It's time for Nebraska to face a 'whole other animal' in Big Ten play

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have to be feeling good about themselves after a 3-0 start to the 2025 college football season.

This marks two years in a row now that Matt Rhule and his team have started a season 3-0. The last time that happened was in 2016, so this Huskers program appears to be turning a new leaf in year three of the Rhule regime.

There's only one problem, though, and that's the level of competition. Beating Cincinnati, 20-17, was a big deal to start the season, but the Huskers went on to play Akron of the MAC and Houston Christian of the Southland Conference in Weeks 2 and 3, respectively. They won those two games by a total of 127-7. Up next on the schedule is a home matchup against No. 21 Michigan, though, and according to Rhule, this is when the rubber really meets the road for Nebraska.

Nebraska must prepare for Big Ten play, starting against Michigan 

Are the Huskers prepared for the jump in level of competition between the likes of Akron and Houston Christian and the Wolverines? Rhule was asked that question in a recent news conference, and he relayed that he believes the preparation during the week in practice is really where a team has the chance to grow.

To that point, Rhule feels his team is prepared for Big Ten play. He did admit that they're about to step into a whole different arena, though.

“They’ve just been very mature about, hey, this is what we need to improve on each week. Right now, there’s not a guy who doesn’t know what we need to improve upon. And that’ll continue for the rest of the year, you know?" Rhule said. "So I don’t know if the games themselves say much. The other day, you were not playing Big Ten teams. So, I mean, now the Big Ten starts. This is a whole other animal, but I think our guys have worked.”

Matt Rhule needs Cornhuskers to step up against Big Ten

Michigan is going to be a big test for the Huskers. The Wolverines are 2-1 after losing to Oklahoma, but they've got a great young quarterback in freshman Bryce Underwood and a defense that gave up just three points to Central Michigan last weekend.

After Michigan, Nebraska's schedule looks like this:

• vs. Michigan State
• at Maryland
• at Minnesota
• vs. Northwestern 
• vs. USC
• at UCLA 
• at Penn State
• vs. Iowa

If the Huskers can beat Michigan, they could finish the season with an 8-1 record in Big Ten play, with the only likely loss coming at Penn State. That would be a huge jump for Nebraska, because the Cornhuskers are 6-12 against Big Ten opponents in Rhule's first two seasons.

That's a jump Nebraska will have to make, though, in order to get back into the national conversation. It all starts against Michigan on Sept. 20.