The Zeitgeist List · Rivalries

Freedom Trophy

Wisconsin13-5Nebraska
Power Program III#30 of 138–National Program I#37 of 138▲
See both programs’ full 91-year Zeitgeist History, side by side →

Wisconsin leads the all-time series 13-5. They've met 18 times since 1901. Wisconsin once took 9 straight.

Current season

Vegas win totals and transfer-portal swing right now, plus what fans are actually saying — not history, this year.

Wisconsin
Win total
8.0
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+1
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: +34
What fans are saying · recruiting result
fans think the team lacks standout individual talent compared to past years
Chryst really shit the bed in recruiting down the stretch, and the roster was in really, really bad shape. No depth, and a lot of missing talent.
Verified verbatim
Nebraska
Win total
8.5
Vegas over/under
Transfer portal
+1
portal net points (weighted) · raw ledger: -2
What fans are saying · recruiting result
One fan believes Nebraska's recent recruits should be performing better than they are
Yup. Nebraska blows out pretty much any state in the area in recruiting. Unfortunately so many of those recruits either don't pan out or leaves for one reason or another.
Verified verbatim

Stature & the series, 1901–2024

Both programs’ standing over time, each line named at its end, with every meeting beneath — read down to see who was bigger and who won. (Stature is each program’s season-by-season standing on the Zeitgeist List, 1936–present — one score blending on-field performance, program achievement, and roster talent.)

program stature over timeWisconsinNebraskaevery meeting (bar height = margin; dark: Wisconsin won, gray: Nebraska won)192019401960198020002020

The identity war

Nebraska has been the more pass-heavy program more often than not.

Across 23 seasons of real play-level data (2004–2026), Wisconsin led 4 and Nebraska led 19.

more passmore runWisconsinNebraska2004200620082010201220142016201820202022202420262017Nebraska 21.4 ptsWisconsin won 38-172007Nebraska 16.4 pts2023Wisconsin 15.5 ptsWisconsin won 24-17
Source team_season_stats (CFBD season totals) · pass rate = passAttempts ÷ (passAttempts + rushingAttempts)

The biggest win was Wisconsin by 39 in 2012. The biggest crowd, 89,886, was in 2015.

The coaching duels

Bret Bielema vs Bo Pelini2-1
Paul Chryst vs Mike Riley3-0
Paul Chryst vs Scott Frost3-0
Milt Bruhn vs Bob Devaney0-2
John Jardine vs Tom Osborne1-1
Luke Fickell vs Matt Rhule1-1

The draft ledger

Every NFL Draft pick either program has produced since the modern era began, decade by decade.

Draft picks
150-217
Nebraska leads
1st-rounders
22-26
Since
1967
First CFBD-carried draft class
WisconsinNebraska
1960s0-6
1970s8-48
1980s22-34
1990s20-48
2000s44-41
2010s37-28
2020s19-12

Best picks, either side

1984Irving Fryar Wide Receiver · New England PatriotsRd 1, pick 1#1 overall
1984Dean Steinkuhler Offensive Tackle · Houston OilersRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2010Ndamukong Suh Defensive Tackle · Detroit LionsRd 1, pick 2#2 overall
2007Joe Thomas Offensive Tackle · Cleveland BrownsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1991Bruce Pickens Defensive Back · Atlanta FalconsRd 1, pick 3#3 overall
1991Mike Croel Linebacker · Denver BroncosRd 1, pick 4#4 overall
1974John Dutton Defensive Tackle · Baltimore ColtsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall
1994Trev Alberts Linebacker · Indianapolis ColtsRd 1, pick 5#5 overall

Recent meetings

2024Nebraska44-25
2023Wisconsin24-17
2022Wisconsin15-14
2021Wisconsin35-28
2019Wisconsin37-21
2018Wisconsin41-24
2017Wisconsin38-17
2016Wisconsin23-17Nebraska — both ranked
2015Wisconsin23-21
2014Wisconsin59-24Nebraska — both ranked
2012Nebraska30-27
2012Wisconsin70-31
2011Wisconsin48-17Nebraska — both ranked
1974Wisconsin21-20

Every meeting since 2018, play by play

Each line is Wisconsin’s chance to win through that meeting. Wisconsin is 3-0 in the meetings since 2018 that were still close in the fourth quarter.

2024Nebraska 44-25Wisconsin lost 25-44 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 41%, low under 1%, high 58%.Steady
2023Wisconsin 24-17Wisconsin won 24-17 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 68%, low 17%, high better than 99%.Busy
2022Wisconsin 15-14Wisconsin won 15-14 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 76%, low 16%, high better than 99%.Steady
2021Wisconsin 35-28Wisconsin won 35-28 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 81%, low 56%, high 95%.
2019Wisconsin 37-21Wisconsin won 37-21 at Nebraska. Chance to win started at 83%, low 68%, high 99%.
2018Wisconsin 41-24Wisconsin won 41-24 vs Nebraska. Chance to win started at 89%, low 85%, high better than 99%.

Meetings with their own story page

3 meetings in our archive, 2015 to 2023.