Ireland off the table; Nebraska-Illinois will open in Champaign

In what has been a developing story for the last few weeks, the Aer Lingus Classic vs. Illinois in Dublin, Ireland will not happen.

The Week Zero game set for Aug. 28 was officially moved to Champaign on Wednesday, as all parties involved agreed it was the right moved to make after extensive consultation with the Irish government, medical authorities and the administrative staffs at both schools.

“We are disappointed that we will not be able to travel to Ireland to open the 2021 football season in Dublin,” Nebraska Athletic Director Bill Moos said in a statement. “The trip would have been a memorable experience for the young men in our football program, so I feel badly they won’t have this opportunity.

“There was also a high level of excitement and interest in the game among our great fan base, and I know many of them were looking forward to making the trip to cheer on the Huskers. Anthony Travel and Irish American Events have been a great partner throughout this process, and we will continue to explore the possibility of taking Nebraska Football to Dublin in the future.”

However, the one positive for both teams is the game can stay on Week Zero. NU has already moved a non-conference game vs. Southeast Louisana into the spot Illinois occupied on the schedule.

The Illini play a game on Week 1, while the Huskers are off that week. Officials from the Aer Lingus game hope to get Nebraska lined up again in the coming years.

“It is desperately disappointing that it is necessary to cancel the 2021 Aer Lingus College Football Classic but public health must take precedent,” said Neil Naughton, Chairman of the Aer Lingus College Football Classic. “These games offer huge publicity potential, practical economic benefits, and a genuine expression of the close ties between Ireland and the United States.

“We have made great friends with both the University of Illinois and the University of Nebraska and I look forward to welcoming them back to Ireland in the not too distant future and giving their traveling fans the welcome Ireland is so famous for.”

Ticketholders will be contacted by their purchase provider in the coming days.