was 6-2.

It is very simple: if Nebraska wants to be great, it can't allow a team like Washington to walk into Lincoln and come out with a win. The Huskies aren't as good as Indy, Oregon, and even Ohio State, who the Huskers host in Week 12. Nebraska needs such a game to end in a victory, especially since Nebraska still has to be at Illinois, vs. OSU, and at Iowa. It isn't enough to play USC hard like they did last season, they must win.

The good news is simple: Matt Rhule has proven that Nebraska can win close games and put up a good fight against great opponents, something that Scott Frost couldn't do at all. Nebraska, after all, returns a ton of talent and adds transfers like QB Anthony Colandrea, LB Owen Chambliss, and WR Kwazi Gilmer. Nebraska has the talent and the ceiling to do something in 2026, but what can Rhule and Nebraska do with it?

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