Dave Feit: Much Like Bud Crawford, the Huskers Are About to Face a Test

Takeaways from Nebraska's romp over outmanned Houston Christian, the challenge that comes next, the all-reds, and more.

After a couple of easy wins, the competition is about to ratchet up for quarterback Dylan Raiola and the Huskers. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

"He hasn't fought anybody."

How many times have the fans of Omaha boxer Terrence "Bud" Crawford heard that? It didn't matter how many fights he won, how many belts he earned, how much money he made as one of the biggest draws in the sport. The critics were always there.

He hasn't fought anybody.

The Cornhuskers know that feeling. The Huskers held on to defeat Cincinnati, their only power conference opponent to date, by three points. It remains to be seen whether the Bearcats are a somebody or a nobody. They beat Bowling Green by 14 and blew out Northwestern State of the FCS.

Since Cincy, the Huskers have admittedly not played anybody. Akron (0-3) is one of the worst teams in the FBS (although they did score their first points of the season in their third game!). Houston Christian of the FCS was overmatched the second they stepped onto a football field that does not have a CVS Pharmacy beside it. There are sixth graders older than Houston Christian's football program.

They haven't played anybody.

Being 3-0 for just the second time since 2016 is great, but c'mon, Nebraska hasn't played anybody. The weakness of the opponents is a gigantic asterisk hanging over two of the most dominating wins of the century. The last time Nebraska scored 50+ points in back-to-back wins was in October 2000 against Texas Tech and Baylor. Nebraska won their last two games by a combined 120 points. No other back-to-back games in the last century have produced a larger combined margin of victory.*

*This is one of those stats that require a "in the last century" qualifier, because the Nebraska teams of the 1910s showed no mercy.

The final game of the 1910 season was a 119-0 destruction of Haskell. In the first game of the 1911 season, new coach Ewald "Jumbo" Stiehm unleashed his "Stiehmrollers" with a 117-0 win over Kearney State. The two-game combined margin of victory of 236 points will never be touched.

Prior to Saturday, the largest combined margin of victory in consecutive games was 119 points in 1972 (Army and Minnesota).

On Saturday night, Crawford fought somebody.

In front of a jam-packed football stadium in Las Vegas, Crawford challenged Canelo Alvarez, the undisputed super middleweight champion and one of the greatest fighters on his generation. Crawford was moving up two weight classes to take on Canelo, which made him an underdog.

Terence "Bud" Crawford moved up two weight classes and defeated Canelo Alvarez by unanimous decision. | Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images

During last Monday's press conference, Rhule was asked about the Crawford fight. Crawford led Nebraska out of the tunnel before the Colorado game last September, and Rhule was at the send-off last week for Crawford. Rhule spoke passionately about the challenges Crawford was taking on to fight Canelo, and how a loss could have a devasting impact on Bud's legacy.

Rhule noted that Crawford didn't care about shielding his legacy. He was willing to risk it. "Don’t just sit there and hope that you get accolades," Rhule said. "Risk it all. Risk it all to be great." That's what Bud Crawford did Saturday night. Crawford fought with technical and tactical brilliance, earning an unanimous decision. His legacy as one of the best pound-for-pound boxers in history is secure.

With the tomato can portion of their schedule complete, Nebraska will get a chance to risk it all in their quest to be great. Top 20 Michigan comes to town Saturday. Frankly, it's a game that Nebraska has lost in the past.*

*The Huskers have not beaten a ranked conference foe since Michigan State in 2015. They are 0 for their last 26, including five losses under Rhule. The last time Nebraska beat Michigan (2013), Houston Christian had not played a football game.

Can Nebraska follow Crawford's lead by methodically sticking to the game plan? Land punches early and often. Get punched in the face and come away with a sly "it that all you got?" grin. Don't let up until the job is done.

I expect that Crawford will lead NU out of the tunnel Saturday afternoon, as he receives a hero's welcome from his adoring home state fans.

