Nebraska Football: Dream Schedule If Fans Could Make It

What if Nebraska fans could make the Cornhuskers' schedule before each season? No more playing a schedule filled with Big Ten or Big 12 schools. Instead Nebraska’s schedule would be open to any team.

I am sure each fan would create a different schedule for the Cornhuskers. Some would probably go with a schedule filled with the top teams in college football to see where Nebraska stacks up. Others would create a schedule filled with “cupcakes” to ensure Nebraska finishes the season with one of the top records. Some fans might even keep the schedule the way it is.

If I had control over Nebraska’s football schedule, I would create a schedule that would feature as many rivalries as I could and schedule some of the teams that Nebraska had battles with in the past.

Since teams play a 12-game schedule, I put 12 teams on Nebraska’s schedule.

Here are the 13 teams (including one for a bowl game) I would schedule for Nebraska if I had total control of the Cornhuskers' schedule.

Missouri

I would start the season with Nebraska playing Missouri. There is nothing like giving the Cornhuskers an easy game to get into midseason form.

The Tigers always wanted to be the Cornhuskers but failed to live up to expectations. I would love to see Nebraska play the Tigers one more time just to remind them they are not the caliber of a football team that Nebraska is.

Colorado

For the second game of the season I would schedule another team from the old Big 12 North Division.

Just in case Nebraska had a rough start to the season against Missouri, the Cornhuskers could fix their problems against Colorado. Colorado is another team that thought it had a rivalry against Nebraska. It is hard to consider the Nebraska vs. Colorado games a rivalry when the Cornhuskers won 49 of the 69 games the two teams played.

Colorado always played Nebraska tough no matter how bad its team was. It would be nice to see one more game between the two schools.

Iowa

The Border War, the Heroes Game—whatever you want to call it, Nebraska and Iowa started a rivalry last season.

I would have that rivalry continue on my schedule. This game would not be scheduled to satisfy Nebraska fans, but to satisfy our neighbors to the east.

Iowa believes its football program is in the same conversation as Nebraska. That is not the case. Nebraska has won many conference championships and five national championships. The only thing Iowa has ever won is its state championship against Iowa State. Congratulations on that, Hawkeye fans.

I could not create a dream schedule without the opportunity to watch Nebraska beat up on Iowa. It is just too much fun to watch.

Ohio

Why Ohio? Why not?

I would love to see Nebraska play a game against its former coach Frank Solich.

I believe if given a chance to play the Big Red, Coach Solich who have his team ready to play. I don’t think Ohio could beat the Cornhuskers, but I do think it would be a good game. I have respect for Solich, and since he did spend 19 seasons at Nebraska, I would give his Ohio Bobcats a chance at the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Florida State

Nebraska and Florida State have had some epic battles in the past. One of the best was the 1993 Orange Bowl when Florida State beat the Cornhuskers 27-14 to win the national championship. The game was much closer than the score indicated.

If the football god would allow me to schedule this game, I would hope I would also be allowed to bring back Tom Osborne and Bobby Bowden as the coaches. The game would need to be played at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb. The two schools played too many times in the state of Florida, and it's Nebraska’s turn to host the game.

Wisconsin

Nebraska is trying to build a rivalry with Wisconsin. In order to try and build upon the rivalry I would put Wisconsin on the schedule.

The only problem with putting Wisconsin on the schedule is that it is too hard to tell the two teams apart when they are on the field. I would ensure Nebraska came out in its all-red uniforms that the Cornhuskers wore in their 1986 game against Oklahoma. Wisconsin would have to wear its all-white uniforms.

I would schedule this game at Wisconsin. I do not really like Wisconsin fans and I would want them to be able to see the spanking Nebraska puts on the Badgers in person.

Penn State

Penn State did not end up on this schedule because it is a team from the Big Ten Conference. Nebraska and Penn State have played some great games in the past, and I am still not happy about the way Penn State stole victory from the Cornhuskers in 1982. Penn State players were allowed to catch the ball five yards out of bounds in order to secure the victory.

Although Nebraska beat Penn State last season, that is not enough for me. Every time I get a chance to see Nebraska beat Penn State I will take it. 

Michigan

If your team splits a national championship with another team, that team must be on the schedule so that the two teams can settle their differences on the field. Nebraska and Michigan shared the national championship in 1997 and Cornhusker fans consider their team the champions that season while Michigan fans believe their team is the 1997 champion. It is too bad the two teams could not have played in 1997. If they would have played I believe Michigan would have one less national championship trophy in their trophy case.

Nebraska could play this game in the Big House. The Cornhuskers are not intimidated by 110,000 fans.

Hawaii

I am sure most of you reading this column must be taking another look to see if the team listed is correct. Does that say Hawaii? Yes!

Why would I schedule Hawaii?

It gets cold in Nebraska in November, so I would schedule this game as an away game for the Cornhuskers. There is nothing like a nice trip to Hawaii the second week in November. They say Nebraska fans will travel to all ends of the earth to watch their team play, and this game will test that theory. I believe the beaches in Hawaii will be filled with pale Nebraska fans.

The two schools do not have a history together, but I need a vacation.

Texas

This is where Nebraska’s schedule starts to get serious. Nebraska has some unfinished business against Texas. Nebraska must play this game and must win this game to get back at Texas for stealing the games Nebraska had in hand. Whether it be the 1996 Big 12 Championship game where Texas threw the bomb on 4th-and-1 to win the game, or the 2009 Big 12 Championship game where time was put back on the clock so Texas could kick a game-winning field goal.

The reason why Nebraska is no longer in the Big 12 is because of Texas. It would be nice to see Nebraska put Texas in its place.

Miami

Miami is another team that Nebraska owes. Nebraska did get revenge on Miami in the 1994 Orange Bowl, but that is not enough for me. Too many times has Nebraska gone to Miami to play the Hurricanes in the Orange Bowl. Not this time!

I scheduled this game at the end of the regular season in the middle of November. I want Miami to get a chance to play at Nebraska’s house for once. We will see how good Miami is when the Hurricanes are the visiting team for once.

Oklahoma

There is only one team that could be the last team on Nebraska’s schedule. That team is Oklahoma.

Many teams have said they had a rivalry with Nebraska over the years, but only one team has been a true rival of the Cornhuskers. Nebraska and Oklahoma had played some of the best games in college football history, and I am rewarding college football fans by giving them one more game.

I would like to have Tom Osborne and Barry Switzer coach this game. I would also prohibit spread offenses for this game. Nebraska must run the option out of the I-formation, while Oklahoma must run the options out of the wishbone.

Hopefully both teams would be undefeated going into this game like so many times in the past.

Bowl Game: LSU

If I did not put an SEC team on the schedule people might get the idea I would have Nebraska avoiding teams from the SEC. That is not the case.

Nebraska will play LSU in the Sugar Bowl. Yes, Nebraska can play the Tigers in their own state, in front of their own fans.

Nebraska is 5-0-1 against LSU with the Cornhuskers winning the last four bowl games against LSU. Nebraska would make that five in a row.

Follow me on Twitter @HuskerMagic.