Ohio State 2026 opponent breakdown: Week 12, Nebraska

Before Michigan, the Buckeyes must travel to Nebraska. Will it be tricky?

Matt Rhule enters year four as Nebraska’s head coach. (Photo courtesy of Nebraska football)

COLUMBUS — We’re winding down our opponent-by-opponent look at Ohio State’s 2026 schedule. We have one game left before we get to Michigan. It’s Nebraska, a road trip for the Buckeyes ahead of The Game.

Let’s dive in on the Cornhuskers.

Previous schedule breakdowns

Week 1: Ball State

Week 2: Texas

Week 3: Kent State

Week 4: Illinois

Week 5: Iowa

Week 6: Maryland

Week 7: Indiana

Week 8: Off

Week 9: USC

Week 10: Oregon

Week 11: Northwestern

Nebraska Cornhuskers

Ohio State opponent No. 11

Nov. 21, time TBA, at Memorial Stadium

2025 stats

• 46 out of 136 teams in final SP+ ratings (No. 57 offense, No. 44 defense)

• 36 in FEI ratings (No. 50 offense, No. 18 defense)

• 70 in adjusted EPA/play (No. 59 offense, No. 86 defense)

• Scored 28.7 ppg (No. 59), allowed 24.6 ppg (No. 67)

History vs. Buckeyes

Ohio State is 10-1 all-time against Nebraska, with only two of those games predating the Cornhuskers joining the Big Ten.

The Buckeyes’ lone loss to Nebraska came on their first trip to Lincoln in 2011, Nebraska’s first year in the league. OSU led 27-6 early in the third quarter, then watched the Huskers rip off 28 straight points behind quarterback Taylor Martinez and running back Rex Burkhead to steal the win.

Ohio State has won eight straight in the series since then, but the last two games have been close. The Buckeyes had to hang on in the fourth quarter to win 21-17 in 2024, and had another close call in 2021 (their last trip to Lincoln), winning 26-17. C.J. Stroud threw for 405 yards, but also threw two interceptions. Ohio State’s defense got three fourth-quarter stops, though one came when Nebraska elected to kick a field goal on fourth-and-4 from the 13 while trailing by six, and missed.

OSU is 3-1 all-time in Lincoln.

Head coach

Matt Rhule is 19-19 in three seasons at Nebraska, the same record Mike Riley had from 2015-17, which led to his firing. But Rhule isn’t going anywhere. He signed a contract extension to stay in Lincoln last fall when the Cornhuskers were 6-2 and Penn State, Rhule’s alma mater, was reportedly sniffing around him as a potential replacement for James Franklin.