Want another sign things are slowly returning to normal? The Nebraska men's basketball team announced its nonconference schedule Tuesday.
That would be 126 days before the regular season opener at Pinnacle Bank Arena, scheduled for Nov. 9 against Western Illinois.
That would also be 124 days sooner than the Huskers were able to finalize last season's schedule.
Thanks to COVID-19, the uncertainty of the season, and Nebraska's Golden Window Classic going from sure thing to thin ice and back again, the Huskers didn't fully know their 2020-21 slate until Nov. 23. NU opened the season two days later against McNeese State.
No such deadline issues this time as Nebraska will play nine of its 11 non-league games at Pinnacle Bank Arena, with only one true road game on the slate.
After a pair of exhibition games against Peru State (Oct. 27) and Colorado (Oct. 31), NU will officially open Fred Hoiberg's third season as head coach against the former school of NU guard Kobe Webster.
People are also reading…
Nebraska will also host a multi-team event for the second straight season, although the format will be slightly different than last year's Golden Window Classic. NU will host Southern on Nov. 21, Tennessee State on Nov. 23, and South Dakota on Nov. 27 as part of the MTE.
Home games against power conference opponents Creighton (Nov. 16) and Kansas State (Dec. 19) had been previously announced, with the Creighton game serving as Nebraska's Gavitt Games matchup. The meeting will be the earliest ever between the schools.
There will also be a pair of early-December Big Ten games, as has become standard the past few seasons. Those dates and opponents are yet to be announced.
The Huskers will also host Sam Houston State Nov. 12, Idaho State Nov. 19, and Kennesaw State Dec. 27 while traveling to North Carolina State Dec. 1 for the ACC/Big Ten Challenge and playing Auburn Dec. 11 in Atlanta.
Tip times and television details will be announced at a later date.
Season-ticket holders should be on the lookout for an email from the Nebraska ticket office this week about how to renew their season tickets for the 2021-22 campaign.
Nebraska's 2021-22 nonconference schedule:
Oct. 27 vs. Purdue (exhibition)
Oct. 31 vs. Colorado (charity exhibition)
Nov. 9 vs. Western Illinois
Nov. 12 vs. Sam Houston State
Nov. 16 vs. Creighton (Gavitt Games)
Nov. 19 vs. Idaho State
Nov. 21 vs. Southern (multi-team event)
Nov. 23 vs. Tennessee State (MTE)
Nov. 27 vs. South Dakota (MTE)
Dec. 1 at N.C. State (ACC/Big Ten Challenge)
Dec. 11 vs. Auburn in Atlanta (Holiday Hoopsgiving)
Dec. 19 vs. Kansas State
Dec. 22 vs. Kennesaw State