Yesterday we did a search of several AI systems to try and predict the Nebraska football season and they almost universally came up with the Huskers going 8-4 in 2025. They are likely regurgitating everything they can find on the internet but it is not an unreasonable prediction.
I personally can see Nebraska going anywhere from 7-5 to 10-2. So here is me shooting my final shot at predicting the Nebraska football season.
Cincinnati at Arrowhead – Win
The record for Cincinnati in 2024 was 5-7, and that
should give Husker fans some confidence. However, that record is a bit misleading. Four of those losses (Pittsburgh, Texas Tech, West Virginia and TCU) were by one scores. They do return a quarterback in Brendan Sorsby that should make Nebraska nervous. He was the second leading rusher on that team and is extremely physical.
This game likely comes down to whether Nebraska can limit dumb turnovers and if they can force Cincinnati to run the ball. I think they will get it done but it will be close.
Akron at Home – Win
This should not be close. This might be a good day to get a coffee and go to Nebraska Furniture Mart if you aren’t actually going to the game.
Houston Christian at Home – Win
If Nebraska beats Cincinnati then they should be 3-0 after beating this FCS team. If you didn’t go to NFM the prior week then this would be a good time to do so.
Michigan at Home- Loss
This is when the season really gets started. This is also a game that should be a great barometer for how good this team could be in 2025. If Matt Rhule’s team is as good as advertised then it needs to win this game against a true freshman quarterback and a team missing it’s head coach, especially when the game is at home. Michigan plays AT Oklahoma two weeks before this game so Bryce Underwood is probably going to get a lot of experience from that matchup that I wish he would have waited to get until his trip to Lincoln. These two teams played in Lincoln in 2023 and the Wolverines put the beatdown on Matt Rhule and the Huskers.
I expect this game to be close toward the end. If Nebraska gets this win, then look out as it could end up being a special season. Unfortunately, I expect Nebraska to come up short.
Michigan State at Home – Win
Head coach Jonathan Smith is returning 15 starters from last year’s team. Last year’s Spartans beat Iowa by 12. They also lost to Rutgers by 27 at home. Both the Spartans and the Huskers will be coming off of a bye (how often does that happen?) so both teams should be fresh and prepared.
I’m picking Nebraska to win by double digits. The Michigan game (whether it was a loss) will show Nebraska where it needs to improve and will probably have served as a big lesson moving forward and they will use that to their advantage against Michigan State.
At Maryland – Win
The Terrapins beat Nebraska in 2023 with a walk-off field goal and are back for more but this time it is at their place. Maryland is searching for a quarterback this season. It might be true freshman Malik Washington as head coach Mike Locksley has started true freshmen three other times (Juice Williams, Jalen Hurts and Tua Tagovailoa). Locksley runs a pass happy offense and until they embrace the Big Ten physical style I think Maryland will be toward the bottom half of the conference.
Nebraska should win by 10 or more.
At Minnesota – Loss
Pretty simple. Nebraska has lost five straight to Minnesota and this game is on a Friday night following a trip east to Maryland. There is a lot going against the Huskers in this game and that includes Minnesota’s physical running style. If Nebraska is to win this game then they better have a comfortable lead in the fourth quarter. In 2023, Nebraska lead Minnesota until Minnesota scored 10 points in the final 2:32 for a 13-10 win.
Too much in favor of Minnesota so I think Nebraska takes it’s second loss of the season.
Northwestern at Home – Win
Northwestern and Nebraska have a history of close matchups but in 2023 the Huskers won by eight. This would be a huge upset of NW finds a way to win. They won four games in 2024 and wasn’t close in many of the losses. One thing to note is that NW head coach David Braun has won 12 games in the past two seasons but was only favored in three of those game.
Nebraska should get this one and it better not be close.
USC at Home – Loss
I’ve said in other places that I do not believe in Lincoln Riley. I think he has benefited at other spots from the coaches that left him great rosters. He can coach quarterbacks but as the CEO of a Big Ten program at this point I am not a believer. A counter point would be that in 2024 they were five plays from going 11-1. They lost to Michigan by 3, Penn State by 3, Washington by 4 and Maryland by 1. Also, USC has never lost to Nebraska and they are coming off of a bye.
The counter point to the counter point is that USC plays Illinois, Michigan and Notre Dame before playing Nebraska. So where will their heads be at?
My heart thinks Nebraska wins this game because I believe in Matt Rhule over Lincoln Riley but USC has heavily invested in this 2025 squad monetarily to the point that they look like it’s this year or bust for Lincoln Riley. My mind thinks that USC might be too much for Nebraska at this point.
At UCLA – Win
In 2024, the loss to UCLA was the worst a Matt Rhule Nebraska team has looked and it wasn’t close. UCLA adds Tennessee transfer Nico Iamaleava to start at quarterback but I don’t think that will be enough for an undermanned UCLA team. The hardest part about playing at UCLA will be the plane ride west, so that doesn’t help but I expect Nebraska to win this game.
At Penn State – Loss
If I get every game correct then when Nebraska rolls into Happy Valley they will be sitting at 7-4. If the Huskers find a way to beat Michigan then for some reason that makes me think that they could be 10-0 coming into this game. That’s the beauty of momentum and non-logical reasoning I guess. However, I do not expect Nebraska to be 10-0 heading into this game so Penn State is simply too much for Nebraska. Though this might be a fun on to watch.
Iowa at Home – Win
Alright. Nebraska has some unfinished business from that loss in 2024. They dominated Iowa but still lost by a walk-off field goal. This season Iowa should be better on offense with new quarterback Mark Gronowski. Yes, we can make fun of the fact that Iowa made a big deal of a 5 yard out thrown in practice but Iowa simply beats Nebraska even when they shouldn’t. So I try and limit making fun of this program. Nebraska acts like it has done something and it hasn’t. Iowa acts like business as usual and they continue to win.
In the end, with this game in Lincoln and the idea of unfinished business I am picking Nebraska to win and finish the season 8-4.
In The End: I went into the article expecting to pick Nebraska beating USC but as I started writing I changed my mind. I wanted to pick a 9-3 season but settled with 8-4 which is what most people are predicting. If the Huskers get that win against Michigan then everything is on the table. However, this also requires Nebraska getting that stubborn open season win against Cincinnati.
