Everyone knows that the 2010s and 2020s have not been kind to the Nebraska football program. However, sometimes, people forget just how unkind they've been. And then a stat starts making the rounds on social media that underlines, bolds, and illustrates just how bad the Huskers' run has been, in 40-point font.
The situation has been especially dire since the start of the College Football Playoff era. An era that's allowed more teams than ever to have a shot at a national title, has been the era where the Cornhuskers have had no real shot.
Nebraska football’s 2-34 record against Top 25 teams lays bare the CFP-era decline
The answers to why Nebraska has been so bad since the beginning of the CFP era in 2014 are plentiful, starting with who has run the program. However, The Next Round recently put out a graphic that shows just how bad things have been in Lincoln. That graphic showed every program's record against ranked opponents in the aforementioned time period.
Power 4 School Records vs. Ranked Opponents In CFP Era pic.twitter.com/ssh5uM9KX3
— The Next Round (@NextRoundLive) May 4, 2026
The Huskers' record against Top 25 teams in the last 12 years? A mortifying 2-34 record. Exactly one Power 4 program has been worse. Rutgers is an astounding 0-37 over the same period. Since the CFP era began, the Scarlet Knights don't have a single win over a Top 25 team.
When a team goes 2-34 in a stretch like this, one can't really blame any specific coach. None of Mike Riley, Scott Frost, or Matt Rhule has been remotely good against Top 25 teams. Rhule hasn't addressed this trend either. He's currently 0-9 vs ranked teams while coaching Nebraska.
Nebraska football’s ranked-team failures span coaches, eras and deeper program issues
That's not to say he hasn't come close. Last year, he posted a three-point loss to No. 21 Michigan and a four-point loss to No. 23 USC. Of course, close only counts in horseshoes and hand grenades. And he also posted a 22-point loss to No. 15 Utah.
Scott Frost was worse than Rhule, going 0-14 during his time with Nebraska. Ironically, the least-liked Husker head coach in this group was also the most successful against the Top 25. He had both wins and went 2-12.
It is worth pointing out that very few teams had much success against Top 25 teams. They're ranked because they're pretty darn good. Even teams that have been quite a bit better in general during the CFP era like Iowa (13-26), Penn State (16-31), or Illinois (7-28) weren't close to winning records.
While the only purpose of these statistics is to rub salt in Nebraska football's rather large wound, it also demonstrates exactly how badly the Huskers need to reverse course.
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