Weighing possible Nebraska football bowl game destinations

NU turned down a bowl bid after the end of the COVID-shortened 2020 season. The Huskers have home games against UCLA and Wisconsin remaining to try and reach that magical sixth win.

Currently, Nebraska is receiving votes in the AP Top Poll where seven Big Ten teams are ranked higher, including NU’s next opponent after this weekend’s bye in No. 18 Indiana.

Several publications have “way-too-early” bowl projections out as the college football season hits the midway point and none have the Huskers in one of the twelve College Football Playoff spots.

Here’s where several experts have Nebraska playing in December and early January.

Erick Smith projects the Huskers will be taking on the 4-1 Orange who currently sit in sixth place in the ACC. Syracuse has a pair of three-point wins over Georgia Tech and then-No. 25 UNLV but suffered a two-point home loss to Stanford. The Orange are led by Ohio State transfer Kyle McCord, who has thrown for over 1,800 yards with 17 touchdowns and six interceptions.

CBS has NU positioned in a Big Ten vs. SEC battle with the 3-2 Wildcats who are coming off their first win in conference play — a major upset of then-No. 6 Mississippi, which still has a legitimate CFP shot. Kentucky nearly pulled off another shocker in a 13-12 loss to then-No. 1 Georgia and also fell to South Carolina.

Mark Schlabach’s projection sets up yet another NU matchup against its old AD Trev Alberts and an old Big 12 rival in the Aggies. A&M is 5-1 after its best win over No. 21 Missouri, which was No. 9 a week ago. The Aggies jumped from No. 25 to No. 15 with that 41-10 victory and face two opponents who are currently ranked the rest of the way. Nebraska is 10-4 all-time against A&M.

Kyle Bonagera sends Nebraska to the East Coast again, this time against a 5-1 Blue Devil team that had its unbeaten season ended by Georgia Tech last week. Under first-year coach Manny Diaz, Duke has close wins over North Carolina, UConn and Northwestern. SMU and Miami are the lone ranked opponents left on their schedule.

Patrick Andres projects Nebraska to play WVU, which is 3-2 and coming off a 38-14 blowout of Oklahoma State in Stillwater. West Virginia also narrowly beat Kansas and its two losses came to ranked opponents in Penn State and Pittsburgh. The two teams have met once with the Huskers defeating the Mountaineers 31-0 back on August 28, 1994.

Steven Lassan has NU in a New Year’s Eve bowl against the Aggies. The ReliaQuest is a 11 a.m. kickoff on ESPN while the Citrus Bowl kicks off at 2 p.m. on ABC.