For the second straight year, Nebraska and Illinois will meet under Friday night lights.

It’s a major pain. But the university and football fans across the state will survive. So will Illinois, which hosted this game on a Friday night last year.

As long as the schools are cashing the TV check from the Big Ten office, the topic of fair doesn’t usually enter into it.

But the Big Ten has some explaining to do.

In a school-sponsored podcast two weeks ago, Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel said he told Big Ten and network executives “absolutely not” to a Friday night game.

“We are not having a Friday night game,” Manuel said. “I’ll just leave it at that.”

That sounded more like an order than a request.

Michigan, Ohio State and Penn State avoid the Friday night this fall (Penn State played on Black Friday last year). Manuel also insists that Michigan not play more than two Saturday night home games in a season.

“Our fan base travels far and wide,” Manuel said. “We have a lot of people who drive from the (Upper Peninsula)…..We want to make sure our fan base has an opportunity to see us in person.”

This isn’t 1974. This isn’t the Bo and Woody Club. Realignment has laid to waste all the old power arrangements and the idea that certain schools ran conferences.

Now the Big Ten = 18. USC, UCLA, Oregon and Washington have entered the building and the playoff has replaced the Rose Bowl. It’s likely that Ohio State-Michigan won’t always be the biggest game or the league’s identity going forward.

The point here is that when you have 18 mouths to feed, they all must share in the good days and the Friday nights. Favoring one or two schools doesn’t make sense — or even cents to the networks.

All four newbies from the Pac-12 are playing on Big Ten Friday night this season — almost like a rite of initiation. Except it likely will continue.

If Michigan and Ohio State escape this new Big Ten tradition, that’s not right. Troy Dannen and the others should speak up in the next Big Ten AD’s meeting. They all have stadiums to fill, fans to accommodate and high schools to protect.

Equal sharing of revenue must mean equal sharing of the pain, too.

It’s way too early to talk about bowl projections, especially when you haven’t been in seven years. But, well, blame Brett McMurphy of Action Network for this delicious offering after three games:

Nebraska vs Missouri in the Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

Think any fans would travel to that one?

Nebraska freshman tight end Carter Nelson wears No. 29. Can anyone think of any other Huskers who wore that number?

I don’t have the answer. I would love to know.

Bless you, college volleyball, for being a sport that’s not afraid to stage big-time matches early.

Last week we got fifth-ranked Nebraska vs. Creighton (9) and Arizona State (14) and Creighton vs. Louisville (4).

No rest for the weary in this sport. This week NU hosts Stanford (2) and plays at Louisville while the Jays play Purdue (7) and Kansas (11).

Those power matches make the sport attractive. The best part is, much like college basketball: a loss doesn’t knock you out of anything. The power matches strengthen your resume.

Just a thought for Creighton coach Kirsten Bernthal-Booth: before the next big match starts, tell your team they’re already down two sets.

I’m excited for this new Pac-12. Is it going to be a power league? Will it lead the nation in playoff berths or NIL? Nope. But it’s going to be a conference that makes geographic sense, one where travel will be easier and new rivalries can form.

If you gave fans across the country a truth serum, I wonder how many would wish they could go back to that?

Now, come on ACC, do the right thing. Let Cal and Stanford go back.

You don’t want to be the guy who replaces Nick Saban but you could see one benefit last Saturday in Alabama’s pounding of Wisconsin. New Tide coach Kalen DeBoer can coach, but his Bama team looked and played like they knew how to handle their business in a big game.

This week is the first time a ranked Nebraska team has played another ranked team at home since UCLA in 2013. I remember the crazy days after that NU loss more than I do the actual game.

Have heard some mild complaints coming from some fans after the not-perfect win over Northern Iowa. So let’s review the three important rules about winning college football games.

One: Never apologize for a win. They all count. Each one is good.

Two: Enjoy each win. They’re harder than ever to get.

Three: See rules one and two.