No. 8 BYU faces Nebraska in exhibition on Saturday in Lincoln

The Cougars and Cornhuskers meet in Lincoln for the first time since 1935.

Author Tyson Jex
No. 8 BYU faces Nebraska in exhibition on Saturday in LincolnNo. 8 BYU faces Nebraska in exhibition on Saturday in Lincoln
Abby Shelton/BYU

PROVO, Utah - No. 8 BYU opens the 2025-26 season on Saturday, Oct. 18, with an exhibition at Nebraska. Tip is scheduled for Noon CT at Pinnacle Bank Arena in Lincoln, Neb.

WHERE TO WATCH
Saturday's game will be broadcast on B1G+ with Jessica Coody and Andy Markowski on the call. 

For Saturday's game, the Big Ten Network has introduced a one-time PPV option ($8.99) for this event. B1G+ subscriptions are typically either monthly or annual offerings, but this requires a less substantial commitment for Cougar fans.  

The offer is available on web only and cannot be purchased via mobile devices, although the dual will be viewable on mobile and connected devices.

Once the PPV is purchased, fans can watch the game on bigtenplus.com or on the B1G+ app via the following devices: Android phones or tablets, iPhones or iPads, Roku, Firestick, Apple TV, Xbox and Samsung Smart TVs.

NOT FREQUENT VISITORS
Saturday will be the Cougars' first trip to Lincoln since December 17, 1935, a 53-34 setback to the Cornhuskers.

GETTING YOUNGER EVERY YEAR
Kevin Young returns for his second season as the head coach of BYU men's basketball after leading the Cougars to the Sweet 16 for a third time in program history since the field expanded to 48 in 1980. BYU's 26 wins in 2024-25 are the most by a first-year head coach in program history as the Cougars also picked up 14 wins in Big 12 play, tying for third with Arizona after being picked to finish ninth in the Big 12 Preseason Poll. 

Young was named a finalist for the Joe B. Hall Award, giving the top first-time NCAA Division I men's basketball coach after helping the Cougars win its final eight games of the regular season and a win over Iowa State in the quarterfinals of the Big 12 Championship. With wins over Wisconsin and VCU in Denver, Young became the sixth head coach in program history to win multiple NCAA Tournament games. 

According to Ken Pom, BYU had the ninth-highest efficient offense in the country while ranking in the Top 10 in effective field goal percentage and 2-point field goal percentage. 

THE RETURN OF RICHIE
Under Young's tutelage, Richie Saunders went from glue guy to one of the best guards in the country as he averaged a team-high 16.5 points per game. The Riverton native became the fifth player in program history to shoot 50/40/80 in a single season, going 202-of-390 from the field, 79-of-183 from 3-point range and 96-of-115 from the free throw line. 

His 79 3-pointers are the 12th most in a single season in program history as he knocked down a career-high six 3-pointers three times, including as part of his career-high 30 points in a win over Arizona State on New Year's Eve. The Lute Olsen Award Finalist averaged 22.0 points and 5.7 rebounds during the Cougars' run to the Sweet 16. 

 

GameNotes
Click Here Opens in a new window

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING
BYU is ranked in the Top 10 in the AP Preseason Poll for the first time in program history, with the Cougars coming in at No. 8, just ahead of Kentucky and Texas Tech with 1,078 points

Released earlier on Thursday, BYU was picked to finish second in the Big 12 Coaches Poll, behind two-time defending champion Houston. The Cougars also picked up a first-place vote for the first time since 2021-22 when they picked up one vote in their penultimate season in the West Coast Conference. 

AJ Dybantsa and Richie Saunders were two of 10 players named to the Preseason All-Big 12 Team. Dybantsa was one of four players to be a unanimous selection, joining Kansas' Darryn Peterson, Texas Tech's JT Toppin and Houston's Milos Uzan. 

A FAMILY AFFAIR
Saturday's matchup will feature two players who are part of father/son duos who have eclipsed 2,000 points during their collegiate careers. Seventh-year head coach Fred Hoiberg scored 1,993 points during his four-year career at Iowa State with his son, Sam, having scored 337 points in 90 appearances for the Cornhuskers. 

The Saunders aren't far behind with a combined 2,059 points with Richie's father, Rich, scoring 966 points during his two seasons at UC Davis where he was the Northern California Athletic Conference Player of the Year as a senior, after leading the Aggies in scoring. Richie ranks 49th on BYUs all-time scoring list with 1,093 points, seven away from passing former teammate Trevin Knell (2019-25).