Nebraska-Illinois set for another Friday night showdown
Nebraska football is set for yet another Friday night showdown against Illinois.
For the fifth year in a row, the Huskers will be playing a game on Friday night. This time, they will be squaring off against Illinois on Friday, November 6. Kickoff time is slated for 7 p.m. Central Time. The news was announced, by happenstance, on Friday morning.
The Huskers and Illini were originally scheduled to face off against each other on Saturday, November 7 in Champaign. But they will now face off on a Friday night rom the Champaign version of Memorial Stadium.
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Outside of the Black Friday rivalry series against the Iowa Hawkeyes, Nebraska will have now played on a Friday night for five straight years.
The first matchup in that time came against Rutgers during a 14-13 win for Nebraska on the road in New Jersey.
The next Friday night matchup came against Illinois in 2023, a 20-7 win for Matt Rhule and the Huskers in Champaign.
Then, during one of the biggest matchups between Nebraska and Illinois, the Illini defeated the Huskers, 31-24, in overtime during a Top-25 matchup of unbeaten teams in 2024.
Last season, shortly after Rhule’s massive contract extension was announced, the Huskers lost in a debilitating 24-6 defeat on the road against Minnesota during a pivotal 2025 season.
This upcoming season, during the 2026 slate, the Huskers will face Ohio, Bowling Green and North Dakota for their non-conference schedule. Nebraska will then square off against Michigan State on the road, Maryland at home, Indiana at home, Oregon on the road, and Washington at home before hosting the Illini.
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