The Next Step for Nebraska is Learning to Win in November, Having a Chance at the College Football Playoff

While the Huskers secured bowl eligibility for just the third time in the past decade with a hard-fought win over Northwestern on Saturday, Matt Rhule made it clear the team wouldn’t be celebrating and backed that up in a big way. During his Monday media availability, the head coach confirmed that Nebraska practiced on Sunday, just hours after wrapping up its eighth game of the year.

While most programs opt for rest this late in the season, Rhule’s squad was back on the field preparing for what might be its toughest test yet. His commitment to transforming a once-losing program continues to take shape, and this week’s matchup against No. 23 USC stands as the latest measuring stick for how far the Huskers have come with him at the helm.

Now sitting at 6-2 (3-2 Big Ten), Nebraska has gotten over the proverbial hump, and all that awaits it is to see how far over the Huskers can go. With momentum on their side and November approaching, here’s everything Rhule had to say as the Huskers turn the page toward Saturday night’s matchup, including what a win would mean for both the program’s culture and its postseason outlook.

Nebraska's Emmett Johnson moments before he barreled ahead for four yards to take the lead 28-21 against the Wildcats. | Cory Edmondson, KFGE

Facing a team of USC’s caliber is sure to be a test Nebraska must pass if it hopes to stay in the College Football Playoff conversation. So, when asked whether his team feels added pressure this week knowing a loss would eliminate them, Rhule made it clear the Huskers are focused on the present, not the projections.

“If you lose the game...what’s the point of even thinking that way?” Rhule said, emphasizing a week-by-week mentality built on preparation, not hypotheticals. After going just 1-7 in November games during his first two seasons in Lincoln, the head coach isn’t interested in letting that trend continue.

“I told the team, you need to learn how to win in November,” Rhule said, underscoring that successful programs find ways to finish strong down the stretch, something Nebraska must now replicate to take the next step as a program.

Matt Rhule talking with team captain Ceyair Wright before sending him back onto the field against Akron. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Rhule’s message wasn’t about dismissing big-picture goals, but about building the mindset required to reach them. “I always want to come down the stretch with a chance to make it into the College Football Playoff,” he said. “But the thing I want our guys to understand is, you have to win your way into it.”

After spending his first two years teaching players the physical tools to compete, Rhule’s focus in year three has shifted toward developing their mental edge. For him, it’s less about what Nebraska might become by late November and more about earning the right to be part of that conversation.

That’s why, even after a difficult win over Northwestern, the Huskers were back on the practice field less than 24 hours later. With that decision, Rhule set a standard, raising expectations and challenging his team to match his intensity as the season enters its final stretch.

USC Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley celebrates after kicker Ryon Sayeri hit a 54-yard field goal in the second half against the Michigan Wolverines. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

As it stands, Nebraska will need all the help it can get ahead of its upcoming bout with the Trojans. USC, currently 5-2 (3-1 Big Ten), boasts the nation’s top-ranked offense in total yards per game (530.0) and ranks fifth in points per game (42.4), numbers that could make even the most confident Husker fan uneasy.

Despite the daunting task, Rhule isn’t backing down. Knowing the challenge ahead, the head coach made it clear his team’s focus remains inward. “If USC is way better than us, so be it. Let’s just worry about ourselves,” he said.

For a team learning how to win in November, that approach may be exactly what Nebraska needs, not only to survive the stretch but to grow from it. The pressure may be off after securing bowl eligibility, but the next four regular-season games offer the chance to achieve something greater than the bare minimum, something Rhule has made clear is up to his players to seize.

While a loss wouldn’t absolutely derail the season, a win could catapult the Huskers into the upper tier of college football programs, the very place Rhule was hired to return them to. With another opportunity to knock off a ranked opponent at home, expect Nebraska to come out swinging on Saturday night. And if Rhule’s comments are any indication, it won’t be a lack of preparation that decides the outcome.

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