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USA Today
3 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Ranking the Big Ten's top 10 nonconference games in 2025
Ranking the Big Ten's top 10 nonconference games in 2025 Many Big Ten teams have opted to take a conservative approach to nonconference scheduling following the recent round of conference realignment and the expansion of the College Football Playoff to 12 teams. As a result, several programs don't have a power conference opponent on their out-of-conference slate. For example, Penn State was originally scheduled to host Virginia Tech this season on the back half of a home-and-home series, but the first battle, supposed to take place in Blacksburg in 2020, was canceled due to COVID-19. After the initial matchup was canned, the two were unable to find a solution and removed the second game as well. Other schools face similar situations, while some just opted to make their nonconference schedule as easy as possible, valuing wins as they battle for a playoff spot. Still, there are several high-quality battles slated for the 2025 season, including some highly anticipated Big Ten-SEC crossovers with bragging rights on the line. Here's a look at the top 10 nonconference matchups for Big Ten teams heading into the season. No. 10: Nebraska vs. Cincinnati, Aug. 28 The Cornhuskers are coming off their first bowl appearance since 2016, finishing last season at 7-6 after defeating Boston College in the Bad Boy Mowers Pinstripe Bowl. Hopes are high that Matt Rhule can do what he's done at several previous stops, continuing to elevate a Cornhusker program that's failed to meet expectations in recent years. With star quarterback Dylan Raiola at the helm, Nebraska hosts Cincinnati, which made the move to the Big 12 two seasons ago and has struggled to compete. Though the Wildcats aren't a big brand, this matchup still represents a battle between power conference opponents, which has become increasingly rare in the modern era. No. 9: Minnesota at Cal, Sept. 13 The Golden Gophers round out their nonconference slate with a trip to the West Coast to take on Cal, which enters its second season as a member of the ACC. The teams have met six times previously, most recently in 2009, with the Golden Bears holding a 4-2 advantage in the head-to-head series. Both teams went through ups and downs last season but earned bowl eligibility, leaving the potential for this to be an entertaining game. Both head coaches are looking to return their program to where it was a few years back, with Minnesota winning nine or more games in three of four seasons from 2019-2022 and Cal peaking at eight wins under Wilcox in 2019. No. 8: UCLA vs. Utah, Aug. 30 Two former Pac-12 comrades will meet once more, this time with the Bruins in the Big Ten and Utah in the Big 12. The two have lots of recent history, and both are searching for better seasons after reaching just five wins in 2024. Though they now wear different conference patches on their jerseys, this regional rivalry could provide some fireworks in Week 1. No. 7: Illinois at Duke, Sept. 6 Two traditional basketball powers will clash on the gridiron in early September, with the Fighting Illini and Blue Devils both looking to continue a recent string of football success. A few years ago, both programs would be viewed as bottom-dwellers within their conferences, but that's changed recently. Both teams average over seven wins across the last three seasons and are primed for more success in 2025. Bret Bielema and the Fighting Illini are coming off a 10-win campaign capped off with a Cheez-It Citrus Bowl victory over South Carolina, while the Blue Devils went 9-3 before losing to Ole Miss in the TaxSlayer Gator Bowl. No. 6: Wisconsin at Alabama, Sept. 13 The Badgers have taken a step back during Luke Fickell's first two seasons leading the program, and a brutal conference slate leaves a bleak outlook in Madison. Still, if the Badgers show improvement and get a few bounces, they could give the Crimson Tide a run for their money in a clash between the two super conferences. Regardless of the apparent mismatch on paper, this matchup will be better than most throughout the early weeks of next season. No. 5: Oregon vs. Oklahoma State, Sept. 6 The Ducks have been involved in some big nonconference matchups in recent years, including against Ohio State, Georgia and Auburn. This year, they'll host Oklahoma State from the Big-12, a team that struggled last year but had consistently put together solid seasons throughout the last couple decades. If the Cowboys can return to their 10-win ways that have become the norm under Mike Gundy, this could prove to be a major matchup and the first real test of Oregon's season. No. 4: Iowa at Iowa State, Sept. 6 Though neither program is a blue blood, both could easily be ranked to begin next season, providing the potential for a big game. Though they took a slight step back in 2024, the Hawkeyes have won at least eight games every year since 2016, and