Degrees of difficulty: Ranking Nebraska's 2023 schedule from easiest to hardest
Numerous questions remain as Nebraska gets ready for its debut campaign under new head coach Matt Rhule. But the Huskers’ 12 opponents this season will have as much of a say as anything in the Huskers’ 2023 success.
To get a better idea of what NU will be up against, we ranked its upcoming games from easiest (12) to hardest (1). The list factors in opponent strength, location, and timing on the schedule.
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12. Louisiana Tech
Louisiana Tech’s offense will pack some punch – possibly including former Nebraska transfer receiver Decoldest Crawford. But the Bulldogs are 6-18 the past two seasons under head coach Sonny Cumbie. The Huskers should be able to handle this one fairly easily.
11. Northern Illinois
Boasting an experienced roster, Northern Illinois could pose a much more difficult assignment for Nebraska than some think. The Huskies went 3-9 last season but are just two years removed from a MAC championship. But Nebraska should take care of business in Rhule’s official Memorial Stadium debut.
10. Purdue
If Texas transfer quarterback Hudson Card is what Purdue hopes, the Boilermakers could surprise some people this season. But Card is going to need a lot of help as PU goes through a coaching change of its own to Ryan Walters. Being in Lincoln on Homecoming weekend, the Huskers have the advantage.
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9. Northwestern
For whatever reason, Northwestern and Nebraska always seem to go down to the wire. Last year’s debacle in Dublin, Ireland, set the tone for the eventual dismissal of Scott Frost. It also served as the Wildcats’ only win of the year. This one might be close again, but against a Northwestern team that is 14-31 since 2019, the Huskers should be the favorites.
8. Colorado
All eyes will be on Boulder when Nebraska returns for a road showdown with Colorado and the home debut for Deion Sanders. But despite all the hype, the Buffalos could be in for a very long season after Sanders’ complete roster upheaval. Being a 10 a.m. local time kick plays in Nebraska’s favor as well.
7. Maryland
Given that this will be just the third meeting between Nebraska and Maryland ever, this one is a bit tougher to call. The Terrapins are greatly improved under Mike Locksley and have one of the Big Ten’s better quarterbacks in Taulia Tagovailoa. But in one of the longest conference road trips Maryland has made since joining the league, the Huskers might have the edge.
6. Michigan State
It’s been a rough offseason for Michigan State. The Spartans lost their starting quarterback, wide receiver, and cornerback to the transfer portal, leaving Mel Tucker with a lot of work to do this summer. The timing of this game became more interesting after MSU moved its home finale against Penn State to Detroit. Now the Huskers will be Michigan State’s new Senior Day opponent on Nov. 4. Not an easy draw.
5. Minnesota
Minnesota also lost some fixtures from its roster on both sides of the ball this offseason. However, the Golden Gophers are one of the most established in the Big Ten now in their seventh season under P.J. Fleck. Opening the season on the road against a conference opponent is about as difficult as it gets. But Nebraska will have the advantage of the unknown going into Rhule’s debut.
4. Iowa
Nebraska finally snapped a seven-game losing streak to its border rival last season with a 24-17 win in Iowa City. The Hawkeyes will be eying revenge on a Black Friday that will likely carry significant implications for one or both teams. The Huskers took back the Heroes Trophy, but keeping it for another year will be a challenge.
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3. Illinois
Beating Illinois on the road this season is a difficult enough task on its own. But when you add in that Nebraska will go from hosting Michigan to traveling to Champaign for a Friday night kick, it becomes daunting. The Fighting Illini are one of the Big Ten’s most physical teams under Bret Bielema and will be ready for a four-quarter brawl.
2. Wisconsin
Wisconsin has plenty of unanswered questions of its own entering its debut season under Luke Fickell. But history and timing make this a serious test for Nebraska. The Huskers haven’t won in Madison since 1966 or even beaten UW since 2012. Now they’ll travel north for a Nov. 18 road trip that could be a primetime kickoff. Absolutely nothing easy about that.
1. Michigan
This one doesn’t even really need an explanation. Michigan is the reining back-to-back Big Ten champ and widely regarded as the class of the conference in 2023. The Wolverines returned nearly all of their star power from last year’s 13-1 squad and have their sights set on a national title. Nebraska could be a three-touchdown home underdog on Sept. 30.
