Will Nebraska take that long-awaited leap in Year 3 under coach Matt Rhule in 2025? That’s a key question after the Huskers snapped a seven-year bowl drought last season, and with quarterback Dylan Raiola now entering his second year as the starter and expectations rising in Lincoln. Expert Michael Bruntz of Husker247 joined Bud Elliott on the Cover 3 College Football Summer School series to preview expectations for Nebraska this fall.
What are the stakes for Nebraska in 2025?
Nebraska’s challenges in one-possession games have been a recurring problem since the Scott Frost era, with a 5-22 (.185) record during his tenure in Lincoln. Under Rhule, that trend has persisted, with a 3-10 (.300) mark in those situations.
“Before Matt Rhule, I mean, it’s not just on his tab, but this is a program that has not won close games — and has been terrible at it — and self-inflicted type mistakes in those games,” Bruntz said. “I think the goal has been: how do you play toward the top of that potential? And I think that’s kind of been the question mark for years around Nebraska. Things look like they should be trending in a positive direction there, but for whatever reason, you’re not able to get off the ground.”
If the Huskers want to make a serious push in the 2025 season, overcoming their struggles in close games will be essential. Every one-possession battle in the Big Ten carries heightened stakes — wins in those tight contests could be the difference between a potential College Football Playoff run or another mediocre finish.
Breakout player everybody needs to know
Nebraska recognized the need to bolster its receiver corps through the transfer portal, aiming to add a playmaker who can elevate Raiola, the former five-star quarterback prospect and second-year starter. The Huskers are optimistic that Kentucky transfer Dane Key will provide that much-needed boost.
“There were certainly connections with his wide receiver coach (Daikiel Shorts) coming from Kentucky, but he was a guy that Nebraska really zeroed in on right away with the mix of production and veteran presence that they really needed in that group.”
During his 38 games played at Kentucky, the 6-foot-3, 210-pound Key caught 126 passes for 1,870 yards and 14 touchdowns. While those are solid numbers, Key will need to elevate his production significantly to reach the rare milestone that only two Huskers in program history have achieved — 1,000 receiving yards in a single season.
Win total outlook
The projected win total of Nebraska is 7.5 with juice on the over, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. That would mean reaching eight regular-season wins for just the second time since Bo Pelini’s firing in 2014.
On paper, the Huskers should benefit from one of the most manageable schedules in the Big Ten, avoiding powerhouses like Ohio State and Oregon. The real test, however, lies in winning those games against teams like Maryland, Michigan State, Minnesota, Northwestern and UCLA — all of which enter the 2025 season with longer odds to win the conference.
“It feels like there’s pretty good potential for Nebraska to get over that,” Bruntz said. “They finished last season with momentum. I think they made some positive additions with the transfer portal, it’s just a matter of when you get to the fall in Saturday’s can you put all that stuff together.”
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