Link: Full Game Notes (Huskers.com)
WHEN: Thursday, August 28 | 8:00 PM (CT)
WHERE: Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri
TV: ESPN (Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Kyle Crooks, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
2 - Dylan Raiola set Nebraska's freshman record with 2,819 passing yards in 2024. Raiola was only the second Big Ten true freshman quarterback to eclipse 2,800 passing yards in the last 25 seasons.
4 - Nebraska is one of only four teams that ranked in the top 20 nationally in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense in both 2023 and 2024. The other members of that group are Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.
10 - Matt Rhule led his team to double-digit victories in his third season at each of his previous two college head coaching stops. Temple went 10-4 in his third season in 2015, while Baylor finished 11-3 in Rhule's third season in 2019.
HUSKERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Boston College (W 20-15)
Rankings: AP (RV) | Coaches (RV)
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (12-13, 3rd year | 59-56, 10th year overall)
vs. Cincinnati: 0-0
BEARCATS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big 12)
Last Game: vs. TCU (L 13-20)
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Scott Satterfield (8-16, 3rd year | 84-64, 13th year overall)
vs. Nebraska: 0-0
Nebraska kicks off its season Thursday night against Cincinnati in the Battle Sports Kansas City Classic at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPN.
Nebraska is coming off a 7-6 record in Matt Rhule's second season in 2024. Rhule guided the Huskers to the program's first winning record in eight years, which culminated with Nebraska's first bowl win in nine seasons. The Huskers improved by two wins from the 2023 to 2024 season, continuing a trend that has seen Rhule-coached teams either match or improve their previous season's win total every year of his college coaching career. Five of Nebraska's six losses in 2024 were one-score defeats, but the Huskers also showed improvement in winning close games as two of their final three victories were one-score wins.
Nebraska returns a total of 10 starters from last year's team. The Husker offensive line features seven players who have started at least nine career games. Dylan Raiola is back for his second year as Nebraska's starting quarterback after he ranked 13th nationally in completion percentage in 2024 (67.1) and set the NU freshman passing record (2,819). Jacory Barney Jr. returns after he had a Nebraska freshman-record 55 receptions in 2024, and he will be aided by the addition of Dane Key, who caught 126 passes for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns over three seasons at Kentucky. In the backfield, Emmett Johnson returns after he led Nebraska with 908 all-purpose yards and 884 yards from scrimmage in 2024.
Defensively, the Huskers return four starters in the secondary who have combined for 97 career starts. NU returns five other defenders who started at least one game in 2025. The defense is bolstered by the additions of several transfers, including linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, who was the 2024 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and ranks second among all active FBS players with 365 career tackles.
Nebraska Boasts 15-3 Record in August
Thursday's season opener will mark the 19th August game in the history of Nebraska football. The Huskers are playing in an August game for the fifth straight season. The Huskers are 15-3 overall in August contests and 13-0 in August games against non-conference foes.
Husker History in Season Openers
Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 135 season openers, winning their first game 75 percent of the time while posting a 98-32-5 record.
- Season Opening Record: 98-32-5 (.744)
- Season Opener at Neutral Site: 3-1-0 (.750)
- Biggest Season Opening Win: vs. Kearney State (W 117-0, 1911)
- Biggest Season Opening Loss: at Minnesota (L 0-54, 1943)
- Longest Winning Streak: 29 (1986-2014)
- Longest Losing Streak: 6 (1942-1947)
Husker History in Kansas City
Thursday will mark Nebraska's 11th all-time game in Kansas City and the third played at Arrowhead Stadium. The Huskers played in Kansas City eight times from 1893 to 1904 against Missouri (twice), KC Medics (four times), William Jewell and Haskell. The only two games played in Kansas City in the last 120 years are No. 2 Nebraska's 24-17 defeat of Oklahoma State in 1998, and the 19th-ranked Huskers' 2006 Big 12 Championship Game loss to No. 8 Oklahoma (21-7).