Things I believe

Nebraska's offense is modeled after the best team on campus. 

Over the weekend, the top -ranked Nebraska volleyball team picked up a pair of wins. I realized that the volleyball team's offense is very similar to what the football team is trying to do.

On the volleyball court, Nebraska will receive the serve (or dig a kill attempt) and pass the ball to setter Bergen Reilly. Reilly is excellent at being able to read the defense. She takes that information, cross references it against where her teammates are at, and makes a split-second decision as to where the ball will go. Not only is she distributing the ball, she's placing it perfectly so each of her hitters can be at their most effective.

Nebraska volleyball has an embarrassment of offensive riches. Andi Jackson. Harper Murray. Rebekah Allick. Taylor Landfair. Virginia Adriano. Allie Sczech. Teraya Sigler. And several more. When the volleyball offense is humming, defenses have no clue where the ball is coming from and are at the mercy of NU's talented hitters. If you want to try and take away Harper Murray (good luck with that, by the way), it just means somebody else is open.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola has been an efficient distributor of the ball through Nebraska's first three games. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Dana Holgorsen's offense is not at the level… yet. But they're headed in that direction. Stopping Nebraska's offense is not as simple as it has been in previous years. This team has a ton of options, all of whom are capable of finding the end zone.

Through three games, 17 different receivers have caught a pass. Seven players have caught a touchdown. Dylan Raiola reads the defense and finds an open teammate, placing the ball perfectly so the receiver can do their thing.

The volleyball program has been the best team on campus for a while, so I'm thrilled that the football program is emulating their success.

A lot of the things Nebraska does well should hold up and the competition gets tougher.

For the 800th (and final) time, Houston Christian and Akron the week before are not good teams. There is a clear gap in talent between those teams and what Nebraska will see over the rest of the season.

Obviously, it's not going to be nearly as easy for NU from here on out. No more scoring at will or physically manhandling opponents.

In years past, Nebraska would often start to get exposed when the level of competition increased.

While Nebraska is not going to win out, I do think a lot of the things we've seen so far should hold up in most of their remaining games. Things like:

• Turnover margin. The Huskers are +4 on the year and have not lost the turnover battle in their three wins.
• Penalties. NU has been better at avoiding critical flags at horrible times.
• Field position. Between punt returns, kickoff returns, and the coverage units, the Huskers are winning the field position battle.
• Special teams. The kicking operation has been solid. Punter Archie Wilson hasn't kicked since the opener, but remains a weapon in waiting.
• Talent upgrades. Nebraska is better at several positions than they were a year ago. That matters as the level of competition increases.

I'm starting to change my tune on the value of FCS games.

I've long been against Nebraska playing FCS teams. After last year's Northern Iowa game, I wrote that "ever since Ameer Abdullah delayed Bo Pelini and Nebraska from being a national laughingstock, I've firmly believed that FCS games are all risk and no reward."

I still feel that the two biggest risks - an embarrassing loss and injury to a key player in a meaningless game - make FCS games hard to justify. A Big Ten team playing an FCS school is often a lot like a Nebraska Class A juggernaut playing a Class C-2 team.

But on Saturday, I saw some of the benefits.

Quarterback Jalyn Gramstad and running back Kenneth Williams were among the reserves who got reps on offense against Houston Christian. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

On the field, over 100 players got into the game. Very few of Nebraska's starters played in the second half. For a young and inexperienced team, getting a bunch of reps - even against an out-classed opponent - is invaluable. A big part of why Nebraska was so successful in the Tom Osborne era was being able to get underclassmen game experience in blowouts.

I know I feel a lot better about Nebraska's quarterback situation after seeing TJ Lateef for the second straight week. There were many other 2s and 3s that stood out in their opportunities.

The other benefit of the unheralded FCS opponent was in the stands. There were a lot of kids and younger fans in attendance. My son's first Husker game was an FCS opponent where we scored a free ticket from someone who didn't want to go. I cannot over emphasize how important it is to build the next generation of Husker fans - especially when nobody under 20 knows Nebraska as a perennially successful program.

