Dates remain same for Huskers' 2006 season
By Steve LeMaster
May 29, 2006 12:07 AM

If you circled a date on the University of Nebraska's 2006 football schedule, you won't have to change any plans you've already made. School officials confirmed earlier this week that there were no changes in the dates on the Cornhuskers' 2006 schedule. Those non-conference dates in addition to the pivotal Big 12 Conference tilts remain in place.

Some game times and television arrangements, however, aren't yet finalized.

Tradition-rich Nebraska will open the 2006 football season at home inside Memorial Stadium Saturday, September 2 versus Louisiana Tech. So far, two Nebraska games are scheduled for national telecast on ABC. The Cornhuskers will take on USC on the road

Sept. 16 at 7 p.m. CDT. The Cornhusker-Trojan matchup is expected to draw a sellout crowd and a huge national audience. Nebraska will host Colorado on November 24 at 2:30 p.m. The Nebraska-Colorado game annually coincides with the Thanksgiving holiday, making for a whole lot of national attention. The home game against longtime rival Colorado will wrap up the regular season for the Cornhuskers.

Nebraska Athletic Director Steve Pederson admitted he expected some possible changes to come to the Cornhusker football slate.

"From time to time, our Big 12 television partners may present an opportunity to move a football game for television," Pederson said in an NU Media release. "We only consider those changes if we feel they are in the best interest of our football program and our fans.

Some game times and television arrangements still pending for the upcoming season could be finalized any time.

Nebraska is scheduled to play its first two games in the 2006 season at home before venturing to Los Angeles to take on USC, the national runner-up from last season.

Following the season opener versus Louisiana Tech, Nebraska will host non-conference foeNicholls State on Saturday, Sept. 9. After taking on USC, Nebraska will conclude the non-conference portion of its schedule at home on Saturday, Sept. 23 against Troy.

Home conference games for the Cornhuskers include Kansas, Texas, Missouri (Homecoming) and Colorado.

In terms of future football foes, Nebraska and Virginia Tech, two of the nation's top college football programs, have signed on to play each other in both 2008 and 2009. In the first meeting on Sept 20, 2008, Nebraska will host Virginia Tech at Memorial Stadium.

Nebraska finished the 2005 season 8-4. The Cornhuskers entered the offseason riding momentum from a 32-28 MasterCard Alamo Bowl victory over Big 10 member Michigan. Bill Callahan is entering his third season at the helm of the storied Nebraska football program. In Callahan's second season as head coach, Nebraska made its 36th postseason bowl appearance in 37 years.

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