Game Week: at UCLA

NEBRASKA at UCLA
Nov. 8, 2025 | ROSE BOWL
PASADENA, CALIF. | 8 PM CT

HUSKERS
Record: 6-3, 3-3 B1G
Last Game: vs. #23 USC (L, 21-17)
Rankings: NR
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Career/NEB Record: 65-59 record (10th Year)/18-16 (3rd Year)
Record vs. UCLA: 0-1

BRUINS
Record: 3-5, 3-2 B1G
Last Game: at #2 Indiana (L, 56-6)
Rankings: NR
Interim Head Coach: Tim Skipper
UCLA Record: 3-2
Record vs. Nebraska: First meeting

SERIES HISTORY
All-Time Seres: Series tied, 7-7
In LA/Pasadena: UCLA leads, 4-2
As Big Ten Foes: UCLA leads, 1-0
Current Win Streak: UCLA, 1 game
Last Meeting: UCLA, 27-20 in 2024

BROADCAST INFO
TV – Fox (Tim Brando, Devin Gardner, Josh Sims)
RADIO NETWORK – Kyle Crooks, Damon Benning, Jessica Coody
INTERNET AUDIO – Huskers.com
APP AUDIO – Official Huskers App

The Matchup 
Nebraska heads to the West Coast this weekend, traveling to California to take on the UCLA Bruins on Saturday. The matchup from the historic Rose Bowl is set for an 8 p.m. Central kickoff (6 p.m. local), with the game televised on FOX. The game can also be heard on the Huskers Radio Network, the official Huskers App and Huskers.com. 

Nebraska comes into the game at 6-3 overall and 3-3 in the Big Ten following a 21-17 loss to 23rd-ranked USC on Saturday night in Lincoln. The Husker defense had a strong effort against the high-powered Trojans, limiting USC to 337 yards of total offense and just 135 passing yards, but a USC touchdown with 10 minutes remaining provided the difference in the game. 

The matchup with UCLA is the second between the schools as Big Ten opponents, following a Bruin victory in Lincoln last season. It is also the first of two straight road games for the Huskers, with a bye week before a Nov. 22 road trip to Penn State. 

UCLA enters Saturday's game with a 3-5 overall record and a 3-2 mark in Big Ten Conference play. The Bruins have won three of their past four games over the last month, with the only loss on the road at second-ranked Indiana. The Bruins are led by Interim Head Coach Tim Skipper who has led UCLA over the past five games. 

UCLA has featured a potent offense in recent weeks, averaging better than 33 points per game during a three-game win streak in October. The Bruins are one of the most efficient teams at finishing drives, ranking first in the Big Ten and sixth nationally by converting 96 percent of their red zone trips into scores.

Huskers-Bruins History
Nebraska and UCLA will meet for the 15th time overall and the second time as Big Ten opponents. Nebraska and UCLA are tied at seven wins apiece in the all-time series. UCLA owns a 4-2 edge in games played in Los Angeles or Pasadena, and the schools have split four games at the Rose Bowl. 

• UCLA captured the first meeting as Big Ten opponents, winning 27-20 in Lincoln last season. 

• Prior to last season, the most recent meeting between the schools came in the 2015 Foster Farms Bowl at Levi's Stadium in Santa Clara, with Nebraska winning 37-29. 

• UCLA was Nebraska's most frequent non-conference opponent in a 12-year span from 1983 to 1994 when the schools met six times. Nebraska won five of those matchups and entered each of the six games ranked in the top 10, including first or second on five occasions. 

• Nebraska has scored more than 30 points in seven of the 14 games against UCLA, including five games with 40 or more points. 

• Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule was a member of the UCLA coaching staff in 2001. 

• Coach Tom Osborne earned his first (1973) and 100th (1983) career victories against the Bruins.

Nebraska Heads to West Coast
Nebraska's trip to the Rose Bowl to face UCLA marks the second consecutive year NU has traveled to Southern California for a game. Last year, the Huskers played at USC in November. 
• Nebraska's matchup with the Bruins in Pasadena will mark the seventh meeting between the schools played in either Pasadena or Los Angeles. UCLA holds a 4-2 edge in those contests. 

• Saturday night's game will mark Nebraska's 10th game in the state of California this century, including a 2012 matchup against the Bruins in Pasadena. Nebraska has also played two road games at USC, a road game at Fresno State in 2014, three Holiday Bowls, a Foster Farms Bowl and the Rose Bowl following the 2001 season. 

• Nebraska's visit to the Rose Bowl on Saturday will mark the Huskers' seventh all-time game in the stadium. NU played at UCLA in 1984, 1988, 1993 and 2012, and appeared in the Rose Bowl game following the 1940 and 2001 seasons.

Six Huskers Set for California Homecoming
Nebraska has six players on its roster from California, tying for the fourth-most on the 2025 roster. The only three states with more players on the NU roster are Nebraska, Texas and Missouri. 

• The group includes three regular starters including sophomore wideout Nyziah Hunter (Salinas), junior cornerback Andrew Marshall (Eastvale) and senior defensive back Ceyair Wright (Los Angeles). 

• The Golden State natives also include sophomore linebacker Jacob Bower (Rancho Santa Margarita), sophomore defensive lineman Sua Lefotu (Bellflower) and true freshman quarterback TJ Lateef (Compton). After a season-ending injury to Dylan Raiola, Lateef is expected to make his first career start in front of friends and family at the Rose Bowl on Saturday.

Blackshirts Stifling Opponent Passing Game
The Nebraska Blackshirts have been strong in 2025, ranking among the Big Ten and national leaders in numerous categories. At the top of that list is a shut-down pass defense. 

