Why All the Pressure is on Matt Rhule and Nebraska vs. Michigan State

For the Huskers to get to where they want to go, they'd better win games like this.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule faces pressure in all 12 games each season. | Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska and other college football teams play 12 regular-season games. Not many, right? Unless you’re one of the linemen taking a pounding every snap.

Twelve games to determine a season. Twelve games to feel good about your school … or not. Twelve games that determine some fans’ mindset and self-esteem until the next season.

Coaches are held accountable for each of the 12 games. Every coach deals with that pressure. Maybe more so for Huskers coach Matt Rhule, who wants to win now and, big picture, is trying to get his program over the proverbial hump of the Big Ten mushy middle and reestablish Nebraska as one of the premier programs in America.

Pretty big task, eh?

With only 12 of them, each game is enormous. There is the week-long buildup, with preview stories and reports. Odds are set and debated. Fans calculate how a win Saturday would feel.

Or a loss.

Each game’s outcome is figured into the whole of the season. What does it mean? And why? To the more zealous fans, each game is a proverbial life or death struggle — silly, we know.

Nebraska plays its first road game and first Big Ten game of 2026 at Michigan State on Saturday afternoon (4 o’clock, CT, Big Ten Network). No free passes for Rhule because it’s a road game and Spartan Stadium is no bargain.

Yes, the game is huge. Nothing could be bigger.

Until the following Saturday.  And the one after that.

Here’s why the pressure is directly on Rhule

When you consider Nebraska and Michigan State, where they are, where they think they’re going, and the coaches involved, there is no doubt the pressure to win Saturday is squarely on the shoulders of Rhule and his Huskers.

No doubt.

The pressure surrounding this game has nothing to do with the point spread, which puts the Huskers as a 5.5-point road favorite. This game has just as much to do with the progress of Rhule’s program. This game has everything to do with not what an expected win would mean, but what a loss would mean.

A loss? Has that even been considered? Or calculated?

Can you imagine the mood around Lincoln and around the football program next week if the Huskers lose to Sparty? Lose to Indiana or Ohio State and the outcome, while likely painful, can be justified. How about a loss to Sparty?

Fans who hoped the Huskers’ 3-0 start might mean something would not be happy. Emails would fly. Fans would go through the schedule and wonder this: If we can’t beat Michigan State, who are we going to beat on this difficult schedule?

There are only 12 games. Rhule is accountable all 12 times. He has won the three games everyone expected him to win. Now, when he runs into his first Power 4 team, his Huskers better win that one, too.

This is why all of the pressure Saturday is on Rhule and the Huskers.

What about the Spartans?

Michigan State has had its moments of national prominence over the years, but nothing like Nebraska. The Spartans have a new coach in Pat Fitzgerald, an emotional motivator who is known to get the most out of his teams.

Fitzgerald’s first year probably has different expectations depending on whom you ask. Of course, Fitz and his players want to win every game. He was visibly angry when the Spartans lost at No. 3 Notre Dame last Saturday.

Michigan State coach Pat Fitzgerald celebrates a play against Toledo with offensive lineman Trent Fraley during the first half at Spartan Stadium. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

But for a program that’s basically starting over, it’s unrealistic to win every week. Fitz knows it.

He might get there. He had great success at Northwestern, a school with limited talent. With Fitz coaching at a land grant school willing to spend money like Michigan State, it wouldn’t be surprising to see Sparty make noise in the Big Ten sooner rather than later.

Just not yet. A MSU win over Nebraska would be sweet for Sparty. A Nebraska win over MSU is necessary.

That's another reason the pressure is on Nebraska this week. The Huskers have to win the games they are expected to win. With a 12-game schedule, those are the rules.

Where Nebraska wants to be

Rhule is in his fourth season at Lincoln. He came into the season with a 19-19 career record with the Huskers.

Nebraska’s aspirations are simple, yet complicated: Return to national prominence. Return to where teams are afraid of the imposing Huskers as they storm into an opposing stadium, backed by immensely loyal fans who show up and let you know they’re there.

Rhule seems on a good path, even if the number of wins — and the lack of a signature win — is fewer than many expected. He has brought in what appear to be excellent new assistant coaches. But the Huskers haven’t been challenged yet.

That’s about to change, as Saturday is the first of nine Big Ten games.

Transfers seem to be working for Nebraska. Not every transfer will be a hit but quarterback Anthony Colandrea sure seems to be.

NIL is a work in progress. Nebraska reportedly is ninth in NIL spending in the 18-team Big Ten.

Nebraska running back Jamal Rule runs for a touchdown against Bowling Green at Memorial Stadium. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Sensational freshman running back Jamal Rule is only one part of what looks like a solid recruiting group. Rule is ninth in the nation is rushing with 329 yards.

But the pressure on Matt Rhule to win is now — not when all the promising seedlings might come to harvest.

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