The clearest proof of Nebraska’s progress beneath second-year coach Matt Rhule could be discovered within the quantity subsequent to its identify.
The undefeated Cornhuskers popped into the US LBM Coaches Poll two weeks in the past at No. 24, this system’s first nationwide rating since Sept. 1, 2019, and rose to No. 22 after final Saturday’s win in opposition to Northern Iowa. Remarkably, this marks Nebraska’s highest spot within the Top 25 since rating No. 15 on Nov. 20, 2016.
“I always say that in college football, if you’ve had greatness in your past you can have it in your future,” mentioned Big Ten Network analyst and former Indiana coach Gerry DiNardo. “Nebraska’s the one that’s been testing my theory.”
That 2016 season doubles because the Cornhuskers’ final bowl look, the longest lively streak within the Power Four. After dropping 4 in a row final November to finish Rhule’s debut one win shy of bowl eligibility, the postseason drought seems assured to finish this 12 months.
But there may be the potential for extra. Three video games into this season and with Friday evening’s Big Ten opener in opposition to Illinois to return, 4 components mix to recommend Nebraska might proceed to climb the nationwide rankings and contend for an at-large bid to the College Football Playoff: the coach, the quarterback, the schedule and the quantifiable progress made since Rhule’s arrival nearly two years in the past.
“The challenge I’ve had for the players all year is to go be one of the best teams in the country,” Rhule informed USA TODAY Sports. “Go be relevant nationally. Go play in big games. Go challenge to win the Big Ten. Go challenge to go to the College Football Playoff. I told them it’s going to be hard. That things have to go your way. But I’ve said that to them from day one.”
Matt Rhule's predictable second-year bump
History is repeating itself, solely at a sooner tempo than earlier than.
For Rhule, earlier stints at Temple and Baylor adopted the same script. The first season could be a foundation-building battle for wins: Temple received twice and Baylor, wrecked by widespread roster attrition within the wake of the Art Briles period, would win simply as soon as.
But then got here the turnarounds. Temple received six video games in 2014 however was not chosen for a bowl sport, a incontrovertible fact that helped inspire the Owls to twenty wins and an American Athletic championship the following two seasons. Baylor jumped to seven wins in 2018 after which to 11-3 in 2019, ending second within the Big 12 and reaching the Sugar Bowl. Rhule was then employed by the Carolina Panthers and lasted two-plus seasons within the NFL, going 11-27.
In comparability, Nebraska is forward of schedule. Along with a strong expertise base and enviable inner backing, the adversity this system confronted throughout a troublesome 2022 season — former coach Scott Frost was fired in September and the workforce limped to a four-win end — satisfied Rhule the Cornhuskers have been able to skip the first-year rebuild and go on to bowl rivalry.
“When I got here, there were such good players and there was such energy from the older guys to try to win,” Rhule mentioned. “I just said, ‘Hey, let’s not do year one. Let’s not go 2-10. Let’s do year two.' Which has always been 6-6, 7-6, you know. Unfortunately, we finished 5-7. But it was that growth.”
One 12 months later, the Cornhuskers have added key items at quarterback, operating again and large receiver to deliver final 12 months’s dilapidated offense extra in keeping with one of many prime defenses within the Big Ten. They’ve adopted a bodily model of play that matches snugly into the historic ethos of a program that when outlined constant excellence on the Bowl Subdivision stage. They’ve embraced the mindset of “chasing three,” which means the three factors that separated final season’s squad from getting to 6 or extra wins.
After a number of failed hires and greater than twenty years for the reason that program’s final severe gasp of nationwide relevance, an skilled coach has began to reverse Nebraska’s regular decline.
“You always want to feel like they got it right. Every time you’re hoping it’s the right person,” DiNardo mentioned. “The difference for Matt Rhule, to me, is the experience at Temple, the experience of Baylor.”
Dylan Raiola’s instant affect
The son of an iconic former Nebraska offensive lineman and the nephew of the workforce's present offensive line coach, Dylan Raiola was verbally dedicated to Ohio State and Georgia earlier than flipping to the Cornhuskers within the weeks main into nationwide signing day.
His affect has been profound and instant. The former five-star prospect is finishing 73.8% of his throws for 670 yards and 5 touchdowns with only one interception. A 12 months in the past, three Nebraska quarterbacks mixed for 1,631 yards and 10 touchdowns in opposition to 16 interceptions whereas hitting on 52.1% of makes an attempt.