- Record in K.C.: 3-6-1 (.350)
- Record at Arrowhead Stadium: 1-1 (.500)
- Last Game in K.C.: vs. Oklahoma (L 7-21, 2006)
- Last Win in K.C.: vs. Oklahoma State (W 24-17, 1998)
Husker History in Thursday Games
Nebraska has played on Thursday a total of 61 times, including the first game in program history - a 10-0 shutout of the Omaha YMCA on Nov. 27, 1890. Nebraska owns a 40-18-3 all-time record on Thursday, including a 38-16-3 mark in regular-season contests.
- Nebraska played on Thursday 45 times from 1890 to 1938. Since World War II, the Huskers have played only 16 Thursday games, including four bowl games.
- In the modern era, Nebraska is 9-3 in regular-season Thursday games. the Huskers had won seven straight regular-season Thursday matchups before losing the 2023 season opener at Minnesota, which is the Huskers' most recent Thursday contest.
- In the modern era, 14 of the 16 Thursday games have been played on the road or a neutral site.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska is 1-0 all-time against Cincinnati, with the only previous meeting coming in 1906, a game in which Nebraska won 41-0 in Lincoln.
ABOUT CINCINNATI
Cincinnati has fielded a football team since 1885 and has an all-time record of 667-615-50. Cincinnati has claimed 16 conference titles, including four Big East championships and three American Athletic Conference titles. The Bearcats have an overall bowl record of 10-12. Most recently, Cincinnati fell 24-7 to Louisville in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl in 2022.
First Year: 1885
All-Time Record: 667-615-50
Bowl Record: 10-12
Big 12 Titles: 0
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Nippert Stadium
Capacity: 38,088
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Enrollment: 53,235
Colors: Red & Black
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished the 2024 campaign with a 5-7 overall record, picking up wins over Towson, Miami (OH), Houston, Central Florida and Arizona State.
The Bearcats must replace their top rusher from last season after Corey Kiner paced the Cincinnati rushing attack with 1,153 yards and four touchdowns on 204 carries. The Bearcats return Brendan Sorsby and Evan Pryor, who rushed for 447 and 418 yards, respectively.
In the passing game, Sorsby returns after completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games. Cincinnati lost four of its top five receiving targets from last season, including Xzavier Henderson's 59 receptions for 738 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Joe Royer returns after pulling in 50 catches for 521 yards and three scores in 12 games last season.
Defensively, the Bearcats must replace Jared Bartlett, who led the Cincinnati defense with 69 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season. Jake Golday is the Bearcats' top returning tackler after he made 58 stops with seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2024.
ABOUT HEAD COACH SCOTT SATTERFIELD
Scott Satterfield is in his third season as the head coach at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to an 8-16 overall record through two seasons.
Prior to Cincinnati, Satterfield posted a 26-24 record in four seasons as the head coach at Louisville from 2019 to 2022.
Satterfield spent six seasons as the head coach at Appalachian State (2013-2018) and led the Mountaineers to a 50-24 record. Satterfield's tenure as App State's head coach stands as one of the most successful eras in program history, building a dominant Group of Five program that went to four bowl games and won three consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles.
Satterfield joined the Mountaineers' staff as a receivers coach in 1998 before coaching running backs (1999-02) and quarterbacks (2002-08).
Satterfield's coaching career also includes stints as Toledo's passing game coordinator (2009) and Florida International's offensive coordinator (2010-2011).
As a player, he started 27 games at quarterback for Appalachian State and was a first-team all-conference selection in 1995.
Thursday's game will be Satterfield's first career game against Nebraska.
NEBRASKA CORNHUSKERS (0-0) | vs. | CINCINNATI BEARCATS (0-0) |
| 
| 
|
| 
| 
|
WHEN: Thursday, August 28 | 8:00 PM (CT)
WHERE: Arrowhead Stadium | Kansas City, Missouri
TV: ESPN (Mark Jones, Roddy Jones, Quint Kessenich)
RADIO: Huskers Radio Network (Kyle Crooks, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody)
THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS
2 - Dylan Raiola set Nebraska's freshman record with 2,819 passing yards in 2024. Raiola was only the second Big Ten true freshman quarterback to eclipse 2,800 passing yards in the last 25 seasons.
