Just two days after Nebraska climbed in the Big Ten Power Rankings with a gritty win over Michigan State, head coach Matt Rhule’s Cornhuskers made another statement, this time on the road in a 34-31 victory over Maryland.
The result not only improved Nebraska’s football team record but also silenced one of the narratives that had surrounded the program throughout his tenure.
Following the dramatic finish, ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported Rhule’s emphatic postgame message:
“Nebraska coach Matt Rhule after winning at Maryland: ‘The narrative that we lose close games is over.’” The win snapped a pattern of heartbreakers that had haunted the Cornhuskers over the past few seasons, marking a turning point for a team determined to change its identity under Rhule.
Quarterback Dylan Raiola led the offense with confidence, finding consistency through the air while Emmett Johnson anchored the rushing attack. Nebraska’s balance on offense and resilience late in the fourth quarter allowed them to fend off a Maryland rally and secure one of their most impressive wins of the season.
Rhule’s comments echoed his stance from earlier in the week when he dismissed another negative storyline, that Nebraska couldn’t run the football, calling it “silly.” That confidence appears well-founded now, as the Cornhuskers’ offense showed real progress and poise in back-to-back wins.
For Nebraska, the close-game curse is finally broken. The Cornhuskers now move to 5-1, firmly in contention within the Big Ten and proving that Rhule’s culture shift is taking hold in Lincoln.
