Matt Rhule discusses Dylan Raiola’s reaction to the hiring of Dana Holgorsen

Dylan Raiola has put his trust in Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen.

Nebraska announced Dana Holgorsen as its offensive coordinator on Monday. Coach Matt Rhule held a press conference on Monday to discuss the impact this would have on the program. He was specifically asked about quarterback Dylan Raiola.

The freshman had a hot start to the season but has struggled a bit since then. He has recorded 1.921 passing yards, ten touchdowns, and eight interceptions. He has struggled in his last five games, as he has two touchdowns and six interceptions.

Raiola may get a bit of a reset with Holgorsen’s playcalling. Rhule discussed the quarterback’s reaction to the change during the press conference.

“Dylan trusts me and trusts the program. He just took it as ‘hey what are we doing today.’ He’s trying to get his back healthy. All the guys had a really positive reaction to it. It goes back to what I said last week, players need to play, players need to go make plays. If you watch on Saturdays, players have to go make plays. Dana (Holgorsen) and the staff will give the players the best opportunity to go make plays so we need the guys to make them. The whole play calling thing, we’ve tried to handle that, now go make some plays. Football is a game where players win games. We’ve got good players, we expect them to go win some games.”

The Huskers’ offense may take a slightly different look in the near future as they look to find something that can move Raiola and the unit in the right direction. It will be interesting to see how the offense functions as they take on the USC Trojans this coming Saturday. The kickoff time for the game is set for 3:00 p.m. CT and can be seen on Fox.

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Huskers get predictions for 4-star edge defender Dawson Merritt

Dawson Merritt has now been predicted to flip to Nebraska.

Nebraska football scored three predictions on Tuesday afternoon for 2025 four-star playmaker Dawson Merritt. On3’s Steve Wiltfong, Bryan Munson, and Chad Simmons put in predictions for the edge defender.

According to the On3 recruiting rankings, Merritt is the 14th-ranked edge defender in the 2025 class and the fourth-ranked player in his class from the state of Kansas. He committed to the Alabama Crimson Tide at the end of June but has visited Nebraska since then. He was in Lincoln for the Colorado Buffaloes game on September 7.

He is having another solid season for Blue Valley High School in Kansas. According to statistics from MaxPreps.com, he has 58 tackles in eight games. He has also continued to be a pass-rushing threat, with six sacks on the year, one sack less than his total last year.

The Nebraska football coaching staff visited Merritt in October and seemed very active in his recruitment overall. This would be a big get for the program as they look for a playmaking linebacker for this class. Merritt fits the bill, and flipping him from the Crimson Tide would be a notable feat.

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Nebraska offers 2027 running back Tyson Robinson

The Huskers offered one of the top running backs in the 2027 recruiting cycle.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have become the latest program to offer class of 2027 running back Tyson Robinson. The 5-foot-9 tailback out of Brandon, Mississippi, is considered a four-star prospect across the recruiting industry.

In addition to his newest offer from the Huskers, Robinson has offers from Alabama Crimson Tide, Arkansas Razorbacks, Florida Gators, Florida State Seminoles, Ole Miss Rebels, Missouri Tigers, Ohio State Buckeyes, Oklahoma Sooners, Oregon Ducks, Penn State Nittany Lions, Tennessee Volunteers, and Washington Huskies, among others.

Through ten games this season, Robinson has carried the ball 119 times for 852 yards. He is averaging 7.2 yards per carry and has scored 18 touchdowns.

The Cornhuskers do not currently hold any commitments in their 2027 recruiting class but do hold two commitments in their 2026 recruiting class and 19 in their 2025 recruiting class.

Of those 19 commitments in the 2025 recruiting cycle, a pair are running backs in Connor Booth and Jamarion Parker.

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Nebraska and Wisconsin’s week 13 matchup receives kickoff time

The Huskers will be looking to snap a ten-game losing streak to Wisconsin next weekend.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers’s senior day matchup against the Wisconsin Badgers will be a mid-afternoon kickoff.

On Monday, the Big Ten announced that the Huskers and Badgers will kick off their November 23 matchup at Memorial Stadium with a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. The game will also be televised on the Big Ten Network.

