Indiana visiting Lincoln in October. A road trip to Oregon right behind it. And Ohio State closing out the home slate in late November. The Nebraska Football Schedule 2026 stacks ranked competition into the back half of the season.
Nebraska Football Schedule 2026
| Date | Opponent | Location | Time (ET) | TV |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sat, Sep 5 | Ohio Bobcats | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | 12:00 PM | FS1 |
| Sat, Sep 12 | Bowling Green Falcons | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | 7:00 PM | FS1 |
| Sat, Sep 19 | North Dakota Fighting Hawks | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | 7:15 PM | BTN |
| Sat, Sep 26 | at Michigan State Spartans | Spartan Stadium, East Lansing, MI | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 3 | Maryland Terrapins (Homecoming) | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 10 | Indiana Hoosiers | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 17 | at Oregon Ducks | Autzen Stadium, Eugene, OR | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Oct 24 | — | OFF | — | — |
| Sat, Oct 31 | Washington Huskies | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Nov 6 | at Illinois Fighting Illini | Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL | 8:00 PM | FOX |
| Sat, Nov 14 | at Rutgers Scarlet Knights | SHI Stadium, Piscataway, NJ | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Sat, Nov 21 | Ohio State Buckeyes | Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, NE | Time TBA | TV TBA |
| Fri, Nov 27 | at Iowa Hawkeyes | Kinnick Stadium, Iowa City, IA | 12:00 PM | CBS/Paramount+ |
| Sat, Dec 5 | Big Ten Championship | Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, IN | 8:00 PM | FOX |
A Manageable Start, Then Michigan State on the Road
Nebraska Football Schedule 2026 opens with three straight home games — Ohio, Bowling Green, and North Dakota — before the first true road test arrives at Michigan State on September 26. Maryland visits for Homecoming before the schedule turns to its toughest stretch of the season.
Indiana at Home, Then a Trip to Oregon
Indiana visits Memorial Stadium on October 10, one of the marquee home dates of the year. The Nebraska Big Ten schedule 2026 then sends the Cornhuskers to Oregon on October 17 — back-to-back games against two of the sport’s top-ranked teams, followed by a well-timed bye week on October 24.
Washington at Home, Then a Friday Night Road Trip
Washington visits Lincoln on Halloween before a Friday night road trip to Illinois opens November. A road game at Rutgers follows, giving Nebraska three true road games in a four-week span.
Ohio State Closes the Home Slate, Then a Friday in Iowa City
Nebraska vs Ohio State 2026 brings Ohio State to Memorial Stadium on November 21, the biggest home date of the season. The regular season closes with a Friday, Thanksgiving-week road trip to Iowa. If Nebraska is still playing December 5, it’s in Indianapolis for the Big Ten Championship.
The Bottom Line
Between Indiana, Oregon, Washington, Ohio State, and Iowa, Nebraska faces five ranked opponents inside a demanding second half of the season. The Nebraska football home games in 2026 include two of the biggest matchups of the year in Indiana and Ohio State, but how the Cornhuskers handle three road games in four weeks during November will decide how the season is remembered.
FAQ
Q: When does Nebraska play its first game on the 2026 schedule?
A: Nebraska Football Schedule 2026 opens at home against Ohio on Saturday, September 5, at Memorial Stadium.
Q: When is Nebraska vs Ohio State 2026?
A: Nebraska vs Ohio State 2026 is set for Saturday, November 21, at home at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, with Ohio State visiting.
Q: How many home games does Nebraska play in 2026?
A: Nebraska has eight Nebraska football home games in 2026 at Memorial Stadium: Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Maryland, Indiana, Washington, and Ohio State.
Q: What is Nebraska’s toughest stretch on the 2026 schedule?
A: The run from Indiana (home) through Oregon (road) — October 10 and October 17 — is the toughest short stretch on the Nebraska Big Ten schedule 2026, with a road-heavy November and the Ohio State finale adding to the difficulty.
