Nebraska enters Matt Rhule’s fourth season in Lincoln without an offseason national title, without outrageous amounts of Kool-Aid, but with a lot of questions. After posting a 7-6 record in 2025, the program is seemly trending upward. Recruiting has vastly improved, the staff seems to be stable and here for the long haul, and the culture sure seems to be in a great spot. The 2026 schedule is no cakewalk, but it will be the new normal in the Big Ten. It features powers and blue-blood programs like Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State. Yet the path forward is clear if Rhule wants to prove Nebraska is heading in the right direction. Here are the five tangible achievements that would mark the 2026 season a clear success for Nebraska football.
- Finish at Least 7-5 in the Regular Season
A 7-5 regular-season record is the bare minimum. It would represent some progress due to the factor this years schedule is more difficult but again, it will be the new normal. With a projected win total hovering around 5.5–6.5 entering the year, hitting 7 wins would validate the offseason work and give fans something concrete to celebrate. More importantly, it would keep Nebraska in the conversation for a respectable bowl game rather than fighting for relevance.
- Beat the Teams You’re Supposed to Beat
Nebraska’s 2026 non-conference slate and several winnable Big Ten games; Michigan State on the road, Maryland at home, Rutgers on the road, Illinois on the road, and Washington at home, form a clear group of “should-win” games. These are the matchups where execution/preparation, overall talent and home-field advantage at Memorial Stadium must translate into victories. Dropping any of them would feel like a step backward; winning them all would prove the program has closed the gap against teams it should dominate.
- Be Competitive in Loses
The schedule’s meaty portion includes home games against Indiana and Ohio State plus road trips to Oregon and Iowa. In 2026, success means staying competitive in those games. Keeping losses within a single score, or at worst a 10-point margin, against ranked or highly talented teams would demonstrate improved depth, coaching adjustments, and mental toughness. It would also make the “should-win” games feel more meaningful and show recruits that Nebraska can hang with anyone on a given Saturday. Competitive losses can at least build program identity; blowouts erode it.
- Secure at Least One Win Against a Ranked Opponent
A signature victory over a ranked team would be the clearest proof that Nebraska has turned the corner or at least is starting to make the turn. Whether it comes against a surging Indiana squad, a strong Washington team, or even in a massive home upset of Ohio State, beating a ranked opponent would get a gigantic monkey off our back. Nebraska hasn’t had enough of these moments in the Big Ten era. One in 2026 would help change the narrative overnight.
- Beat Iowa
The Black Friday rivalry game at Iowa carries extra weight. Nebraska has struggled mightily against the Hawkeyes in recent years, finding heartbreaking ways to lose each year. Ending that drought, especially on the road, would deliver an enormous psychological and cultural victory. It would energize the fanbase, give players a signature rivalry win to hang their hats on, and send a message to recruits across the Midwest that the Huskers are back in the fight for the Heartland. In Lincoln, few single games carry more emotional resonance than finally toppling Iowa again. It would help send Nebraska to a bowl game (hopefully) with some confidence and momentum.
The Bottom Line
Achieving all five of these benchmarks would not make 2026 a national championship season, but it would make it a successful one. It would confirm that Matt Rhule’s vision is working, that the program has stabilized, and that Nebraska is once again a team opponents respect rather than overlook. A 7-5 (or better) regular season built on dominating the winnable games, staying competitive against the elites, landing a ranked win, and finally beating Iowa would represent meaningful, measurable progress. It would give fans hope, players belief, and the entire state something to rally around heading into 2027 and beyond. The bar is set. Now it’s time for the Huskers to clear it.