By Rock Westfall
In the season opener against the UTEP Miners, the one thing the Nebraska Cornhuskers could not afford to do was peek ahead to next week’s showdown against the Colorado Buffaloes. Not only did Nebraska stay focused, but it also gave UTEP its full attention. So impressive was the performance that it seemed as if Colorado was the last thing on the Big Red’s mind. The blowout win has everyone eager for Coach Prime and the Buffs this upcoming Saturday night on NBC.
Following a highly productive and promising offseason that raised the hopes of Husker Nation, the Big Red delivered substance on Saturday with a 40-7 rout of the Miners.
Nebraska flashed and took full ownership in all aspects of the game. True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the win . Nebraska outgained UTEP 507-205 while rushing for 223 yards on 47 attempts. The Cornhuskers held a dominant 38:32 time-of-possession advantage and committed only one turnover.
The Nebraska team we saw on Saturday exhibited superior manpower, preparation, poise, confidence, skill, and speed. In particular, the offensive line is vastly improved and forged the ability to control the game on the ground. Meanwhile, the defense quickly cleaned up Nebraska’s only turnover by forcing a safety that changed the personality of the contest in the second quarter. Nebraska scored three second-quarter touchdowns after the safety to put the game away 30-7 at halftime.
The performance seemed like old times, with Nebraska dominating and asserting its will all day. Most importantly, Nebraska earned legitimate credibility with the win, which has sparked optimism for this upcoming Saturday night’s revenge showdown with Colorado .
5-Star Raiola Flashes His Inner Mahomes
Dylan Raiola played with remarkable command and professionalism . Despite running the ball at will, they unleashed Raiola in the first half with several deep passing attempts that showcased the significantly improved receiving corps. Early in the second quarter, Raiola hit Isaiah Neyor on a 59-yard TD pass. Later, with only two seconds left in the first half, Raiola and Jahmal Banks combined for a 21-yard spectacular to ice the game.
The touchdown pass to Banks was symbolic of what Nebraska is becoming.
“It was about trust,” Banks said. “Those conversations we've had, those practices we've had. Let's go get it. That's what we train for, that's what we sacrifice for, that's what we suffer for—moments like that.”
The offensive line paved the way for strong performances by multiple Big Red backs. Emmett Johnson led with 71 yards on eight carries, with the longest run of 42 yards. Dante Dowdell rushed eight times for 55 yards and a touchdown. Rahmir Johnson added 50 yards on 11 carries, while Gabe Ervin Jr produced 24 yards on six rushes with two touchdowns.
With its ability to run the ball as it pleases, Nebraska will keep enemy defenses honest and on their toes. The summer hype about the Big Red offensive line proved well-founded.
The offense often looked like Vintage Nebraska with its old-school, neanderball tactics. But Raiola demonstrated that Nebraska could also throw with sophistication and confidence, knowing that the UTEP defense had to honor the run and could not tee off on Raiola.
For Raiola, the day was a dream come true.
“I've been waiting for this since I was 8 years old,” Raiola said. “I tried to take it all in — not be like tough-guy football player. You've got to be human and enjoy this scene. Yeah, it's a lot of fun.”
Also deserving of a mention are the Nebraska fans, who reminded everyone why they are the best in college football.
"It means a lot to have that kinda support for our team and to just have them behind us, there’s no place like it,” Raiola said of the fans.
“There’s not many places in the country where people stay for the whole game like our fans do, it’s unbelievable,” Rhule added.
Rhule Smartly Pumping the Brakes
It was a dreamy day for the Nebraska program and Husker Nation, but everyone must keep it real. Nebraska mauled one of the worst Conference USA and Group of Five teams in the country. In fact, UTEP would struggle against the FCS elite. But when you compare Nebraska’s performance against UTEP to Colorado’s shaky win over FCS North Dakota State last Thursday, it's easy to let the imagination run wild for Saturday Night’s showdown. But staying grounded is mandatory for a Nebraska team that has not had a winning season or bowl game since 2016.
While the concern about overconfidence is legitimate, the good news is that Matt Rhule is having none of it.
“For Dylan’s first game, a lot of great things,” Rhule said. “There’s also a lot to clean up as a staff, and we will. It was hard to achieve, and they’ve worked really hard to get there. We’ll wake up tomorrow morning and start it all again.”
“There are a lot of things that we have to fix before Colorado. There are a lot of things that we have to fix before Big Ten play," Rhule said. "This is Game 1. You make your biggest jump from Game 1 to Game 2. I felt that with our team, we needed to get out there and play, see what was good, see what was bad, and now we can go back and fix it.”
Nebraska did everything necessary to generate momentum and optimism for one of the biggest games in recent memory at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers enter Colorado week on a roll.
After a tremendous opening day, Nebraska is looking Prime Time.
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