Know Your Foe, Nebraska vs. Michigan State: The Quarterbacks

Nebraska takes on the Michigan State Spartans on Saturday, and it's time to compare the quarterbacks in the game.

Dylan Raiola and Aidan Chiles were both highly-touted recruits coming out of high school, with Raiola a five-star from the 2024 class and Chiles a four-star from the 2023 class. Aidan Chiles played his first season at Oregon State but followed head coach Jonathan Smith to East Lansing last season.

On3 / Rivals Ranking for Dylan Raiola in the 2024 Recruiting Class | On3 / Rivals

Let's start with Nebraska: Dylan Raiola

Coming off the loss to Michigan, Raiola has continued his strong play during the 2025 season, taking a huge step in his sophomore year. Through four games, he's completed over 75% of his passes, displaying poise, accuracy, and the ability to protect the football. Even against a stout Michigan defense, he was able to throw for over 300 yards and three touchdowns. Nebraska's success hinges on his continued command of the offense.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola makes a throw on the run against Michigan. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

CMP / ATT	YDS	TD	INT	CMP%
102/135	1137	11	1	75.6

Know your opponent:

Let's look at the QB position and compare Dylan Raiola and Aidan Chiles.

Dylan Raiola - Sophomore
102/135 - 1137 YDS - 11 TD 1 INT - 75.6% CMP%

Aidan Chiles - Junior
70/102 - 868 YDS - 9 TD 1 INT - 68.6% CMP%
Rushing: 39 CAR 154 YDS 3.9 AVG 2 TD#GBR… pic.twitter.com/RxWR1DEzKd
— No Block💥No Rockᴺᴮᴺᴿ (@NBNRPodcast) September 30, 2025

Diving into PFF metrics, Raiola's performance continues to align with the eye test, with elite protection of the ball and consistent production, proving he's one of the best quarterbacks in the country.

WEEK	OPP	OFF	PASS	RUN
1	CINCINATTI	62.1	59.3	65.4
2	AKRON	87.5	86.8	64.4
3	HOUCHR	78.8	75.0	68.5
4	MICHIGAN	64.6	63.7	N/A
OVERALL		77.1	73.9	72.2

Dylan Raiola Big Ten Rankings (through Week 5):

Completions: 1st (102)
Interceptions: T-1st (1)
Touchdowns: 1st (11)
Pass Yards: 2nd (1,137)
Pass Yards/Game: 1st (284.3)
Completion %: 1st (75.6%)

Raiola could find success through the air against Michigan State's secondary, which surrendered 234 passing yards and three passing touchdowns to USC quarterback Jayden Maiava in Week 4.

Their overall pass coverage grade sits at 69.2 on PFF.

Now Let's look at Aidan Chiles

On3 / Rivals - Aidan Chiles Recruiting Profile | On3 / Rivals - Aidan Chiles Recruiting Profile

Chiles has shown flashes of brilliance in his second season at Michigan State, blending arm strength with mobility. In four games, he's improved his completion rate and cut down on turnovers dramatically from his 2024 season. His debut against Western Michigan featured efficiency with completing a ton of short passes, but in the next three games, he's added explosive runs to keep defenses honest. In a losing effort against USC, Chiles was able to have a solid day with three passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown.

CMP / ATT	YDS	TD	INT	CMP%
70/102	868	9	1	68.6

As a dual-threat option, Chiles' rushing has been a weapon too:

CAR	YDS	TD
39	154	2

When looking at the PFF ratings for Chiles, you can see he has been very efficient in every game. Similar to Raiola, the team relies on him to carry this team, and they will likely go as far as he can carry them with a below-average defense.

WEEK	OPP	OFF	PASS	RUN
1	W. MICHIGAN	64.9	59.5	69.0
2	BOSTON COLL	71.6	61.3	77.9
3	YOUNGSTOWN	70.6	70.3	62.0
4	USC	63.3	66.7	66.2
OVERALL		71.1	66.0	75.1

Aidan Chiles Big Ten Rankings (through Week 5):

Completions: 8th (70)
Interceptions: T-1st (1)
Touchdowns: 3rd (9)
Pass Yards: 9th (868)
Pass Yards/Game: 7th (217.0)
Completion %: 5th (68.6%)

Nebraska's secondary ranks No. 1 in the country in pass yards allowed, only allowing 89 yards per game, with an overall PFF coverage grade of 89.7. Saturday's matchup will be a huge test for Chiles in the pocket. But his legs could exploit gaps in the Nebraska rush defense as both Brendan Sorsby and Bryce Underwood were able to find success against the Blackshirts on the ground. The big question is whether the defense will be able to square up the run defense coming off a bye week.

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