Before facing the Badgers next weekend, the Huskers will prepare for the USC Trojans this weekend in Los Angeles. The Huskers will look to snap a three-game losing streak while also being under the direction of new interim offensive coordinator Dana Holgorson.

At 5-4 and 2-4 in Big Ten play, the Huskers need one more win this season to snap an eight-season bowl drought.

Wisconsin, on the other hand, will face off against the No. 1 Oregon Ducks this weekend. Wisconsin enters the game losers of their last two games. The Badgers enter week 12 with a 5-4 record, including 3-3 in conference play.

The Cornhuskers and Badgers have met 17 times, with Wisconsin winning the last 10 games dating back to the 2012 season, including a 24-17 win in Madison last season. Each of the previous three games between the two programs has been settled by seven points or less.

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Nebraska names Dana Holgorsen offensive coordinator and play-caller for the remainder of the season

Nebraska Football has a new offensive coordinator.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have made offensive consultant Dana Holgorsen the team’s offensive coordinator and play-caller. Coach Matt Rhule confirmed this on Monday during his weekly press conference.

Holgorsen joined the Nebraska football program last week. He was previously a defensive assistant on the TCU Horned Frogs staff, having taken the position this summer.

Holgorsen will bring a variety of offensive experiences to Nebraska football. He was the co-offensive coordinator and wide receivers coach for the Texas Tech Red Raiders before taking over the entire role in 2007. He has also served as the offensive coordinator and quarterbacks coach for the Houston Cougars and Oklahoma State Cowboys.

The Nebraska offense needs a jolt. They currently rank 96th in total offense, averaging 354.1 yards per game, and 99th in scoring offense, with an average of 23.6 points per game.

Holgorsen is known for his air raid offense. The air raid is a spread, no-huddle offense that relies heavily on the passing game. The hope is that his track record of success will immediately impact the Huskers.

Former offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield will remain on staff as the team’s tight ends coach. Head coach Matt Rhule has expressed his desire for Holgorsen to stay on staff after this season.

The Huskers are getting ready to take on the USC Trojans on Saturday. Kickoff is set for 3:00 p.m. CT.

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Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin Badgers Week 13 game at Nebraska

Kickoff time, TV channel announced for Wisconsin Badgers Week 13 game vs. Nebraska

The Wisconsin Badgers will square off against the Nebraska Cornhuskers at 3:30 p.m. ET, 2:30 p.m. CT on Nov. 23 at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska.

The contest will mark Wisconsin’s eighth Big Ten game of the 2024 season: The first seven were at USC (a 38-21 loss), vs. Purdue (a 52-6 win), at Rutgers (a 42-7 win), at Northwestern (a 23-3 win), vs. Penn State (a 28-13 loss) and vs. Oregon (Nov. 16). The game against the Cornhuskers will be televised on Big Ten Network.

With No. 1 Oregon headed into Madison on Nov. 16, Wisconsin will likely venture to Lincoln with a 5-5 overall record and desperate for a rejuvinating win.

Nebraska, meanwhile, is on a similar trajectory. The Cornhuskers have dropped three straight games to No. 5 Indiana, No. 2 Ohio State and unranked UCLA.

The Cornhuskers currently sit at No. 12 in the Big Ten with a 5-4 overall mark and 2-4 record in the conference. Matt Rhule’s team will play USC in Los Angeles before its Week 13 game against Wisconsin.

UW has vanquished Nebraska in 13 straight football games dating back to 2012. Its most recent victory arrived in Nov. 2023 when Luke Fickell led his squad to a 24-17 overtime win.

Quarterback Braedyn Locke will need to play mistake-free football if Wisconsin hopes to overcome its recent losing streak.

Defensive back Syncere Safeeullah enters transfer portal

Syncere Safeeullah made the announcement on Sunday.

Nebraska corner Syncere Safeeullah announced he was entering the transfer portal. He made the announcement on X on Sunday afternoon.

He was one of the first recruits and commitments of the Matt Rhule era, committing to the program on December 12, 2022. He did not play last season, electing to redshirt.

At the time of his recruitment, Safeeullah was a three-star prospect. According to the 247Sports Rankings, he was the 143rd-ranked cornerback in the 2023 class and the 244th-ranked player in the state of Florida.

