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CBS Sports names biggest ‘trap game’ on Ohio State’s schedule
By Andrew Olson
Published:
Expectations are high for Ohio State in 2026. The Buckeyes are the No. 1 team on ESPN’s preseason FPI rankings and have a projected 75.7% chance to make the College Football Playoff.
OSU’s games against Texas, Indiana, Oregon and Michigan have plenty of preseason hype. What about a “trap game” that might find Ryan Day’s team looking ahead?
Brad Crawford of CBS Sports identified Nebraska as a potential trap game for Ohio State on Nov. 21:
Ah, the game before The Game,” Crawford writes. “Ohio State’s late-season trip to Nebraska has all the makings of a classic look-ahead trap. The Buckeyes visit Lincoln one week before facing Michigan, and that rivalry will undoubtedly dominate the conversation leading into kickoff.
Nebraska may not match Ohio State’s talent, but Memorial Stadium remains one of the Big Ten’s toughest venues when the Huskers are competitive, and the last two meetings in this series have been nail-biters. By November, Nebraska should be battle-tested, physical and desperate for a signature win. If Ohio State arrives distracted or starts slowly, this could become a fourth-quarter fight.
Nebraska officially joined the Big Ten in 2011. The Huskers and Buckeyes’ first B1G meeting went Nebraska’s way, a 34-27 win for Big Red in Lincoln. Since then, however, Ohio State has won 8 in a row over Nebraska.
While the Buckeyes and Huskers have been opposite ends of the B1G standings in recent years, Ohio State and Nebraska’s last two meetings have been closer than expected. Last time in Lincoln, 2021, OSU won 26-17. It was just a 21-17 win for Ohio State in 2024 when the teams met in Columbus.
A former Florida beat reporter, Andrew writes for the Saturday Tradition News Desk.