Priority No. 1 for Nebraska? Bowl game. And then?

First things first. Six wins. A bowl game.

But with the move to a 12-team College Football Playoff in 2024, it’s never too early for schools — including Nebraska — to formulate a plan to make a run at the playoff in the future.

In my conversation with Husker coach Matt Rhule, he indicated he would be against playing nonconference games against Power Five teams.

With USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington joining the Big Ten in 2024, it doesn’t make sense, Rhule says.

“In a year where you hope to play 15 or 16 games, why would you elect to play a really tough game early?” Rhule said.

“A couple years ago if I had told you we were going to play Oregon and Washington (as nonconference games), you’d say Holy Smokes. Well, now that’s the conference.

“I think personally with 18 teams (in the Big Ten) you should give yourself the best chance with your scheduling.”

Nebraska is scheduled to play Big 12 teams Colorado in 2024 and Cincinnati in 2025. Those are expected to be played as scheduled.

But a home-and-home with Tennessee (2026-27), Arizona (2028 and 2031), Oklahoma (2029-30) and Oklahoma State (2034-35) would probably go away.

Given recent expansion in each conference, it’s not hard to imagine other SEC and Big Ten schools doing the same thing.

“The schedules are way, way more challenging,” Rhule said. “An 11-0 season at Penn State in 1994 is like going 10-2 now.

“Think about the conference we’re in now; we’re going to be playing the best of the old Big Ten, the best of the Big 12/8 and the best old the old Pac 12.

“College football is going to be all about getting to the playoff, getting to the tournament. Then it’s how do I get there and have a home playoff game?”

Rhule’s plan: everyone in the conference should abide by the same scheduling rule. Maybe that means the Big Ten and the SEC.

“I would like to play local Division I teams,” Rhule said. “We’re playing Northern Iowa next year. Those are kids from our region. Those kids maybe grew up watching Nebraska.

“I just want to be consistent. If they say everybody is playing one, fine. I just don’t want Nebraska to hurt Nebraska. I want to do the same thing Ohio State and Northwestern and Auburn are doing. That’s the great thing about the NFL; everything is consistent.

“Now we’re going to a playoff model. The best thing we can do is give ourselves a chance to get to the playoffs and be a team that’s peaking and have a chance to knock some people off and go win the thing.

“That’s all global stuff. My job is to get this team to a bowl game. That’s the next step, right?”