Ranking the remaining games on Nebraska’s football schedule

The bye week has us buzzing with anticipation for more Nebraska football. While we wait, today’s exercise is about ranking the rest of Nebraska’s games from easiest to hardest. Of course, nothing is easy in the Big Ten. Just ask Illinois, which narrowly survived an overtime thriller against 1-4 Purdue. Or USC, which seems to have the talent to play with anyone and somehow suffers three losses. But it’s always fun to pull out the crystal ball and hopefully the Big Reds can make some noise as they prepare for what’s sure to be the tougher part of their schedule.

In case it’s of interest, we predicted wins and losses for the rest of Nebraska’s schedule with Mitch Sherman in our midseason review episode this week. The final predictions from Mitch and the three Common fans were for the Huskers to finish the year between 8-4 and 10-2. I will list each of our predictions below; You can find the episode Here.

Ranking Nebraska’s remaining games, from easiest to hardest

UCLA (November 2 at Lincoln). First-time head coach DeShaun Foster has a project ahead of him. He has not inherited the most stable programand the Bruins have struggled to find their footing this season. They are 1-5 so far, have lost every conference game and even struggled in their only win so far against Hawaii. In the offseason, before former head coach Chip Kelly left to become Ohio State’s offensive coordinator, this seemed like a big challenge for the Huskers. It looks more manageable now.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – W
• MattyO – W
• Geoff – W
• TJ-W

Wisconsin (November 23 at Lincoln). Things get harder in a hurry, don’t they? A few weeks ago, the Badgers looked completely lost, starting the season with less than impressive wins against Western Michigan and South Dakota before losing two straight games to Alabama and USC. The loss of starting quarterback Tyler Van Dyke to a season-ending injury during the Alabama game only made things more precarious. More than one sports media type has compared second-year head coach Luke Fickell Wisconsin’s version of Bill Callahan (gasp). Fast forward to now and the boys in Madison are coming off two dominant wins in a row after beating Purdue 52-6 and defeating Rutgers 42-7. Things are looking up for the Badgers, because of course they are. The Huskers get this game at home, and Wisconsin has to face Penn State, Iowa and Oregon before heading to Lincoln. I’m still confident in Nebraska’s chances, but this game looks more challenging for Nebraska than it did a few weeks ago.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – W
• MattyO – W
• Geoff – W
• TJ-W

Indiana (October 19 in Bloomington). This is really fascinating. The Hoosiers are off to their first 6-0 start since 1967. First-year head coach Curt Cignetti has brought an optimism and energy to the program that is arguably unparalleled in Indiana football history. His team appears to be a well-rounded, well-coached squad, ranking 4th nationally in total offense, 6th in total defense and in the top 25 in several other categories. Given that their schedule up to this point hasn’t been particularly difficult, it feels a little difficult to assess how good this team is. But the record is the record, and the stats are the stats. The Hoosiers average more than 47 points per game and have won every game by double digits. They will face Nebraska ranked No. 16 in the AP poll and No. 18 in the coaches’ poll. Any way you look at it, it would be a big win for Nebraska. Not only would this certainly put the Huskers back in the top 25, but it would also secure bowl eligibility for the first time since 2016.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – L
• MattyO – W
• Geoff – W
• TJ-W

USC (November 16 at Los Angeles). Of all of Nebraska’s remaining contests, this may be the most difficult game to navigate. The Trojans looked dominant in the first half against Penn State on Saturday, but then lost in overtime (not without some controversial non-calls from the officials, I might add). They beat LSU but lost to Minnesota. Their losses were shockingly close; If the score is 3:3, it could just as easily be 6:0. Can Nebraska’s defense slow down USC’s athletic playmakers? Can the previously inconsistent Husker offense move the ball on the Trojan defense? What shape – both mentally and physically – will this USC team be in by mid-November? It’s a fascinating encounter. Historically, the Huskers will come into the game on the wrong end of the series with an 0-4-1 record against the Trojans. It would be great to break this trend starting this season.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – L
• MattyO – L
• Geoff – W
• TJ-L

Iowa (November 29 in Iowa City). Admit it. This is Nebraska’s main rival in 2024. It’s okay to say it out loud. This does not mean that we abandon our standards. That doesn’t mean Iowa is on par with what Nebraska has accomplished in our glorious history. But Nebraska is 1-8 against Iowa since 2015, and nothing gets the Big Red’s blood boiling like a game against the Hawkeyes these days. One could argue that both Indiana and USC are the better teams this season, although the Hawkeyes just dismantled Washington 40-16 and at 4-2 have a very manageable schedule for the rest of the season. Their offense has improved from the dormant turtle shell we’ve become accustomed to, and their defense, while perhaps not quite as dominant as in recent years, is still very good. At the end of the day it doesn’t matter. It’s Iowa the day after Thanksgiving. This will be under the light and will probably freeze. The Huskers need to be prepared for a rock fight.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – W
• MattyO – W
• Geoff – L
• TJ-W

Ohio State (October 26 at Columbus). The Buckeyes just lost to the Oregon Ducks by one point in an instant classic in Eugene. They now have a week to reflect on this loss before welcoming Nebraska to town. This will be a huge challenge for the Huskers. It wouldn’t surprise me if the Big Red were ready to play and fight in Columbus. Ultimately, though, I believe OSU will simply have too many weapons for the Huskers to keep up.

Common Fan Predictions:
• Mitch – L
• MattyO – L
• Geoff – W
• TJ-L

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