Nebraska has several prominent college teams, although the state prohibits wagering on in-state universities.

One of the best mid-major college basketball programs in the country, the Bluejays have played in the Big East since 2013. They’ve made it to the Elite Eight twice (1941, 2023) and have six Sweet 16 appearances.

Doug McDermott (2014) is the program’s lone Wooden Award winner. He’s one of several NBA players to come out of Creighton, including Paul Silas and Kyle Korver.

Creighton no longer has a football team, which was discontinued in 1942.

The state’s version of a professional team, the Cornhuskers play in the Big Ten. They have an illustrious history on the gridiron that includes five national titles along with seven other unclaimed national championships. They’ve produced three Heisman Trophy winners (Johnny Rodgers, Mike Rozier and Eric Crouch) and have sold out every home game since 1962.

The Cornhuskers haven’t had anywhere near that kind of success on the hardwood, however. They didn’t make their first NCAA Tournament appearance until 1986 and are the only major-conference program to have never won an NCAA Tournament game, going 0-8 in their appearances.

The Mavericks are the athletic program for the University of Nebraska Omaha. They transitioned from Division II to Division I in 2011 and officially became eligible for the NCAA Tournament in 2015. However, they do not have a football team and have yet to play in a Division I postseason tournament sponsored by the NCAA.