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LINCOLN, Neb. — The Big Ten added road games for Nebraska against Ohio State and USC to the 2024 schedule, among the major changes announced Thursday by the conference in releasing five years of matchups.

Dates of the games have not been released.

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Big Ten unveils new football scheduling model

Here is the new lineup in 2024 for the Huskers:

Home — Illinois, Rutgers, UCLA, Wisconsin

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Away — Indiana, Iowa, Ohio State, Purdue, USC

And the 2025 schedule:

Home — Iowa, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USC

Away — Maryland, Minnesota, Penn State, UCLA

From the version released in June, before the Big Ten added Oregon and Washington, Nebraska added Illinois and Rutgers next year in addition to the Buckeyes and Trojans, while dropping Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern and Penn State.

Iowa, Wisconsin, Purdue, Indiana and UCLA remain, though the venues for games against the Hoosiers and Bruins have changed.

On the new 2025 schedule, Michigan State, Northwestern and Penn State were added by the league. Nebraska dropped Ohio State, Illinois and Rutgers.

Remaining in 2025 are Iowa, Michigan, Maryland, Minnesota, USC and UCLA. UCLA had previously been scheduled for Memorial Stadium, with USC at the Coliseum in Los Angeles.

The Huskers will not visit the Coliseum until 2028 when the Trojans and Bruins cycle back onto the schedule.

Under the new setup, every team will face every other team at least twice in a five-year period. Nebraska is set to play at Oregon and host Washington in 2026. The Ducks will visit Lincoln in 2027, with the Huskers headed to Seattle to face the Huskies.

Full list of Nebraska matchups for the final three years released Thursday:

2026: Home — Indiana, Maryland, Ohio State, Washington. Away — Illinois, Iowa, Michigan State, Oregon, Rutgers

2027: Home — Iowa, Minnesota, Oregon, Purdue, Rutgers. Away — Northwestern, Ohio State, Washington, Wisconsin

2028: Home — Northwestern, Penn State, UCLA, Wisconsin. Away — Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, Purdue, USC

Our future @B1Gfootball schedule is here 📆

🔗: https://t.co/ec1VGj4Evs#GBR x #WhatsNExt! pic.twitter.com/sgLRynLkhO

— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) October 5, 2023

What this means for the Huskers

• The 2024 lineup turned more difficult from the original version, and the 2025 slate appeared to lighten a bit. Both years look tough for a Nebraska program that’s trying to gain its footing under coach Matt Rhule, whose team now faces a formidable schedule next fall in his second season with the Huskers. And remember, Colorado visits Lincoln in September 2024.

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Previously in 2025, Nebraska had been the only Big Ten team set to face Ohio State, Michigan, USC and UCLA in the same season. Essentially, it traded a trip to Ohio State for a trip to Penn State. So really, it’s not much of a break when looking only at games against marquee opponents.

• The flex-protect-plus model remains. Iowa is the only opponent that Nebraska will face annually, a setup that suits the Huskers and their fans well. Every season over the next five will include one Big Ten trip out West for Nebraska and one visit to Lincoln by a former Pac-12 team.

Nebraska games against Big Ten teams, 2024-2028:

5 — Iowa

3 — Minnesota, Northwestern, Ohio State, Purdue, Rutgers, UCLA, USC, Wisconsin

2 — Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Michigan State, Oregon, Penn State, Washington

• The schedule is supposed to be difficult. That comes with the territory in the 18-team Big Ten. Five of the current top nine teams in the Associated Press Top 25 will reside in the Big Ten next year.

Nebraska’s road schedule from 2024 to 2028 features eight road games against those five teams — including two apiece in 2024, 2027 and 2028. The path to a spot in the top half of the Big Ten will be more difficult than ever for the Huskers.

It magnifies the importance of the foundation that Rhule is attempting to build this year. And it requires that the coach and his athletic director, Trev Alberts, limit their missteps. Nebraska last week announced plans to pour $450 million into Memorial Stadium. The Huskers want to play in the big leagues. But everything from their NIL operation to recruiting and player development must operate efficiently in order to win in the new Big Ten.

(Photo: Dylan Widger / USA Today)

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