Year one of the Matt Rhule era in Lincoln got off to a rough start as Nebraska football started the season with an 0-2 record. The Cornhuskers have turned their season around, however, as they now have a chance to get bowl eligible this weekend if they can take down rival Iowa football. The game will be played at home for Nebraska, and the Cornhuskers are favored over the 17th ranked Hawkeyes. 6-6 doesn't sound like much, but this would be a big win for Rhule and his team.

Nebraska football was in the running to win the Big Ten West for awhile, but a bowl game is now the ceiling for this team. Getting that sixth win in a rivalry game would be huge, and Rhule and the Cornhuskers are feeling extremely motivated.

“I’m motivated every week,” Matt Rhule said, according to an article from On3. “I think it would be great for our program. It would be great for our young players. It would be great for our older guys. I know our older guys are motivated. I think, look at the last three weeks. We get knocked down and we get right back up and they come back each week.”

Rhule isn't concerned about his Nebraska football team being ready for this game.

“I don’t think there’s any question that they’re motivated to try and get it done and try to get this win,” Rhule continued. “Like I said when we were at 5-3, I didn’t want to just win one more, I wanted to win them all. I don’t want to win five or six, I want to win each week. I truly believe it when I say go 1-0 each week, I know they want to win.”

This is not only a big game in terms of getting bowl eligible, but it is also senior day for Nebraska. That will give this team an extra push on Friday.

“They’re sitting here, it’s senior day, a lot of these guys, it’s their last game in the stadium,” Rhule concluded. “They’re playing a ranked team with a chance to go to a bowl game. If they lack any motivation, it’s all there for them. I’ve seen this group do nothing but fight every week all year.”

Nebraska vs. Iowa should be a low-scoring slugfest, and it should be a tight one all the way through. This one will kickoff at noon ET on Saturday and the game will be airing on CBS.