The Nebraska wrestling program released its non-conference schedule for the 2026-27 season on Tuesday.
After competing in the National Duals Invitational last season, Nebraska elected to pass on its invitation to this year’s tournament because the new December 12-13 schedule interferes with finals week. All four eligible Ivy League teams also declined the invitation for the same reason, while other top programs have weighed their options in deciding whether to attend or not. In my opinion, the NDI’s
move from mid-November to mid-December was not a good idea.
Therefore, Nebraska’s schedule looks more like it used to — some seriously salty dual matchups as well as a trip to Vegas for an always tough Cliff Keen Invite.
Nebraska’s 2026-27 Non-Conference Schedule
- Nov. 6 — vs. Wyoming
- Nov. 13 — at Oklahoma State
- Nov. 21 — at Penn
- Nov. 22 — Keystone Classic in Philadelphia, Pa.
- Dec. 3-4 — Cliff Keen Invitational
- Dec. 19 — vs. Campbell
- Dec. 20 — vs. Virginia
- Jan. 3 — vs. SIU Edwardsville
- Feb. 21 — vs. Arizona State
The first thing that sticks out is an early season trip to face NCAA runner-up Oklahoma State on Nov. 13. The Cowboys finished second at NCAAs with 131 points this past season, finishing ahead of 3rd-place Nebraska’s 100.5 points. Oklahoma State crowned three true freshman as NCAA Champions — Jax Forrest at 133 pounds, Sergio Vega at 141, and Landon Robideau at 157. The Cowboys also had redshirt freshman Cody Merrill make the NCAA final at 197. Including Troy Spratley at 125 who made the NCAA final in 2025, Oklahoma State will have a former NCAA finalist at five of ten weight classes. With four of those guys in the first five weight classes, that makes for a tough front end to navigate in a dual — it will be a serious early test for this Husker squad.
Nebraska has three other non-conference duals schedule against teams that finished in the Top-20 at NCAAs this year in Wyoming (12th), Arizona State (13th) and Penn (19th). Those three teams present some really solid individual matchups.
I’m excited to see that Nebraska is going to CKLV this season. The Huskers have won five CKLV titles with most of their success coming recently with team titles in 2019, 2021 and 2022 (2020 was not held). Nebraska finished as runner-up in both 2023 and 2024 behind Iowa and Oklahoma State, respectively.
With National Duals so close to CKLV on consecutive weekends, it’s unclear what the field will look like, but it still is the premier in-season college tournament. There will be some really good teams there.
Best Potential Dual Matches
- 197- Camden McDanel vs. Joey Novak (WYO) — Novak is 3-0 vs McDanel. Both are 2x All-Americans
- 285- Cade Ziola vs. Christian Carroll (WYO) — Carroll placed 8th at NCAAs. Is Ziola ready?
- 125- Vincent Robinson vs. Troy Spratley (OKST) — Robinson 4-1 vs Spratley, won NCAA final matchup
- 133- Jacob Van Dee vs. Jax Forrest (OKST) — Can Van Dee solve the puzzle that is Jax Forrest?
- 157- Antrell Taylor vs. Landon Ribideau (OKST) — NCAA final rematch that Robideau won 4-2
- 165- LJ Araujo vs. LaDarion Locket (OKST) — 2-0 against Araujo, both wins in OT. But does he go 174? Christopher Minto looms there.
- 197- McDanel vs. Cody Merrill (OKST) — 2-1 loss to Merrill in dual, Merrill made NCAA final as redshirt freshman
- 285- Ziola vs. Dreshaun Ross (OKST) — Could we finally see these two wrestle!?
- 285- Ziola vs. Preston Wagner (VIR) — Potential matchup between Nebraska prep stars
- 133- Van Dee vs. Kiernan Meink (SIUE) — Does Millard South three-time state champ start as Fr.?
- 125- Robinson vs. Christian Castillo (ASU) — An Iowa St. transfer, Castillo is a U17 World silver medalist in freestyle.
- 165- Araujo vs. Nicco Ruiz (ASU) — Ruiz placed 4th at NCAAs in 2026
- 174- Minto vs. Kaleb Larkin (ASU) — Larkin wrestled 149/157 last year, up to 174 now. Minto is so big though.
