45 Days That Changed Nebraska’s Football Program

Nov. 1 was a clear, 44-degree evening, perfect for football. Memorial Stadium was packed, as usual. NBC and USC were in the house and a national-television audience was watching.

Life was good for the 6-2 Nebraska Cornhuskers. Until it wasn’t.

The Huskers already matched their regular-season win total from 2024. With a win over USC — always a prestigious accomplishment — Nebraska would remain in the hunt for an elusive College Football Playoff berth.

Two days earlier, Nebraska announced a contract extension for coach Matt Rhule amid rumors that his alma mater, Penn State, was looking to hire him to replace the fired James Franklin.

At halftime, Nebraska led 14-6.

Then it fell apart — and not just the USC game.

Over the next 45 days, from Nov. 1 until Dec. 15, the day that highly regarded sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola announced on Instagram that he would enter the transfer portal, Nebraska’s football program was hit with one piece of bad news after another, with little positive news.

There were unexpected losses, players leaving the program, and coaches fired. Losses happen, players move on, and maybe in retrospect, replacing a fired coordinator and two assistant coaches will turn out to be an overall plus. But firing three coaches isn’t how it was drawn up.

In those 45 fateful days, very little went as Rhule and the Huskers had planned.

Nov. 1: Dylan Raiola’s injury and the loss to USC

Nebraska led USC, 14-6, just 2 minutes and 46 seconds into the third quarter. The Huskers were on the move, in business at the USC 23-yard line.

A two-score lead seemed likely.

Rhule’s third-year magic — his programs take off in his third year — seemed right on track.

Raiola was in the shotgun. But he was sacked before he could pass the ball. He fumbled and crumbled to the ground.

He stayed on the ground.

Raiola was helped off the field and soon he was diagnosed with a broken fibula. He was done for the season.

You might say the Huskers were done, too, but there was plenty more where that came from.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, running back Emmett Johnson gather around Dylan Raiola after the quarterback was injured vs. USC. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

TJ Lateef stepped in for Raiola and played admirably, but the Huskers lost, 21-17.

In one fateful night, the Huskers lost their quarterback, a huge game against 23rd-ranked USC and any chance to make the College Football Playoff.

Nov. 8: Huskers win over UCLA

In Lateef’s starting debut, Nebraska won at UCLA, 28-21. With three games remaining, Nebraska’s hopes were alive for a strong finish to an already unpredictable season.

Lateef wasn’t spectacular against the Bruins but he didn’t have to be. He was good enough.

Nebraska quarterback TJ Lateef throws against UCLA at Rose Bowl. Nebraska won, 28-21, in Lateef's starting debut. | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

This was a rare moment of good news lately for the football program.

Nov. 19: Dayton Raiola decommits

Those good vibes after the UCLA win didn’t last. Dylan’s younger brother, Dayton, announced he was decommitting from Nebraska, less than three weeks after Dylan was injured. Dayton was a three-star quarterback who committed to Nebraska in September 2024.

Speculation was out there as to what this meant for Dylan moving forward. Dayton’s move seemed ominous for the Huskers and their future with Dylan.

Maybe beyond ominous, Dylan entering the transfer portal now seemed inevitable.

Nov. 22: Upsetting loss at Penn State

Rhule, a former Penn State linebacker, took his Huskers into Beaver Stadium before a wild, prime-time crowd.

Penn State dominated the Huskers, winning 37-10. And the final score could have been worse.

Penn State running back Kaytron Allen runs into end zone for fourth-quarter touchdown against Nebraska at Beaver Stadium. | Matthew O'Haren-Imagn Images

The Huskers were stunned. Nebraska expected to beat the Nittany Lions, who also were starting a backup quarterback. Plus, Penn State was playing for an interim coach. But Penn State pounded the ball on the ground — defending against the run was a Nebraska weakness all season — and gained a whopping 231 yards.

Now what? Where was this reeling Nebraska program? And where were they going?

It would get worse before it got better.

Nov. 28: Losing a rivalry game

Nebraska had one chance to salvage something special out of its up-and-down regular season. On a frigid Black Friday, with snow in the air, Iowa starched the Huskers, 40-16.

