Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Ohio State Buckeyes Prediction & Picks – 1/5/2026

The Big Ten season continues Monday with an intriguing game as the undefeated Nebraska Cornhuskers travel to take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus. Nebraska arrives with a remarkable 14–0 overall record, carrying momentum from a gritty win over Michigan State over the weekend, while Ohio State has positioned itself as a solid team at 10–3. Here, I break down this big game in the Big Ten and give you my Nebraska vs Ohio State prediction.

Our Nebraska vs Ohio State Pick

Game Snapshot

• Matchup: Nebraska Cornhuskers @ Ohio State Buckeyes
• Date & Time: Monday, January 5, 2026, 6:30 PM ET
• Venue: Value City Arena, Columbus, OH
• Broadcast: FS1

Key Storylines

Nebraska enters this meeting unbeaten, riding a school record winning streak that dates back to last year’s postseason. They have one of the nation’s stingier defenses, holding foes below 40% shooting in recent outings and shutting down quality opponents late in games. Forward Rienk Mast leads the Huskers in scoring and rebounding with roughly 17 points and 7 boards per game, while shooting nearly 40% from deep. His outside shooting is a key factor in Nebraska sustaining an offensive balance.

Ohio State has lost three games this season and two of those three losses came against very good teams in Illinois and North Carolina. The Buckeyes have proven formidable at home and are looking to make a statement against a top Big Ten contender after losing just once at home early in the season. Both teams have winning records early in conference play, and this game could determine the pecking order in the Big Ten hierarchy early in the season.

Head-to-Head & Betting Trends

• Ohio State is 18-6 all-time against Nebraska in basketball.
• The Buckeyes have won two of the last three meetings between these teams.
• Ohio State is 5-8 against the spread entering Monday night’s action.
• The Cornhuskers are 7-6-1 against the spread heading into this contest.
• Ohio State is 7-6 to the over entering this contest.
• The under has hit in 9 of Nebraska’s first 14 games.

Nebraska vs Ohio State Model Projection

Final Thoughts

Jay Sanin

Jay Sanin is the GM and Head of Sports at ATS.io. He has been writing about sports gambling since 2013, handicapping tens of thousands of sporting events. He plays sides and totals aggressively across most sports and is more selective in player prop markets. He does his own modeling across most sports, and his family is jealous of how much time he spends on his precious spreadsheets.