Where, Who the Latest Bowl Projections Have Nebraska Playing

The Las Vegas Bowl against a former Pac-12 team is the most popular projection, but other destinations and opponents leave plenty of intrigue ahead of the November run.

Dylan Raiola and Nebraska are bowl eligible in back-to-back seasons. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

For the second consecutive season, Nebraska football is bowl eligible.

The Huskers are out to a 6-2 start, their best since 2016. That was the last year that Nebraska made it to six wins in back-to-back seasons, giving way to a seven-year bowl drought.

No longer needing to wait for a win in November to see if the team will achieve bowl eligibility, we can see where a number of outlets are projecting Nebraska's bowl destination and opponent. Those projections are below.

Sports Illustrated

ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Texas

Nebraska has never played in this bowl, which was known as the Hall of Fame Bowl from 1986 to 1995 before operating as the Outback Bowl through 2022.

Texas Longhorns receiver Marquise Goodwin can't pull in this pass against Nebraska in 2010. Texas won 20-13. | Bruce Thorson-Imagn Images

However, the Huskers have a long history with the Longhorns. League foes when the Big Eight and Southwest Conferences merged to form the Big 12 in 1996, the two played 10 times before Nebraska left for the Big Ten. Texas went 9-1 in that span, while Nebraska went 3-1 in prior meetings as non-conference opponents.

Nebraska and Texas have not met since a 20-13 Texas victory in Lincoln in 2010.

CBS Sports & On3

ReliaQuest Bowl vs. Tennessee

Another ReliaQuest Bowl projection, but this time against a different orange T school. The Huskers and Volunteers have only ever played each other in bowl games, beginning with the 1998 Orange Bowl that gave Tom Osborne his final national title.

Tennessee Volunteers quarterback Peyton Manning tries to get his teammates pumped up for the fourth quarter of the 1998 Orange Bowl against Nebraska. | Knoxville News Sentinel-USA TODAY NETWORK

The two also met with the 2000 Fiesta Bowl and the 2016 Music City Bowl, with Tennessee winning the latter.

ESPN's Kyle Bonagura

Music City Bowl vs. Texas

Nebraska's only Music City Bowl appearance was that 2016 loss to Tennessee. Texas has never played in this bowl, but the Longhorns did notch a win in Nashville at Vanderbilt in 2024.

ESPN's Mark Schlabach

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. California

Nebraska has never played in the Las Vegas Bowl, but it would be fitting to open the season there for Big Ten Media Days and then end the season in the same place for a bowl game.

The Huskers and California Bears have only played three times in the past, and never in a bowl game. Nebraska is undefeated in the matchup, with wins in 1978, 1998, and 1999.

USA Today

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Washington

A potentially strange matchups of a pair of current Big Ten teams, but more on that further down.

Washington Huskies linebacker Mason Foster tackles Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Roy Helu Jr. in the 2010 Holiday Bowl. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Nebraska and Washington have not met since the Huskies joined the league, but they have played 10 times in the past. The Huskers own a 5-4-1 advantage, including a 51-38 win in 2011. The previous season saw the teams play twice: a Nebraska win in Seattle before a Washington win the Holiday Bowl.

College Football News

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Arizona State

Another former Pac-12 team here, the Sun Devils are 5-3 after making the College Football Playoff last season.

Nebraska owns a 6-2 all-time record against Arizona State. ASU famously upset the Huskers in 1996 to stop a potential run to a third straight national title.

Pro Football Network

SRS Distribution Las Vegas Bowl vs. Utah

The Las Vegas Bowl is a popular pick for the Huskers, where, again, a former Pac-12 program would be waiting (apologies to Oregon State and Washington State).

Nebraska and Utah have played four times in history, but not once since ethe George H. W. Bush administration. The Huskers are 4-0 in the series that goes back to 1968.

Big Ten Bowl Order

Nebraska is currently tied for seventh in the Big Ten standings with a number of other 3-2 teams. The league's bowl ties are listed below, but keep in mind that College Football Playoff teams are removed from these. Meaning, Indiana and Ohio State are not likely to fill any of these spots.

1. Citrus (formerly Capital One) vs. SEC
2. ReliaQuest (formerly Outback) vs. SEC
3. Las Vegas vs. Former Pac-12 Teams
4. Music City vs. SEC
5. Pinstripe vs. ACC
6. Rate (formerly Cactus, Insight, Copper) vs. Big 12
7. GameAbove Sports (formerly Quick Lane, Motor City) vs. MAC

As seen above, with the potential for a Big Ten team to face another Big Ten team in a bowl game, there is a likelihood that a pre-2024 Big Ten team faces a newly added opponent from the Pac-12. Just like Indiana and Ohio State, Oregon is likely destined for the CFP. That means teams like Washington, USC, and UCLA could face a Big Ten opponent in Las Vegas.

Have a question or comment for Kaleb? Send an email to kalebhenry.huskermax@gmail.com.

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Nebraska Football 2025 Schedule

• Aug. 28 Nebraska 20, Cincinnati 17
• Sep. 6 Nebraska 68, Akron 0
• Sep. 13 Nebraska 59, Houston Christian 7
• Sep. 20 Michigan 30, Nebraska 27
• Oct. 4 Nebraska 38, Michigan State 27
• Oct. 11 Nebraska 34, Maryland 31
• Oct. 17 Minnesota 24, Nebraska 6
• Oct. 25 vs. Northwestern 11 a.m. FS1
• Nov. 1 vs. USC 6:30 p.m. NBC
• Nov. 8 at UCLA TBA
• Nov. 22 at Penn State TBA
• Nov. 28 (Black Friday) vs. Iowa 11 a.m. CBS

Home games are bolded. All times central.

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