He’s been helped by an offensive line that appears dramatically improved. This group has allowed only one sack and paced a operating sport that has scored a number of touchdowns in all three video games, this system’s longest such streak for the reason that first three video games of the 2022 season.
Raiola has influenced the offense via his “maniacal” work ethic, Rhule mentioned: “He prepares higher than anyone I’ve had.”
The problem transferring ahead can be adapting to the number of defenses within the Big Ten, most rooted in a stage of physicality that calls for a balanced offensive response.
“He’s not some kid out here in some spread, tempo-style offense throwing RPOs,” mentioned Rhule, which means the run-pass possibility performs broadly used throughout the FBS. “He’s throwing drop back. He’s throwing seven-step drops. He’s throwing play action. He’s making checks on the line of scrimmage. He’s playing like an NFL quarterback in terms of the style of play.”
And after failing to get the bottom in 2023, the Raiola-led offense now has an id.
“We take pride in being physical in the fourth quarter,” mentioned offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield. “That’s where the game is won, that’s where you put people away.”
A friendlier Big Ten schedule
On paper, the schedule unfolds in a approach that might go away the Cornhuskers unbeaten heading right into a matchup at No. 2 Ohio State to finish October.
Illinois is adopted by a visit to Purdue, which misplaced 66-7 final Saturday to Notre Dame. Then Nebraska hosts Rutgers, has an off week and travels to Indiana on Oct. 19. The program hasn’t received six in a row to open a season since profitable seven in a row to open 2016.
After going through the Buckeyes, the Cornhuskers tackle UCLA at dwelling, have one other off week, journey to No. 12 Southern California and host Wisconsin earlier than capping the common season with the rivalry at Iowa.
“Especially in today’s football, you never know how teams are going to be,” Rhule said. “Illinois now is ranked, right? I think in two weeks when we play Rutgers, they’re going to be ranked. I think when we play Indiana, they’re going to be ranked. It’s just the recognition that hey, everyone is a good team. We try to stay focused on our process.”
But they miss No. 6 Oregon, No. 9 Penn State and No. 17 Michigan, placing this among the program’s friendliest Big Ten schedules since joining the conference. Along with obvious on-field improvement, this schedule provides a one-two punch that suggests Nebraska will be a factor in the playoff deliberations set to begin in early November.
The avenue opened by the new 12-team playoff format also can’t be ignored. Under the previous model, no team reached the playoff with more than one loss. The larger format changes the math: Instead of needing to go 13-0 or 12-1 to make the field, the cutoff point for at-large bids from the Big Ten and SEC could be 10-2 or even 9-3, depending on the contender’s strength of schedule.
Is the best yet to come for Nebraska?
Even if this season ends at eight wins and in the second tier of the Big Ten, that measurable progress would lock Nebraska into a national ranking heading into the 2025 season and paint the program as one to closely monitor in the Power Four.
That level of hype is already beginning to percolate on the recruiting trail. After signing a top-20 class last winter, Nebraska hosted dozens of top recruits for the Week 2 win against Colorado, a 28-10 final that highlighted the widening chasm of space between the Cornhuskers and their longtime rival.
“If you’re a kid that wants to play in the NFL, you should probably consider playing for us,” said Rhule. “I think we can recruit at the highest level.”
But the deepest well of optimism springs from the concept that Rhule has built conference champions under some of most adverse circumstances in the sport — at a Temple program that historically ranks among the weakest in the country and in the wake of one of college football’s worst scandals at Baylor. In comparison, Nebraska has the tradition and a degree of institutional support matched by only a small sliver of the FBS.
That has left a feeling that a return to major-bowl contention is, at a minimum, lurking somewhere around the corner. It may be this season. Raiola has changed the complexion of the offense and will only get better with every week; transfers in the backfield and at receiver had made immediate impacts; the defense, buoyed by the return of multiple players who could’ve dipped into the NFL draft, should stay among the four or five best in the Big Ten.
Maybe this is the year the Cornhuskers pop. Maybe it’s next year. But the Nebraska renaissance feels closer than at any point during the program’s 21st century malaise.
“I’ve said all the time, it’s not a matter of if, it’s just a matter of when,” Rhule said. “I’m not sure if it’s this year — I hope it is. But I expect us to get better and better and better.
“Because I’m not here for a short fix. I’m here for the long haul. So it would be great if we could do it this year, but I’m trying to build something, along with (athletics director Troy Dannen) and our staff, we are trying to build something that will last.”