• Nebraska ranks second in the nation in passing yards allowed per game at 128.3 per contest, just 3.7 yards per game behind national leader Oregon. NU ranks fourth in the nation in team pass efficiency defense with a 97.33 rating. 

• Nebraska has held eight of nine opponents to 160 or fewer yards passing. Last week, USC entered the game ranked first nationally in passing yards at 326 yards per game before the Huskers limited the Trojans to just 135 passing yards, marking the first time in 83 games USC had been held to less than 150 passing yards. 

• The Huskers held each of their first three opponents to less than 70 yards passing, including Cincinnati (69 yards), Akron (62) and Houston Christian (67). It marked the first time Nebraska held three straight opponents to fewer than 100 passing yards since 1990, when the Huskers held their first four opponents below the century mark in passing yards. 

• Husker opponents are completing 55.7 percent of their passes, a rate that is 16th nationally. 

• Nebraska's 12 opponent pass plays of 20 yards or more is third nationally, trailing only Ohio State (11) and Oregon (11). Nebraska is also second with just four pass plays of 30-plus yards allowed, and allowed its first 40-yard pass play against USC and is tied for the national lead in that category. 

• Nebraska has allowed three touchdown passes this season, which is tied for the national lead with Ohio State. 

• In addition to its dominant pass defense, Nebraska also ranks in the top 30 nationally in total defense (289.9 ypg, 13th), scoring defense (19.8 ppg, 27th) and 3rd-down defense (32.8%, 24th). 

• Nebraska held USC to 337 yards, nearly 200 yards below its season average. Nebraska has held all nine opponents to fewer than 400 total yards. This is the longest stretch of holding opponents to less than 400 yards to open a season since holding the first 11 opponents to less than 400 yards in 2009. 

• Nebraska's shutout of Akron on Sept. 6 marked the first shutout by the Blackshirts in 16 seasons, dating back to a 2009 Holiday Bowl whitewash of Arizona. 

• Both Houston Christian and Akron were held to less than 200 yards. It marked the first time Nebraska held an opponent to less than 200 yards in consecutive games since 2017. 

• Under Head Coach Matt Rhule, NU has held opponents to 14 or fewer points 16 times in 34 games.

Johnson Thriving in Husker Backfield
Junior running back Emmett Johnson has been one of the nation's most productive backs in 2025 and is a strong candidate for All-America and All-Big Ten honors. Johnson's ascension in the Husker backfield coincides with Dana Holgorsen taking over as Nebraska's play-caller late in the 2024 season.

• Johnson ranks seventh nationally and second in the Big Ten with 111.3 rushing yards per game.

• Johnson has 1,199 yards from scrimmage in 2025, one of six players in the country to record 1,000 yards from scrimmage, including just two in a Power Four conference. His average of 133.2 yards per game from scrimmage is fourth in the country.

• Johnson is one of only two running backs in the country to eclipse the 1,000-yard rushing mark. This is Nebraska's first 1,000-yard rushing season since Devine Ozigbo had 1,082 yards in 2018, and it marks the 37th 1,000-yard rushing season in NU history.

• Against USC, Johnson also surpassed the 2,000-yard career rushing mark. He has 2,011 career rushing yards and is the 32nd 2,000-yard career rusher at Nebraska.

• Johnson posted his fifth 100-yard rushing game of the season with 165 yards against USC, the most 100-yard games by a Husker since Anthony Grant also had five in 2022. Paired with his 124 yards against Northwestern, Johnson is the first Husker to post back-to-back 100-yard rushing games in conference play since Ozigbo in 2018.

• Johnson had a career outing in NU's 34-31 win at Maryland. He rushed 21 times for a career-high 176 yards, including a career-long 50-yard run on a critical fourth-quarter scoring drive. Johnson had seven runs of at least 10 yards against the Terps and had 196 yards from scrimmage. 

• Johnson has 11 touchdowns (10 rush, 1 receiving) and ranks seventh nationally in total touchdowns. 

• Johnson had 140 rushing yards against Akron on Sept. 6. He also reached the end zone a career-best three times against the Zips, including two rushing scores and a touchdown catch. He matched the three-TD total against Michigan State with a trio of rushing touchdowns. He also has multi-TD games against Houston Christian and Northwestern. 

• Johnson posted back-to-back 100-yard rushing games to open the season (140 vs. Akron, 108 vs. Cincinnati). Johnson was the first Husker to rush for 100 yards in back-to-back games since Anthony Grant topped the century mark in each of the first three games of the 2022 season. 

• In Johnson's 140-yard effort against Akron, he had 134 yards before halftime, including runs of 47 and 36 yards. 

• Johnson has 79 career receptions and is the third running back in school history to reach 75 career receptions, joining Marlon Lucky and Jeff Kinney. Johnson has 529 career receiving yards and is the seventh running back in school history with 500 career receiving yards. 

• Johnson took over the lead back role in the final four games last season when Holgorsen joined the Nebraska staff. Over the last 13 games, Johnson has averaged 129.4 yards from scrimmage per game, including 101.2 rushing yards and 28.2 receiving yards per game.

This Week’s Numbers
10 - Nebraska has limited its first nine opponents to less than 400 yards of total offense, one of just 10 FBS teams to achieve that feat. The last time Nebraska held its first nine opponents to less than 400 yards was in 2009, when NU limited its first 11 opponents to fewer than 400 yards.

160 - Nebraska has held eight of nine opponents this season to fewer than 160 yards passing. The Blackshirts held USC to 135 passing yards last week, the fewest for the Trojans in 83 games. Nebraska ranks second nationally in passing yards allowed per game.

1,000 - Nebraska junior running back Emmett Johnson has posted the first 1,000-yard rushing season for a Husker since 2018. Johnson has five 100-yard rushing games this season, including three of the past four games.