Nebraska's 2025 season began unlike the first two under head coach Matt Rhule. The Cornhuskers entered Thursday just 3-10 in one-score games during his tenure.
A 20-17 victory over Cincinnati at Arrowhead Stadium moves that record to 4-10 as Nebraska opens the season 1-0. Quarterback Dylan Raiola played a major role, completing 33 of 42 passes for 243 yards and two touchdowns.
But his highlight of the night came early in the 4th quarter with Nebraska up 13-10. On 4th & 2, three yards away from the end zone, Rhule put the ball, and possibly the game, in Raiola's hands.
“I have confidence all the time in Dylan,” Rhule said postgame, according to @AdamKruegerTV on X.
That confidence was also evident in the play call. Raiola had a run-pass-option with Emmett Johnson as the running back and two wide receivers to his left.
“It's just a look we have in each other's eyes,” Raiola said about deciding to go for it, according to Inside Nebraska on YouTube. “I told coach that I was going to make it happen. With all 11 guys executing their job, we scored a touchdown.”
Cincinnati sold out for the run, causing Raiola to keep the ball and deliver a strike in the back of the end zone to slot receiver Dane Key. It was a play the Cornhuskers ran earlier in the game, according to Raiola.
“Dane (Key) shook the dude pretty bad the first time and (Dana Holgorsen) let me know in the ear that ‘you've got it,'” Raiola said. “So, we ran the same play and hit it for a touchdown.”
Despite Nebraska sealing the game later in the 4th quarter with an interception, the Raiola to Key touchdown was what put the Cornhuskers up for good.
He led the offense to 356 total yards without turning the football over. For a sophomore quarterback thrust into college football as a true freshman just a year ago, Raiola showed improvement in crunch time with this win over Cincinnati.
Nebraska returns home in Week 2 to play Akron at 7:30 pm.
