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Nebraska Football Facing SEC Teams in Latest Bowl Projections

Nebraska football could be facing some of college football's elite teams in the latest round of ESPN's bowl projections.

Austin Jacobsen

Nebraska wide receiver Carter Nelson celebrates after catching a 24-yard touchdown reception against Northern Iowa.
Nebraska wide receiver Carter Nelson celebrates after catching a 24-yard touchdown reception against Northern Iowa. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN
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Nebraska football's hot start to the 2024 season has them projected to matchup with some of college football's finest.

ESPN released their latest bowl projections Sunday, following the conclusion of Week Three across college football. With only two ranked teams falling during the week, most of the college football playoff projections and bowl game predictions were only slightly adjusted.

The Huskers, however, could potentially be seated for a New Year's Eve bowl game. The projections also feature a Big Ten-Southeastern Conference showdown.

Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. (17) celebrates at the end of a play against the Northern Iowa Panthers
Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Jacory Barney Jr. (17) celebrates at the end of a play against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the second quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

ESPN bowl guru Kyle Bonagura has the Huskers set to play on Dec. 30 in Nashville, Tenn as part of the TransPerfect Music City Bowl. Bonagura has the Big Red matching up against the Top 25 rated LSU Tigers.

The sports network's other bowl expert, Mark Schlabach, has NU aimed at a New Year's Eve date in Tampa, Fla., in the ReliaQuest Bowl. Schlabach's matchup brings back an old Big Eight rivalry, squaring Nebraska against Oklahoma.

Both analysts have 13 of the 18 Big Ten Conference teams in postseason play, including four in the College Football Playoff: Ohio State, USC, Oregon, and Penn State. The other programs included in postseason bowl projections feature Nebraska, Rutgers, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Michigan State, Washington, Maryland, and Iowa.

None of Nebraska's non-conference opponents are projected to make a bowl game.

Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Ryker Fyfe (17) hands the ball off to running back Terrell Newby (34)
Dec 30, 2016; Nashville , TN, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Ryker Fyfe (17) hands the ball off to running back Terrell Newby (34) during the first half against the Tennessee Volunteers at Nissan Stadium. / Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images

The Huskers' last stop in postseason play was at the Music City Bowl in Dec. 2016, when Nebraska visited Nissan Stadium in Nashville battling the Tennessee Volunteers. The Mike Riley-led Huskers would fall to the Vols, 38-24. Nebraska has not appeared in a bowl game since.

Nebraska is off to a strong start to the season, beginning their 2024 campaign 3-0 after wins over UTEP (40-7), Colorado (28-10), and Northern Iowa (34-3). The Big Red will face six conference opponents that are currently projected to make either a bowl game or the College Football Playoff.

The stretch begins on Friday as No. 22 Nebraska welcomes No. 24 Illinois to Memorial Stadium.

MORE: Nebraska Football's Heinrich Haarberg Packages More Than Gimmicks

MORE: LOOK: Photos From Nebraska Football's 34-3 Win Over Northern Iowa

MORE: Nebraska Football Favored by a Touchdown Over Illinois in Early-Betting Lines

MORE: Analytics Review: Nebraska Football vs Northern Iowa

MORE: Nebraska Football Inches Higher in Both Coaches, AP Polls Following Northern Iowa Win

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Austin Jacobsen

AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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