Oregon vs Nebraska 2026 | Oct 17 Preview

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Oregon vs Nebraska

Saturday, Oct 17, 2026 | Autzen Stadium, Eugene

TV: TBD | Kickoff: TBD

Nebraska 2026: 1-0

Prediction: Medium-High

Last: W 42-35 (2017)

Gates: 3 hrs before kickoff Clear bags only (12x6x12) Shuttle $8 adv / $12 gameday Mobile tickets only No re-entry Autzen guide → Visitor's guide →

Updated September 9, 2026 | Sources: GoDucks.com, 247Sports, ESPN

Nebraska at Autzen, the first meeting since 2017. The Huskers travel better than almost anyone in the sport, so expect real red in Eugene for a mid-October Big Ten game. Matt Rhule is in year four in Lincoln, and Dylan Raiola's old team comes to visit his new one.

Key Matchups

The Raiola factor

Dylan Raiola transferred from Nebraska to Oregon. He will be on the Oregon sideline backing up Moore while his former teammates line up across the field. The storylines write themselves.

Nebraska's run game vs Oregon's front

Rhule wants to establish the run. Oregon's defensive line says no. This is a strength-on-strength matchup that favors Oregon heavily.

Crowd noise

Nebraska fans will travel. But 54,000 at Autzen is louder than 85,000 at Memorial Stadium. Oregon's home-field advantage is real.

Nebraska in 2026

Nebraska is 1-0 after beating Ohio 49-21, and the halftime score was 14-13. The Huskers scored on five straight drives after the break to turn a one-point game against a MAC opponent into a comfortable final. Anthony Colandrea, the UNLV transfer replacing Dylan Raiola, went 18 of 32 for 275 yards with three touchdowns and no interceptions plus a rushing score. The bigger change is on the other side: Rob Aurich is the new defensive coordinator, hired from San Diego State, and his first snap in charge went for a 68-yard completion.

Nebraska Snapshot

1-0

Oregon 2026

vs

1-0

Nebraska 2026

Head Coach: Matt Rhule

All-time series: 2-6 (Nebraska leads) Winsipedia

Anthony Colandrea

QB

Four total touchdowns and 298 total yards in his Nebraska debut, with no turnovers. He is the answer to a question Oregon fans have a direct stake in, since Dylan Raiola left Lincoln for Eugene in January.

Jamal Rule

RB

A true freshman who ran for 122 yards and two touchdowns and caught a 24-yard touchdown against Ohio, 169 all-purpose yards and three scores in his first college game. Big Ten Freshman of the Week. Nobody had this name in an August preview.

Kwazi Gilmer

WR

Transferred from UCLA in January, which quietly links Oregon's two October home games. He led the Bruins in receiving in 2025 with 50 catches for 535 yards, and caught a nine-yard touchdown in the Nebraska opener.

Mekhi Nelson

RB

129 all-purpose yards and two scores against Ohio, including a 51-yard touchdown catch. Nebraska is splitting carries the same way UCLA is.

By the Numbers, so far in 2026

34

Oregon PPG

vs

49

Nebraska PPG

27

Oregon Opp PPG

vs

21

Nebraska Opp PPG

Oregon: 1 game in 2026. Nebraska: 1 game in 2026, derived from the ESPN team schedule (as of 2026-09-09).

Oregon Players to Watch

What to Watch

Nebraska has not been to Autzen before and the Huskers travel as well as anyone in the sport, so this will feel different from a normal October home game. The football question is whether the second-half version of that Ohio game is real or whether a 14-13 halftime against a MAC team is the honest reading. There is a personal thread too: Dylan Raiola started 22 games at Nebraska, broke his fibula against USC in November 2025, entered the portal in January and is now backing up Dante Moore, and his younger brother Dayton is on the Oregon roster.

Visiting Nebraska Fans?

Welcome to Eugene. You are going to have a great time. Autzen will be loud. The food is good. The people are friendly. Here is everything you need.

The Call: our Oregon vs Nebraska score prediction

1 for 1 on winners. 10 points off on the scores.

We say Oregon35 Nebraska17

Medium-High confidence

Nebraska is improved but not yet at Oregon's level. The talent gap at the skill positions is wide. Autzen will be rocking.

Think we are wrong? Say it with numbers.

Call the exact score and we put your name on this page. First name and an initial, nothing else, and a human reads it first.

How to Watch

TBD

TV Channel

TBD

Kickoff

Wear Green

Fans Wear

All 12 games →

What to Wear

Oregon Athletics is asking fans to wear green for this one. If you need it, here is Oregon gear in that color on Amazon. The official Duck Store stocks it too and the school gets the money there, which is the better call if you do not mind paying a bit more.

Color per Oregon Athletics' published 2026 fan color schedule. The Amazon link is an affiliate link and we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you; the Duck Store link is not, and we mention it anyway.

Frequently Asked Questions

Oregon hosts Nebraska on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at Autzen Stadium in Eugene, Oregon. It is the first meeting between the programs since Oregon won 42-35 in 2017.

Yes. Dylan Raiola transferred from Nebraska to Oregon in January 2026. He is expected to back up Dante Moore in 2026 and compete for the starting job in 2027. Raiola had 4,819 career passing yards and 31 TDs at Nebraska before the transfer.

Anthony Colandrea, a transfer from UNLV who won Mountain West Player of the Year in 2025 (3,459 passing yards, 649 rushing yards, 33 total TDs). He is a dual-threat 32-game starter replacing Dylan Raiola.

Nebraska leads the all-time series 6-2. The last meeting was Oregon's 42-35 win on September 9, 2017. The series dates back to 1952. Series record per Winsipedia (April 2026).

Autzen Stadium is at 2700 Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd in Eugene, Oregon. Nebraska fans travel well, so arrive early. The Autzen Express shuttle is $8 per person in advance or $12 on gameday, sold online only (no cash). The Autzen Stadium numbered lots open six hours before kickoff (never earlier than 7:00 a.m.) and require a reserved parking pass. Clear bags only (12x6x12 max). Full details in our Autzen Stadium guide and Visitor's Guide.

Nebraska is unranked in the AP Top 25. Nebraska is 1-0 in 2026, most recently W 49-21 vs Ohio Bobcats, coached by Matt Rhule. Nebraska is 1-0 after beating Ohio 49-21, and the halftime score was 14-13.

Raiola vs his old team. What is the vibe?

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The Huskers Come to Autzen