By Rock Westfall
History beckons on Saturday at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Nebraska. At 3:30 p.m. ET, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will begin the Dylan Raiola era in the season opener against the UTEP Miners. Raiola, the 5-star quarterback who head coach Matt Rhule flipped from Almighty Georgia, has the hopes of Husker Nation riding on his right arm.
After losing their last four games of the 2023 season when needing only one more win for bowl eligibility, Rhule has been relentless, and Husker Nation is all in. Despite being burned annually after blue-sky off-season's Nebraska fans are believing again. But on Saturday, everyone will get a reality check.
Among the sunshine is a dark cloud on the horizon that must be ignored. The Colorado Buffaloes will be calling next Saturday night in a prime-time NBC game that everyone has circled on the calendar. And while it is easy to peek ahead at Deion Sanders and his click-and-bag portal culture, it is also foolish.
Nebraska hasn’t had a winning season since 2016, the last year they went to a bowl game. The Cornhuskers are known for being the perpetually repeating off-season national champions that will break your heart when it really matters.
Nebraska and its true freshman QB making his first start have proven nothing. They have no business peaking ahead to anything. Full focus is a necessary demand. Nebraska has not earned the right to look ahead to anything yet.
Remember the Horrors - NIU and Georgia Southern
The Mike Riley era figuratively ended in Nebraska on September 16, 2017. On that day, the Huskers lost 21-17 to the Northern Illinois Huskies of the Mid-American Conference. Riley was fired at the end of that lost season.
On September 10, 2022, Scott Frost was fighting for his Husker career when the Big Red hosted Georgia Southern of the Sun Belt Conference. Nebraska was stunned in a 45-42 loss that cost Frost his job the following morning.
In both cases, nobody saw Nebraska losing. Yet they did.
The UTEP Miners are picked for the bottom of the Conference USA standings and are rebuilding with new head coach Scotty Walden . In the best of times, UTEP is a program that struggles for success. The Big Red opened as 27.5-point favorites. But, again, unproven Nebraska has zero business looking past anyone.
Raiola Named Starting QB The Old-Fashioned Way – He Earned It
At most schools, a coveted 5-star quarterback who flipped from the top program in the country would be pampered into having a sense of entitlement and privilege. At Nebraska, the only thing a player is entitled to is fighting for his job on a daily basis.
Dylan Raiola won the starting QB job with hard work, humility, and grit. He competed with last year’s starter Heinrich Haarberg and fellow true freshman Daniel Kaelin .
Raiola is the son of Husker All-American center Dominic Raiola , and his uncle Donovan is the Big Red's offensive line coach.
Since his arrival, Raiola has earned the praise and trust of coaches and teammates with his work ethic. His study habits are infectious, and he does not draw unnecessary attention to himself.
The 6-3 freshman connected on 16-of-22 passes for 239 yards and two touchdowns during the Nebraska Red-White Spring Game, igniting the passion of Husker Nation and sparking optimism for a Nebraska turnaround in 2024.
"I firmly believe that Nebraska is in my blood," said Raiola after committing. "It's a great opportunity to be part of something bigger than myself. Nebraska is a special place."
Mandatory Requirements for Nebraska on Saturday
In order to prove there is substance to the hype, Nebraska must decisively beat UTEP without drama or a close call. Saturday’s game must not be a white-knuckle flight.
As they do that, the Big Red must overcome the challenge of playing a clean opening game. The Husker faithful and Matt Rhule want to see an elimination of the costly turnovers that ruined Nebraska’s 2023 bowl bid. Penalties must be kept at a bare minimum, as should mental errors.
Additionally, the kicking teams must show they can be an asset that can win games when required. A big return or blocked kick would be comforting to see. No missed extra points or field goals with effective punting would be a good tell for the year ahead. Rhule hasn't named a place kicker yet. John Hohl has been impressive in challenging incumbent Tristan Alvano . The kicking game has been the difference in too many past Nebraska losses.
The sky is always blue before the storm. Nebraska can take justifiable pride in its work ethic and off-season success. Fans are leading with their chin about gulping down the “Rhule-aid.” But the Huskers are totally unproven where it matters most.
Colorado can wait until next week. This week demands full focus on UTEP and the necessity of generating momentum with complete attention on the Miners.
There is no substitute for victory. Failure is not an option.
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