The fireworks are already lit in Dylan Raiola's Nebraska football debut against UTEP. With just over 10 minutes left in the second quarter, Raiola let it rip on a deep ball to Isaiah Neyor for a 59-yard touchdown pass to extend the Cornhuskers lead to 16-7.

Nebraska (-27.5, -4500) began the contest as huge favorites, and the blowout is already underway.

The unbelievable expectations on Dylan Raiola, Matt Rhule, Nebraska football

In head coach Matt Rhule's second season, there's much more at stake after a 5-7 record in 2023. Raiola was Nebraska football's top recruit, ranking seventh nationally on 247 Sports, and the No. 2 ranked quarterback in the 2024 class. The 6'3″ and 220 lb true freshman brings with him tons of hype and the expectations that come with it for a former blue-chip program that hasn't won 10 games since 2012.

Nebraska football offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield said he wanted to include backup Heinrich Haarberg in the mix. The 6'5″, 225 lb. junior received limited playing time last year and is also known for his scrambling.

At halftime against UTEP, Raiola already had 192 passing yards and two touchdown passes on 15-of-22 passing.

That type of production shouldn't be surprising, given Rhule's game plan comments to the press in the days before the matchup.

Related Nebraska Football NewsArticle continues below
Michigan defensive backs coach LaMar Morgan celebrates 13-10 win over Ohio State at Ohio Stadium
4-star S ‘very high’ on Michigan football
Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore hugs Texas head coach Steve Sarkisian after 31-12 loss at Michigan Stadium
Michigan football competing with Georgia, Texas for 4-star S
Georgia Bulldogs head coach Kirby Smart shown during the Georgia Spring game at Sanford Stadium.
Georgia football, Kirby Smart now pursuing NFL legend’s son with new offer

“We're not going to ease into it. We're going to play. Dylan's going to play. He's going to play the plays. When we call dropback, he's going to go back there, take his drop, and work his progression. How we want him to play as a junior, we're going to start Day 1 that way,” he declared.

Rhule doesn't have his eyes just set on the conference; he's looking for Nebraska football to make a splash with Raiola this year.

“I want us to be in the conference title race, I want us to go to the college football playoff and win it. So, where we are there, I certainly expect us to be a bowl-eligible team. Can we be a team that challenges in the college football playoff? I don't know, I think if we weren't minus 17. If all of a sudden we're a plus seven, we might make some noise. That's really my challenge to the guys,” he declared.

The media fully bought into the hype as well. FOX Sports Joel Klatt said as much when he predicted Nebraska football would be making a run toward a possible College Football Playoff bid.

“When you dive into what Nebraska was a year ago, they were a team that, in some ways similar to Colorado, lost games that they shouldn’t have lost,” Klatt said. “The turnover situation was brutal. They should’ve won eight games last year. That defense is a top 15 defense and they bring everybody back. … I think their quarterback play is going to get much better with Dylan Raiola. I believe he’s gonna be the starter. … So because of that, I think that we get to November and they’re playing meaningful games in terms of a playoff scenario.”

The sky's the limit and Nebraska football fans should enjoy the fun results to the opening game to the season.