According to his biography on the Nebraska Athletics website, he came to Lincoln from IMG Academy and was ranked the top defensive back in Tennessee by Prep RedZone.

Safeeullah was thought to be able to add corner depth when he committed to the Huskers. Now, it appears he is going in a different direction.

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Wide receiver recruit Bryson Hayes decommits from Huskers

Nebraska football lost a commitment on Saturday.

The Nebraska Cornhuskers received a decommitment from class of 2025 wide receiver Bryson Hayes. He flipped to the Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday.

Hayes is the 144th wide receiver in the 2025 class and the ninth overall player from the state of Kansas, according to the 247Sports Composite rankings. He originally committed to Nebraska on April 14.

Hayes has visited a couple of teams since his commitment to Nebraska. He officially visited the Jayhawks on June 7 and the Huskers on June 14. He also visited Kansas State on June 21, wrapping up his month of visits.

Even with this decommitment, the Huskers 2025 recruiting class is still strong. The class itself ranks 27th overall nationally per the 247Sports team rankings. This class includes wide receiver talent, headlined by Isaiah Mozee. Now, as they build for the future, the Huskers will look to find another talented playmaker in the class.

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Big Ten with four top ten teams in week 12 of the US LBM Coaches Poll

Multiple Big Ten teams were represented in the US LBM Coaches Poll this week.

The Big Ten will enter week 12 of the 2024 college football season with four of the top 10 teams in the country in both the US LBM Coaches Poll and AP Top 25.

The Oregon Ducks remain the country’s top team, while the Ohio State Buckeyes are the second overall team in the country. The Texas Longhorns and Penn State Nittany Lions round out the top four, while the Indiana Hoosiers come in at the fifth spot.

The poll this week is very top-heavy for the conference, as no other Big Ten teams appear beyond the above-mentioned teams. The entire US LBM Coaches Poll is below.

 

Rank Team Record Points
1 Oregon Ducks 10-0 1,375 (55)
2 Ohio State Buckeyes 8-1 1,314
3 Texas Longhorns 8-1 1,262
4 Tennessee Volunteers 8-1 1,1138
5 Penn State Nittany Lions 8-1 1,113
6 Indiana Hoosiers 10-0 1,057
7 Notre Dame Fighting Irish 9-0 1,038
8 BYU Cougars 7-1 994
9 Alabama Crimson Tide 7-2 899
10 Georgia Bulldogs 7-2 887
11 Ole Miss Rebels 8-2 877
12 Miami Hurricanes 9-1 820
13 SMU Mustangs 8-1 691
14 Boise State Broncos 8-1 691
15 Texas A&M Aggies 7-2 597
16 Clemson Tigers 7-2 536
17 Army Black Knights 9-0 466
18 Washington State Cougars 8-1 385
19 Kansas State Wildcats 7-2 332
20 Colorado Buffaloes 7-2 329
21 Missouri Tigers 7-2 277
22 LSU Tigers 6-3 257
23 South Carolina Gamecocks 6-3 118
24 Louisville Cardinals 6-3 109
25 Iowa State Cyclones 7-2 92

Schools Dropped Out

No. 23 Pittsburgh; No. 25 Vanderbilt;

Others Receiving Votes

Tulane 85; Louisiana 42; Arizona State 30; Pittsburgh 28; UNLV 17; Memphis 11; Navy 3; James Madison 2; Illinois 2; Duke 1;

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Linebacker John Bullock named to Burlsworth Trophy Watch List

John Bullock has been nominated for a postseason accolade.

Nebraska football linebacker John Bullock was named to the Burlsworth Trophy Watch List this week, per a press release from the team.

Bullock has recorded 49 tackles, three sacks, and an interception on the season. He has been an integral part of the Huskers’ defense, as he is second on the team in tackles for loss and third in tackles and pass breakups.

The Burlsworth Trophy is given to “college football’s most outstanding player who began his career as a walk-on,” per the award’s official website.

Bullock has recorded 105 combined tackles, 4.5 sacks, and five pass deflections in four years with the program. His best game of the 2024 season came against Northern Iowa in September. He recorded nine tackles, a sack, and a pass deflection on the evening.

Bullock’s career with the Huskers has been productive and impressive. Now, he will look to continue being an integral part of the defense as they seek to make a bowl game.

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