4 - Nebraska is one of only four teams that ranked in the top 20 nationally in rushing defense, total defense and scoring defense in both 2023 and 2024. The other members of that group are Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State.
10 - Matt Rhule led his team to double-digit victories in his third season at each of his previous two college head coaching stops. Temple went 10-4 in his third season in 2015, while Baylor finished 11-3 in Rhule's third season in 2019.
HUSKERS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big Ten)
Last Game: vs. Boston College (W 20-15)
Rankings: AP (RV) | Coaches (RV)
Head Coach: Matt Rhule (12-13, 3rd year | 59-56, 10th year overall)
vs. Cincinnati: 0-0
BEARCATS
Record: 0-0 (0-0 Big 12)
Last Game: vs. TCU (L 13-20)
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Scott Satterfield (8-16, 3rd year | 84-64, 13th year overall)
vs. Nebraska: 0-0
Nebraska kicks off its season Thursday night against Cincinnati in the Battle Sports Kansas City Classic at GEHA Field at Arrowhead Stadium. Kickoff is set for 8 p.m., and the game will be televised by ESPN.
Nebraska is coming off a 7-6 record in Matt Rhule's second season in 2024. Rhule guided the Huskers to the program's first winning record in eight years, which culminated with Nebraska's first bowl win in nine seasons. The Huskers improved by two wins from the 2023 to 2024 season, continuing a trend that has seen Rhule-coached teams either match or improve their previous season's win total every year of his college coaching career. Five of Nebraska's six losses in 2024 were one-score defeats, but the Huskers also showed improvement in winning close games as two of their final three victories were one-score wins.
Nebraska returns a total of 10 starters from last year's team. The Husker offensive line features seven players who have started at least nine career games. Dylan Raiola is back for his second year as Nebraska's starting quarterback after he ranked 13th nationally in completion percentage in 2024 (67.1) and set the NU freshman passing record (2,819). Jacory Barney Jr. returns after he had a Nebraska freshman-record 55 receptions in 2024, and he will be aided by the addition of Dane Key, who caught 126 passes for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns over three seasons at Kentucky. In the backfield, Emmett Johnson returns after he led Nebraska with 908 all-purpose yards and 884 yards from scrimmage in 2024.
Defensively, the Huskers return four starters in the secondary who have combined for 97 career starts. NU returns five other defenders who started at least one game in 2025. The defense is bolstered by the additions of several transfers, including linebacker Marques Watson-Trent, who was the 2024 Sun Belt Defensive Player of the Year and ranks second among all active FBS players with 365 career tackles.
Nebraska Boasts 15-3 Record in August
Thursday's season opener will mark the 19th August game in the history of Nebraska football. The Huskers are playing in an August game for the fifth straight season. The Huskers are 15-3 overall in August contests and 13-0 in August games against non-conference foes.
Husker History in Season Openers
Nebraska has an impressive history in season openers. The Huskers have won 98 of their 135 season openers, winning their first game 75 percent of the time while posting a 98-32-5 record.
- Season Opening Record: 98-32-5 (.744)
- Season Opener at Neutral Site: 3-1-0 (.750)
- Biggest Season Opening Win: vs. Kearney State (W 117-0, 1911)
- Biggest Season Opening Loss: at Minnesota (L 0-54, 1943)
- Longest Winning Streak: 29 (1986-2014)
- Longest Losing Streak: 6 (1942-1947)
Husker History in Kansas City
Thursday will mark Nebraska's 11th all-time game in Kansas City and the third played at Arrowhead Stadium. The Huskers played in Kansas City eight times from 1893 to 1904 against Missouri (twice), KC Medics (four times), William Jewell and Haskell. The only two games played in Kansas City in the last 120 years are No. 2 Nebraska's 24-17 defeat of Oklahoma State in 1998, and the 19th-ranked Huskers' 2006 Big 12 Championship Game loss to No. 8 Oklahoma (21-7).
