Aug 28, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers offensive lineman Henry Lutovsky (59) hoists the Battle Sports Kansas City Classic trophy as he walks off the field after defeating the Cincinnati Bearcats at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Where Nebraska Football Ranks in ESPN's FPI After Week 1

Originally posted on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI
By Tanner Johnson | Last updated Sep 1, 2025 12:49 PM ET

Nebraska football’s 2025 season is only one game old, but ESPN’s Football Power Index is already offering a snapshot of where the Huskers stand nationally.

After a gritty season-opening win over Cincinnati, the analytics-driven ranking system slots Nebraska at No. 31 nationally.

The FPI rating for Nebraska is 8.3. In practical terms, that means Nebraska is projected to be about a touchdown better than the average FBS team on a neutral field.

It’s not a top-tier number, but it does place the Huskers firmly inside the top third of college football. From there, the percentages fill out the picture of what might be ahead in Matt Rhule’s third season.

Nebraska is seen as a near-lock for a bowl game (95.6%) and has an outside shot at the College Football Playoff (7.8%). But the team's loftier goals remain a steep climb: just a 0.6% chance of winning the Big Ten, 0.3% of reaching the national title game, and 0.1% of winning it all. The model also gives Nebraska only a 0.1% chance of finishing undefeated, which underlines the difficulty of navigating a full Big Ten slate.

In short, the FPI sees Nebraska as a good team with limited odds of climbing into the sport’s top tier. The Huskers will have to win some high-profile games to rocket up these rankings.

Starting on the Right Foot

The Huskers opened the season with a 20-17 win over Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium in Kansas City.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 243 yards and two touchdowns, while running back Emmett Johnson added 108 yards on the ground. The defense closed the game with a clutch interception by Malcolm Hartzog Jr. in the end zone with 34 seconds remaining.

MALCOLM HARTZOG JR GRABS THE INTERCEPTION TO SEAL IT FOR NEBRASKA pic.twitter.com/xqKVCyS7qM
— Mr Matthew CFB (@MrMatthew_CFB) August 29, 2025

It wasn’t always pretty—Nebraska gave up too much on the ground and at times sputtered offensively—but it was still the program’s first season-opening win over a power conference opponent in more than 20 years.

Considering the Huskers’ well-documented struggles in close games over the last decade, often finding themselves on the wrong end of one-score contests, simply pulling out a tight victory over a power-conference team is a meaningful step forward.

Up Next

Next up for Nebraska is Akron, a team projected near the bottom of the FBS. The FPI gives the Huskers more than a 96% chance to win the game.

This matchup should give Rhule’s team a chance to clean up mistakes from Week 1, and, ideally, get some valuable reps for reserve players who did not see the field much against the Bearcats.

This article first appeared on Nebraska Cornhuskers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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