Husker Corner
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Nebraska football has three preseason AP Top 25 teams on its schedule

By Oliver Vandervoort

Nebraska defensive back Omar Brown tackles Michigan punter Brad Robbins during the first half of U-M's 34-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Ann Arbor.
Nebraska defensive back Omar Brown tackles Michigan punter Brad Robbins during the first half of U-M's 34-3 win over Nebraska on Saturday, Nov. 12, 2022, in Ann Arbor. /
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The Nebraska football team’s schedule is considered to be pretty easy in 2023, but that doesn’t mean it gets to miss every Top 25 squad.

The Associated Press preseason Top 25 was officially released on Monday morning and it turns out there weren’t a ton of surprises. Among the lack of surprises is that Nebraska football is not ranked and didn’t receive any votes.

Matt Rhule and his staff are going to have to prove they’ve got the train on the tracks after years of giving Scott Frost and his bunch far too much credit. The focus for the Huskers, instead is going to be showing that they deserve to be in the Top 25 during the season.

As for today, it turns out that the Nebraska football team will play three teams this season that are ranked in the preseason poll. There are also two teams that received votes and are on the cusp of getting ranked in the Top 25. Certainly, that there are just three ranked teams on the Huskers slate so far does confirm that Matt Rhule’s first schedule is quite manageable.

Right at the top of the list is second-ranked Michigan. They come in just one spot below defending national champion Georgia. They are also just one spot above third-ranked Ohio State. Luckily, the Huskers won’t have to play the Buckeyes, unless they meet them in the Big Ten Championship Game.

Nebraska football not facing many Top 25 teams

From second-ranked Michigan, it’s quite a drop to the next team in the AP Top 25 on the Huskers’ slate. 19th-ranked Wisconsin is an interesting team mainly because they were bad enough last year to get their coach fired.

Clearly, people are convinced that new head coach Luke Fickell can get the job done.

The third and final preseason ranked opponent is also the final regular season Nebraska football opponent of the year. The Iowa Hawkeyes squeak into the rankings at Number 25.

Outside of the rankings, both Minnesota (the Nebraska football team’s season-opening opponent) and Illinois got votes, with the Golden Gophers ranked about 38th and Illinois 43rd.

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