I understand that most people would greatly prefer seeing Tennessee over Tennessee Tech, but I can see how those "buy games" still have value.

Things I don't know

Is Nebraska ready for the Big Ten grind?

In addition to what we discussed previously, the Huskers are (mostly) healthy, confident, and do not seem like they're satisfied with dominating lesser opponents.

But big questions remain without answers.

How will Nebraska's defense will react when they're truly tested? Can the offensive line can continue to keep Raiola upright? What tricks do the league's defensive coordinators have up their sleeves to hurry, confuse, or confound Raiola?

Overall, I think this group is ready for the rigors of Big Ten play. It won't be perfect, but if NU plays to their ceiling, they should be competitive in every game.

Freshman quarterback TJ Lateef has been effective both running and passing in his first two games. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

How long has it been since you've felt this good about Nebraska's quarterback situation?

In one half, Dylan Raiola was 15-21 for 222 yards and two touchdowns. Aside from a deep ball to Dane Key that was either underthrown or hung up in the southern breeze, he was sharp.

TJ Lateef played most of the second half. He continued to look impressive and not at all like a true freshman. Senior Jalyn Gramstad got two series when Nebraska had fully shifted into "we're not trying to run up the score" mode. Fourth -string QB Marcos Davila* took the last couple of snaps at the end of the game.

*Davila transferred to Nebraska after redshirting at Purdue in 2024. A Purdue super fan that I follow on Twitter posted that he believed Davila "absolutely could've started had he stayed." Maybe that is a commentary on the lack of depth in Purdue's QB room (the Boilermakers lost to USC 33-17 as Ryan Browne threw three interceptions), but I'm choosing to interpret it as a good sign for NU's depth.

Coming into the season, QB depth was one of my concerns. While we haven't seen Lateef or Gramstad (a combined 8-8 passing for 140 yards and one touchdown on Saturday) against a Big Ten defense, I feel much better about their chances if called upon.

Were the all-red uniforms a one-off, or a sign of things to come?

For the first time since 1986 - and second ever - Nebraska wore all-red uniforms. Regular readers will know that I am an "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" classicist regarding Nebraska's uniforms. The red and white of the home uniforms (and white and red of the roadies) are perfect.

But the kids like to be trendy. And the biggest trend in uniforms is the monochromatic "color rush" look. Rhule is a certified players' coach - with a notable monotone history* - so I knew this day was coming.

*Baylor wore the same color of jerseys and pants in 16 of the 39 games Matt Rhule coached there.

My hunch is that Nebraska's players have been asking for all reds for years. When he arrived, I suspect Rhule wanted to do it, but (then) athletic director Trev Alberts said no. New AD Troy Dannen - whose primary job is to tell Rhule "Yes!" whenever possible - did just that.

The Blackshirts are in all red as they prepare to take the field for their first defensive series against Houston Christian. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

I’m guessing Rhule dangled the all-red look as a carrot for a dominating performance against Akron, which the team delivered. If that theory is accurate, it would then stand to reason that the Go Big Red look could return again this season.

The look received mostly favorable reviews from fans. Unlike the 1986 game where the shades of red didn't quite match, the team looked sharp on Saturday.

Huskerigami Update

A “Huskerigami” is a final score combination (win or lose) that has never happened in the 130+ year history of Nebraska football.

Final score: 59-7

Is that a Huskerigami? No. It has happened once before. The first time was a 1972 win over Kansas State on a snowy Saturday in Lincoln. It was Bob Devaney's 100th win at Nebraska.

