Nebraska Coach Matt Rhule Addresses Pulling Injured Dylan Raiola

The No. 23 USC Trojans are 6-2 following a big win on the road against the Nebraska Cornhuskers. It was a close, low-scoring game, and after the matchup, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule addressed the defensive adjustments the team made to stop the run.

Jul 22, 2025; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule speaks to the media during the Big Ten NCAA college football media days at Mandalay Bay Resort. Mandatory Credit: Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images | Lucas Peltier-Imagn Images

The No. 23 USC Trojans took down the Nebraska Cornhuskers, 21-17. It was a big win for USC coach Lincoln Riley and the Trojans, showing they can win on the road and avoid back-to-back games.

The Trojans are moving to a 6-2 record, while Nebraska falls to 6-3. After the game, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule addressed the media about the loss against USC, explaining the defensive adjustments made to stop the run.

Rhule Addresses Defense Stopping USC’s Offense

Oct 11, 2025; College Park, Maryland, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule walks the field before the game against the Maryland Terrapins at SECU Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images | Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

“Anytime we give up 200 yards rushing, we’re not gonna be happy. At the same time, I don’t think anyone has held them to 21 points very often. I mean, they’re explosive, so I thought they had some really, really good moments. Some valiant moments. But we lost the game, so we’ll have to get better,” Rhule said.

“They score a lot of points a lot of times, right? So, we knew we were just gonna have to keep playing, right? So, to me, it wasn’t like any one play was going to win or lose the game in the third,” Rhule said. “Going back to the decision to take the points instead of going for a 4th and 1, it was kind of like, hey, let’s just keep collecting points. I felt like it was just gonna be a battle until the very end.”

“They ran the flea-flicker that obviously flipped the field on us and then got the pass interference call to put the ball down in their tight. Other than that, we were doing a pretty good job at holding them to field goals,” Rhule said.

Oct 11, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; USC Trojans quarterback Jayden Maiava (14) warms up prior to the game against the Michigan Wolverines at United Airlines Field at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

“At the end of the day, we were right there with them. Twice, they made contested catches and made good plays,” Rhule said. “Our DBs made a lot of plays on the ball early in the game. They made a couple plays at the end.”

“We knew the way we were playing them early on that we were chasing the counter. There’s always a player for the quarterback. A couple of times, they were there, and Maiava made the play, so at the end of the day on defense, you have to get off blocks and tackle. And make plays, and he made some nice plays,” Rhule said. 

“John made the adjustment after that to kind of, ‘hey, we’re gonna play the quarterback more. And that led to at the end, we had a nice play where we got the quarterback for the loss.”

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“That’s part of their offense. They’ll run the quarterback when you chase the counter,” Rhule said. “There’s really nothing there that was surprising; it’s just kind of what they do.”

Understanding USC’s Strength

Nov 16, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Southern California Trojans head coach Lincoln Riley watches game action against the Nebraska Cornhuskers during the second half at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

“I just know it’s gonna be a battle. They played Notre Dame till the very end,” Rhule said. “All along I told the guys, we’re gonna play back and forth, play back and forth, it’s gonna come down to the end, and you’re gonna have a chance to win the game. And we had a chance to win the game.”

“It’s a big time football game. They’re in the position they’re in as a result of what they’ve done.”

Rhule On Pulling Dylan Raiola

In a close matchup, Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola suffered an ankle injury. Rhule addressed why Raiola did not return to the game against USC, putting in quarterback TJ Lateef.

“Dylan wanted to play. From a medical perspective, they were like, ‘he can’t run’,” Rhule said. “I just didn’t see the respectable thing to do to put a guy out there who can’t run. So, I think TJ has a bright, bright future.”

Oct 17, 2025; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) looks on during the second half against the Minnesota Golden Gophers at Huntington Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Matt Krohn-Imagn Images | Matt Krohn-Imagn Images

“Really, at the end of the day, I just don’t think you can put a guy out there who can’t defend himself. I don’t think that’s the right thing to do.”

“[Lateef] did all the things in practice. We had to go to wristbands, just some of the verbiage, and all that stuff. He doesn’t get as many reps at it,” Rhule said. “On that one drive in the red zone, the play we fumbled the snap, I think we would have walked in on the screen. We had a great play.”

“I had to call timeout one other time where we just kind of discombobulated at how we were lined up,” Rhule said. “Obviously, anytime you lose your starting quarterback and a freshman goes out there, there’s gonna minimize some.”

The No. 23 USC Trojans will return to L.A. Memorial Coliseum to face the Northwestern Wildcats on Friday, Nov. 7.