It was Iowa’s 10th win in 11 games in a rivalry that has become one-sided. Nebraska finished the regular season 7-5, a one-game improvement over 2024. But with a weak Big Ten schedule that didn’t include Ohio State, Indiana and Oregon, more was expected.

Iowa Hawkeyes hoist Heroes Trophy after defeating Nebraska, 40-16, at Memorial Stadium. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

By the third quarter, Memorial Stadium was emptying out, fans disappointed in what they watched. They saw their Huskers overwhelmed by the rival Hawkeyes.

The Huskers played hard but had no answers. In back-to-back games, Nebraska had allowed 77 points.

Dec. 1: Big change on coaching staff

Three days after the Iowa debacle, defensive coordinator John Butler was fired. After allowing 231 rushing yards to Penn State the week before, Nebraska allowed 213 yards on the ground to the Hawkeyes.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule (right) and defensive coordinator John Butler on sideline against Iowa. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska was excellent against the pass in 2025 (ranked second nationally) but could not stop the run (ranked 94th). Butler was much heralded when he arrived at Nebraska, given his NFL coaching background.

Things just didn’t work out.

Dec. 3 and 8: Transfer portal

In this era of college football, players enter the transfer portal. It’s the cost of doing business. On these dates, two Huskers entered the portal: four-star freshman running back Jamarion Parker (Dec. 8), who was injured in the spring and didn’t play, and three-star defensive back Caden VerMaas (Dec. 3).

Dec. 5: Bye-bye Emmett

Running back Emmett Johnson was Nebraska’s best player in 2025. He rushed for 1,451 yards and 12 touchdowns. He was the Huskers’ leading receiver with 46 catches for 370 yards and three touchdowns.

There was little logic in thinking Johnson would return to Lincoln. He declared for the NFL Draft on Dec. 5, as expected. There was nothing left for Johnson to prove in Lincoln.

He did everything Nebraska could have wanted and he did it with class. It was his time to move on. Replacing Johnson will be no easy task. There is recruiting and the transfer portal, but on the roster, the leading remaining rusher is Kwinten Ives, who gained 119 yards on 16 carries.

Dec. 6: Another coaching change

The firing of offensive line coach Donovan Raiola meant more than a coaching change. In the last month, Donovan and his nephew Dayton no longer were associated with the Huskers.

Nebraska offensive line coach Donovan Raiola talks with center Justin Evans. | Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska quarterbacks were sacked 30 times in 2025.

If folks thought there were any chance Dylan would return to Lincoln, the firing of his uncle probably killed it.

Dec. 9: Yet another coach fired

Defensive line coach Terry Bradden was fired. Matt Rhule announced the firing at a news conference. Part of the decision for the change came from soon-to-be new defensive coordinator Rob Aurich, according to Rhule.

Huskers defensive line coach Terry Bradden was fired and dismissal was announced at Matt Rhule news conference on Dec. 9. — Nebraska defensive line coach Terry Bradden was fired and the dismissal was announced at a Matt Rhule news conference on Dec 9. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska’s ranking of 94th nationally against the run probably had a say in this coaching change, too.

Dec. 12: New coaches

Nebraska announced the hiring of Aurich, of San Diego State, and offensive line coach Geep Wade, of Georgia Tech.

And, thus, another chapter in Nebraska football begins.

Dec. 15: Dylan Raiola says he’s going to enter the transfer portal

Very, very few in Lincoln were surprised, or should have been, that Dylan was entering the portal. What was left at Nebraska for Dylan?

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola throws ball against USC in his final game with the Huskers. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Dylan was a five-star recruit, the centerpiece of Rhule’s program. Despite his lack of mobility, Raiola started 22 consecutive games, every game at Nebraska in which he was healthy. He played well. In 2025, he completed 181-of-250 passes (72.4 percent) for 2,000 yards, 18 touchdowns and six interceptions.

Lateef likely is the favorite to be the starter in September — presuming he stays. The portal works both ways, and in January, Nebraska could dip into that pool for another quarterback and to fortify the roster. There are several top-flight quarterbacks in the portal looking for new homes.

If the Huskers believe they can win with Lateef, they have their quarterback for 2026.

If not, oh boy.

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