Which Team Would Nebraska Fans Most Want to Beat This Fall?

Husker Dan asks readers for their input.

Colorado Buffaloes head coach Deion Sanders during a spring game event at Folsom Field. / Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

The 2024 Husker football season will get underway in a little over 20 days when NU hosts UTEP on Saturday, Aug. 31.  Not since 2019 has Nebraska opened the season with a win.  That was a 35-21 home victory over South Alabama.  Last year, NU lost at Minnesota in the season opener.  In '22 it was losing to Northwestern in Dublin, Ireland.  In '21 it was losing at Illinois.  In the COVID year of 2020, it was a loss at Ohio State that began the season.

This year's UTEP home opener might help get the Huskers off to a 1-0 start.

Noteworthy is that for the first time since joining the Big Ten conference in 2011, Nebraska will not be facing either Northwestern or Minnesota this season.  Obviously when four Pac-12 teams were added to the Big Ten this year, some scheduling changes were inevitable.

What I want to know is which one of the following four Husker opponents - Colorado, Iowa, Ohio State or USC - would Husker fans most want to beat this year?

The teams are listed in alphabetical order.  To help you decide, I've listed some bullet points about each team.

1)  vs. Colorado, Sept. 7 

• Nebraska has lost three straight to the Buffies.
• The Huskers have never lost four consecutive times to CU.
• Coach Neon Deion Sanders is in his second year at Colorado.
• CU beat NU last year in Boulder 36-14.
• CU's record last year was 4-8.

2)  @ Iowa, Nov. 29

• Over the last nine meetings between these two teams, the Huskers are 1-8.
• Hawkeyes had the worst passing offense in the country last season.
• Iowa's record last year was 10-4.
• Last Husker win was in 2022 in Iowa City, 24-17.

3) @ Ohio State, Oct. 26

• Favorite to win the conference this year.
• Last year's record was 11-2.
• NU is 1-9 vs the Buckeyes.
• Huskers' only win was in Lincoln in 2011.

4)  @ USC, Nov. 16

• NU has never beaten the Trojans.
• Huskers are 0-4-1 in the series.
• The tie came in 1970, NU's first national championship year.
• This will be USC's first year in the Big Ten.

Be sure to include the reasons for your pick.  Send your responses to me at HuskerDan@cox.net.  I will post the best of them in a future column.

How 'Bout Them Huskers

In this week's episode, Will and I give our preview of the '24 Husker football season and comment on the preseason Big Ten rankings.