there's little reason to believe that trend won't continue in 2025. Pair that with the Cyclones, who are coming off Big-12 championship game appearance, and this could be one of the biggest games in the long history of the rivalry. No. 3: Michigan at Oklahoma, Sept. 6 It's fair to say neither team lived up to expectations last season, with the Wolverines following a national championship season by dropping to 8-5 in Sherrone Moore's first year as full-time head coach, while the Sooners fell from 10-3 in 2023 to 6-7 in 2024. Still, these are two blue bloods who've only met once before, an Oklahoma victory in 1976, making for a historic matchup. Both squads fully believe they can push for a playoff appearance this season, and a win in this game would go a long way toward that goal or be the reason one team falls short of it. No. 2: USC at Notre Dame, Oct. 18 Despite recent headlines about their inability to come to an agreement on scheduling future matchups, the two blue blood programs are slated to clash in 2025. The Trojans suffered a down year in 2024 at 7-6, while Notre Dame made a run to the national championship game before running into the buzzsaw that was Ohio State. Both schools have stacked strong recruiting classes and are expected to compete for playoff bids, leading to a likely top-25 matchup. Additionally, these two always tend to play each other tough in one of the nation's most storied rivalries. No. 1: Ohio State vs. Texas Aug. 30 In a rematch of last year's College Football Playoff thriller, the Buckeyes and Longhorns will clash in Columbus in a highly anticipated rematch, and easily the top nonconference game of the year. Per most betting sites, these teams have the two best odds to win the national championship this season. With star power across the board, huge name brands and an exciting rematch from last year's postseason, this game figures to be electric.
USA Today
5 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule praises quarterback Dylan Raiola during radio appearance
Nebraska coach Matt Rhule praises quarterback Dylan Raiola during radio appearance Nebraska's head football coach had high praise for his starting quarterback. Matt Rhule made the comments about sophomore starting quarterback Dylan Raiola while appearing on the Jim Rome Show last week. Rhule not only praised his quarterback's leadership but also disclosed that multiple schools had contacted Raiola, despite his never entering the transfer portal. 'And everyone reached out to him. He could have taken the easy way out and left and gone into the portal and gone to someplace where he could start over where he doesn't have to do as much himself. But he chose to stick it out and fight." The quarterback will also work out with some elite talent later this month. Raiola will be attending the Manning Passing Academy on the campus of Nicholls State University from June 26 to June 29. The Cornhuskers' head coach also praised the off-the-field traits that Raiola has developed since the end of last season. "Where I see him growing is in the phases of leadership and the phases of mental toughness, handling adversity. I think he's going to have a great year." Nebraska will open the 2025 college football season on Thursday, August 28, when the Huskers face the Cincinnati Bearcats at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. The kickoff time has not been determined yet. Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
USA Today
08-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Former Panthers HC Matt Rhule reunites with franchise great Cam Newton
Former Panthers HC Matt Rhule reunites with franchise great Cam Newton If you don't want to be brought back down memory lane to the 2021 Carolina Panthers, then you may want to proceed with caution. The "Battle of the Boneyard," one of the nation's top 7-on-7 football camps, took place on Friday at the University of Nebraska's Memorial Stadium. On hand for the event was former Panthers head coach and current Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule, who just so happened to run into a familiar face . . . Panthers legend Cam Newton, who was in attendance in Lincoln to join his C1N team, shared a sideline with Rhule for half of the 2021 campaign. That short union, or reunion in Newton's case, saw the Panthers lose seven of eight games in punctuating a disappointing 5-12 season. But despite those results, and even a little rockiness that came on the way, Newton took a liking to Rhule during his brief time back in Carolina. "Matt Rhule was an unbelievable guy," Newton said on his YouTube show in March of 2024. "So much so, that when I say 'unbelievable,' I'm like, yo, he's a guy that I would kick it with. We had great conversations. We had great meetings and great insights on the game, family, religion—just the whole process to how we both got to this situation." Well, they got to kick it yet again—even if this situation was a bit different. Follow @ThePanthersWire on Twitter/X for more Panthers content.
