The University of Nebraska’s previously scheduled non-conference matchups with the University of Tennessee in 2026 and 2027 have been cancelled, and the Huskers have announced three non-conference additions in the 2026 and 2027 seasons.

“We are making plans to embark on major renovations of Memorial Stadium that may impact our seating capacity for the 2027 season,” Nebraska Director of Athletics Troy Dannen said. “The best scenario for us is to have eight home games in 2027 to offset any potential revenue loss from a reduced capacity. The additional home games will also have a tremendous economic benefit on the Lincoln community.”

Nebraska has replaced Tennessee on the schedule with home games against Bowling Green University on Sept. 12, 2026, and Miami (Ohio) University on Sept. 11, 2027. Additionally, Nebraska has added a matchup against Northern Iowa on Sept. 18, 2027, to complete its non-league schedule for 2027.

The matchups with Bowling Green and Miami are the first against each of those opponents in Nebraska history. The Huskers’ 2027 meeting with Northern Iowa will be the second between the schools, following Nebraska’s 34-3 win last September in the first-ever matchup of the programs.

The 2027 season will mark the first time Nebraska has played eight home games at Memorial Stadium since 2013. Nebraska enters the 2025 season with 403 consecutive sellouts at Memorial Stadium.

Future non-conference series against Autonomy 4 Conference opponents include the University of Arizona (2028, 2031), the University of Oklahoma (2029, 2030), the University of Cincinnati (2032) and Oklahoma State University, (2034, 2035), none of which are impacted by the scheduling changes.

Tennessee AD 'disappointed' Nebraska cancels home-and-home series in 2026-27 on short notice

By The Associated Press
 

LINCOLN, Neb. (AP) — Nebraska canceled two nonconference games against Tennessee as part of a plan to recoup lost revenue from reduced seating capacity during major renovations of Memorial Stadium in 2027, athletic director Troy Dannen announced Friday.

The Cornhuskers and Volunteers had been scheduled to meet in Lincoln on Sept. 12, 2026, and in Knoxville on Sept. 11, 2027.

“Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did. We are very disappointed that they didn’t want to play these games, especially this close to 2026,” Tennessee athletic director Danny White said on social media.

Nebraska replaced Tennessee on its schedule with home games against Bowling Green in 2026 and Miami (Ohio) in 2027. The Huskers also scheduled an additional matchup with Northern Iowa in 2027, giving them eight home games that season for the first time since 2013.

“The best scenario for us is to have eight home games in 2027 to offset any potential revenue loss from a reduced capacity,” Dannen said. "The additional home games will also have a tremendous economic benefit on the Lincoln community.”

All three previous meetings between Nebraska and Tennessee came in bowls, most recently the Volunteers' 38-24 win in the 2016 Music City Bowl.

Nebraska has never played Bowling Green or Miami (Ohio).

Tennessee canceled a 2022 home game against Army the year before it was to be played, similar to what Nebraska did Friday. According to the Knoxville News Sentinel, White signed paperwork to cancel the game shortly after he was hired in 2021 and lined up Akron as a replacement opponent. UT officials told the newspaper that the previous athletic director, Phillip Fulmer, and former coach Jeremy Pruitt had started the process of canceling the Army game.