- Record in K.C.: 3-6-1 (.350)
- Record at Arrowhead Stadium: 1-1 (.500)
- Last Game in K.C.: vs. Oklahoma (L 7-21, 2006)
- Last Win in K.C.: vs. Oklahoma State (W 24-17, 1998)
Husker History in Thursday Games
Nebraska has played on Thursday a total of 61 times, including the first game in program history - a 10-0 shutout of the Omaha YMCA on Nov. 27, 1890. Nebraska owns a 40-18-3 all-time record on Thursday, including a 38-16-3 mark in regular-season contests.
- Nebraska played on Thursday 45 times from 1890 to 1938. Since World War II, the Huskers have played only 16 Thursday games, including four bowl games.
- In the modern era, Nebraska is 9-3 in regular-season Thursday games. the Huskers had won seven straight regular-season Thursday matchups before losing the 2023 season opener at Minnesota, which is the Huskers' most recent Thursday contest.
- In the modern era, 14 of the 16 Thursday games have been played on the road or a neutral site.
SERIES HISTORY
Nebraska is 1-0 all-time against Cincinnati, with the only previous meeting coming in 1906, a game in which Nebraska won 41-0 in Lincoln.
ABOUT CINCINNATI
Cincinnati has fielded a football team since 1885 and has an all-time record of 667-615-50. Cincinnati has claimed 16 conference titles, including four Big East championships and three American Athletic Conference titles. The Bearcats have an overall bowl record of 10-12. Most recently, Cincinnati fell 24-7 to Louisville in the Wasabi Fenway Bowl in 2022.
First Year: 1885
All-Time Record: 667-615-50
Bowl Record: 10-12
Big 12 Titles: 0
National Titles: 0
Stadium: Nippert Stadium
Capacity: 38,088
Surface: FieldTurf
Location: Cincinnati, Ohio
Enrollment: 53,235
Colors: Red & Black
SCOUTING THE BEARCATS
Cincinnati finished the 2024 campaign with a 5-7 overall record, picking up wins over Towson, Miami (OH), Houston, Central Florida and Arizona State.
The Bearcats must replace their top rusher from last season after Corey Kiner paced the Cincinnati rushing attack with 1,153 yards and four touchdowns on 204 carries. The Bearcats return Brendan Sorsby and Evan Pryor, who rushed for 447 and 418 yards, respectively.
In the passing game, Sorsby returns after completing 64 percent of his passes for 2,813 yards with 18 touchdowns and seven interceptions in 12 games. Cincinnati lost four of its top five receiving targets from last season, including Xzavier Henderson's 59 receptions for 738 yards and four touchdowns in 2024. Joe Royer returns after pulling in 50 catches for 521 yards and three scores in 12 games last season.
Defensively, the Bearcats must replace Jared Bartlett, who led the Cincinnati defense with 69 tackles, 11.5 tackles for loss and 7.5 sacks last season. Jake Golday is the Bearcats' top returning tackler after he made 58 stops with seven tackles for loss and 1.5 sacks in 2024.
ABOUT HEAD COACH SCOTT SATTERFIELD
Scott Satterfield is in his third season as the head coach at Cincinnati, leading the Bearcats to an 8-16 overall record through two seasons.
Prior to Cincinnati, Satterfield posted a 26-24 record in four seasons as the head coach at Louisville from 2019 to 2022.
Satterfield spent six seasons as the head coach at Appalachian State (2013-2018) and led the Mountaineers to a 50-24 record. Satterfield's tenure as App State's head coach stands as one of the most successful eras in program history, building a dominant Group of Five program that went to four bowl games and won three consecutive Sun Belt Conference titles.
Satterfield joined the Mountaineers' staff as a receivers coach in 1998 before coaching running backs (1999-02) and quarterbacks (2002-08).
Satterfield's coaching career also includes stints as Toledo's passing game coordinator (2009) and Florida International's offensive coordinator (2010-2011).
As a player, he started 27 games at quarterback for Appalachian State and was a first-team all-conference selection in 1995.
Thursday's game will be Satterfield's first career game against Nebraska.