5 Things I loved

1. Dane Key. Four catches for 104 yards and a touchdown. Key has been as advertised and then some. Through three games, Key has three touchdown receptions. The single season record is 12 (Quincy Enunwa in 2013). If Key ends up one short, remember the first quarter deep ball. If Raiola hits him in stride, that is another easy score.
2. Kwinten Ives. With Mekhi Nelson sitting out due to a "coach's decision", Ives had a solo audition for the RB2 job. With 121 all-purpose yards on 14 touches, Ives seized firm control of the role. He hits the hole like a semi at full speed. He has soft hands catching the ball out of the backfield.
3. TJ Lateef. No, there is no quarterback controversy, but Lateef (5-5 passing for 126 yards and touchdown, plus 15 yards and another touchdown on the ground) continues to see his stock rise. If (knock on wood) Raiola gets hurt, Lateef will play, redshirt be damned.
4. Linebackers. It was a great day for the linebacking corps. Marques Watson-Trent got things started with a flying sack of HCU's quarterback. Dasan McCullough - the early leader for defensive newcomer of the year - had a sack of his own. True freshman Dawson Merritt has been on my radar since the opener. He's a hitter and a sure tackler with a very bright future. Reserves Michael Booker III, Derek Wacker, and others played strong games as well.
5. Heinrich Haarberg. I've watched a lot of games in Memorial Stadium. I'm not sure I've ever heard a louder block than what Haarberg laid on a poor, unsuspecting Husky. It sounded like a thunderclap. Give credit to that player for not landing on his back. Haarberg also had a 13-yard reception as his role within the offense increases.

Honorable mention: Dylan Raiola, Jacory Barney Jr.'s first touchdown, Riley Van Poppel, Andrew Marshall, Emmett Johnson, Isaiah Mozee, Cortez Mills Jr., offensive line, Kenneth Williams, Caleb Benning, Williams Nwaneri, Jason Maciejczak, Jamir Conn, Kahmir Prescott, Izaac Dickey, Vincent Genatone, John Hohl rebounding after his first kickoff when out of bounds, Rex Guthrie, Donovan Jones, DeShon Singleton, everybody who endured the heat to watch until the end.

Nebraska running back Kwinten Ives had 121 yards on 14 touches Saturday against Houston Christian. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

5 Areas for improvement

1. Raiola the runner. The good news: in 2024, Raiola lost an average of 1.3 yards per carry (including sacks). Through three games in 2025, he's averaging a positive 2.1 YPC. The not so good news: Raiola runs like his dad and uncle were offensive linemen. And even though I feel better about Lateef than I did three weeks ago, I still want every Raiola carry to end with him sliding, stepping out of bounds, or scoring a touchdown. Some of his runs end a little awkwardly.
2. Two-minute drill. Nebraska got the ball at their 27-yard line with 55 seconds left in the first half. Yes, they were leading 38-0, but it was clear that Rhule wanted another score. The first down pass was dropped by Barney (who got drilled. On second down, Raiola couldn't find an open receiver. His 10-yard scramble was brought back by a hold. On the next play, Raiola scrambled, couldn't find anybody, and was slung down after no gain. While there were no stakes - did I mention NU was up 38-0? - that underwhelming performance did not sit well with NU's coaches.
3. Scramble drills. Lateef's rushing touchdown came after he couldn't find anybody open and he finally decided to tuck and run. After the play, I saw offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen chewing out one of the wide receivers (I couldn't tell who), presumably because he didn't work himself open. There were a few other instances where none of the receivers were open. That seems surprising against an FCS opponent.
4. Williams Nwaneri. I'm thrilled that the big guy got his first career touchdown, living out the dreams of every defensive lineman. But he's gotta work on the ball security. He was close to having an HCU player strip the ball before he crossed the goal line. Hopefully he'll get another chance to show off his form.
5. Black sidelines. Nebraska's new turf inside Memorial Stadium features red ed zones. It also has black turf in the team areas along the sidelines. On the east side - where the visitors now reside, and the sun usually shines - black is a bit of a diabolical choice, especially on a cloudless Saturday when temps soared into the 90s. But I don't know Nebraska chose to have that same black turf under their feet on the west side. If you've ever stood on blacktop on a summer day, you know how unenjoyable that can be.

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