Nebraska-Illinois football season opener moved from Ireland to Champaign due to pandemic

While it's hoped that COVID-19 vaccines will allow for a more standard college football season that involves students and other fans attending games next fall, the health crisis is already impacting the campaign that is half a year away. 

On Wednesday, the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Illinois Fighting Illini confirmed that their Aug. 28 season opener originally scheduled to be held at Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland has been relocated to Illinois' Memorial Stadium due to issues related to the pandemic. 

The decision was made "following extensive consultation with the Irish government, medical authorities and the administrative staffs at Nebraska and Illinois." No makeup date for a potential game involving the two teams in Ireland was mentioned in either statement. 

"We are disappointed that we will not be able to travel to Ireland to open the 2021 football season in Dublin," Nebraska athletic director Bill Moos said. "The trip would have been a memorable experience for the young men in our football program, so I feel badly they won't have this opportunity.

"There was also a high level of excitement and interest in the game among our great fan base, and I know many of them were looking forward to making the trip to cheer on the Huskers. Anthony Travel and Irish American Events have been a great partner throughout this process, and we will continue to explore the possibility of taking Nebraska Football to Dublin in the future."

Illinois athletic director Josh Whitman added: 

"This is very disappointing for our athletic program, our team and for the fans who were planning to attend the game in Dublin. For our players, staff and fans, this would have been a once-in-a-lifetime experience. We will work diligently with Irish American Events and the Big Ten Conference to find a future opportunity for us to take Fighting Illini Football to the Emerald Isle." 

Nebraska lost to Illinois in 2020 and finished the year 3-5 overall. The Fighting Illini won only two of eight contests last season.