USA Today
01-06-2025
- Sport
- USA Today
Iowa football rivalry date featured among top CBS games in 2025 season
Iowa football rivalry date featured among top CBS games in 2025 season College football's foundation is built upon rivalries. It is what makes the sport great, gets fans engaged, and has certain games meaning more than others. For the Iowa Hawkeyes, one rivalry caps off each regular season and seems to do so with fireworks every year. The Iowa Hawkeyes and Nebraska Cornhuskers square off each year on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, in a game that has morphed into must-see television. It constantly comes down to the final moments to determine the winner of the Heroes Trophy. With a handful of Iowa's kickoff times announced for their 2025 schedule, their date against Nebraska is set for 11 a.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 28. Set to air on CBS, the matchup has been tabbed as one of the network's top, must-see games of the 2025 season due to its intensity and drama. Iowa at Nebraska (11/28) Expect a close one on Black Friday Iowa and Nebraska have delivered thrills nearly every Thanksgiving weekend for the last decade, and the small margins between the two programs has always packed intensity into their respective regular season finales. The interesting twist here is that while nine of the last 11 games in the rivalry have been decided by seven points or less, nine of the last 11 games have also been won by Iowa. If Matt Rhule and the Cornhuskers are going to have a true breakthrough season in 2025 it doesn't need to include a win over the Hawkeyes necessarily, but it would definitely help the vibes to finish the regular season by snapping this recent run of struggles. - Chip Patterson, CBS Sports Although Nebraska leads the all-time series by a margin of 30-22-3, the Hawkeyes have been dominant in recent years. Dating back to 2015, Iowa has lost just once to the Cornhuskers, which came in 2022. Since the rivalry resumed in 2011 after a decade-long hiatus, Iowa owns a record of 10-4. What makes this game even more intriguing is how often it is decided late. Since 2018, Iowa has had four wins that have come by just three points. Contact/Follow us @HawkeyesWire on X (formerly Twitter) and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Iowa news, notes and opinions. Follow Riley on X: @rileydonald7
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
Nebraska football scheduled to play two Friday games in 2025
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska will play at Minnesota on Friday night in Week 7 of the 2025 football season, among two Friday games for the Huskers that have been assigned kickoff times and TV networks. The Oct. 17 meeting in Minneapolis is among five Big Ten Friday night games selected by Fox before Thanksgiving weekend. It will kick off at 7 p.m. (CT). The game marks the second consecutive weeknight kickoff for Nebraska at Minnesota. Advertisement The Gophers beat the Huskers 13-10 on a Thursday night in Matt Rhule's Nebraska coaching debut in 2023 at Huntington Bank Stadium. Also announced, the Nebraska-Iowa Black Friday clash on Nov. 28 will kick off at 11 a.m. on CBS, a return to the early time slot after the Huskers and Hawkeyes played at night as Big Ten rivals for the first time in 2024. CBS will also air the Week 4 Michigan at Nebraska game at 2:30 p.m. TV networks on Thursday unveiled times and networks for games through Week 3 and other special dates. Nebraska also learned that the Big Ten Network will televise its home opener against Akron on Sept. 6 at 6:30 p.m., and the Week 3 game against Houston Christian will kick off at 11 a.m. on FS1. The Huskers' Aug. 28 opener at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City against Cincinnati had already been announced for 8 p.m. on ESPN — the first appearance for Nebraska on ESPN since the Wisconsin game in 2022. Aside from the traditional Black Friday, Nebraska has played Friday games in the Big Ten in each of the past three seasons. It won at Rutgers in 2022 and at Illinois in 2023 before the Illini beat Nebraska in overtime last year at Memorial Stadium. Nebraska athletic director Troy Dannen, after the 2024 game, requested that the Big Ten no longer schedule Friday games in Lincoln — other than the regular-season finale against Iowa — because of logistical issues that they create on campus. Minnesota, in the first two seasons of the Big Ten's media-rights contract with Fox, did not play a Friday night game. The Gophers will also play this year at Oregon on a Friday in Week 12. Other Big Ten Friday nights on Fox include Iowa at Rutgers in Week 4, Northwestern at USC in Week 11 and Washington at UCLA in Week 13. The date change of the Minnesota game creates a short turnaround for the Huskers after a trip to Maryland in their only back-to-back weeks on the road in the 2025 season.
