In both of Matt Rhule's previous two coaching stops at the college level, his teams took a great leap forward during his third year, winning ten (Temple in 2016) or eleven (Baylor in 2019) games.
In his third year at Nebraska, the Huskers finished 7-6.
This is, of course, an improvement over his predecessor Scott Frost, the former Nebraska quarterback who looked like a can't-miss choice after leading Central Florida to a perfect 13-0 season, but failed to post a winning record in four and one-third seasons on the Lincoln sidelines.
A cynic might say that the success Frost and Rhule experienced in the AAC was simply a result of that conference being a random-number generator without a dominant team, leaving the door wide open for a coach to use a lucky season as a stepping stone to a bigger and more lucrative job. But an anti-cynic would point out that Rhule also did the same thing in the Big XII, and are you really going to say that conference is a random-number generator?
Well, it's been a long while since it had a dominant team, so yes, that is what I am saying.
Still, I can't help but notice that the lying media keeps repeating a falsehood about Matt Rhule's tenure at Nebraska; specifically, that he has not beaten a ranked team as the Huskers' head coach. That is demonstrably false. In 2024 the Huskers knocked off the No. 21 team ... in the FCS (Northern Iowa). Otherwise, it's true: Matt Rhule has a whopping two career victories over ranked teams, and both of those wins came while he was at Temple.
However one defines the Big Ten "elite" (I'd say it's Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Oregon, and USC, with Indiana knocking on the door), Rhule is winless against them.
"But!" comes the cry. "He has played extremely close games against Ohio State and Michigan that he certainly could have won with just one more lucky break in each one!" And that is true, but you'd want to look past the 56-7 curb-stomp Indiana laid on the Huskers the week before Nebraska almost, but not quite, beat Ohio State.
I know this is going to upset some fans of these teams, but: What is the value of almost beating Ohio State and Michigan when you have never beaten Iowa, Minnesota, or Wisconsin?
I almost feel bad for the Husker faithful. The youngest people who could possibly have eyewitness memory of Nebraska as a national power are around 35 years old now. But I am older than that, and I remember the overweening arrogance of Huskers fans during the 70s, 80s, and 90s. I'm not sure they've suffered enough yet. Also we all know the sellout streak ended a few years ago.
This all leads into:
The Big Question: Is Matt Rhule just PJ Fleck with a different personality?
My best guess at the answer: No, Rhule is Glen Mason under an assumed name.
Key Games:
- Maryland, Oct. 3: Yes, I know, October Maryland. Mike Locksley is still coaching the Terps. This game is sandwiched between a road trip to Michigan State and Indiana coming to town, plus, like I said, October Maryland, so there's a very good chance that the Skers and their fans are going to think this will be easy skanking. It's a trap game.
- at Illinois, Nov. 6: I'm sure there are old-school Husker fans who will take this game lightly since honestly the Illini are still kinda wishy-washy. But where have they been for the past 25 seasons? Nebraska can't take anybody lightly. Well, maybe Bowling Green.
AI-Generated Joke About the Huskers:
Why do Nebraska fans love taking long road trips?
Because it’s the only place left where they can still cruise on 1990s nostalgia for eight hours straight!
You know, this is a pretty good joke too, but I can't give it full marks because honestly eight hours of 1990s nostalgia sounds pretty good to my cold, cynical Gen X heart. 6/10.
Prediction: The Huskers roar out to a 5-0 start, but that's just a point they pass through on their way to a 6-6 finish.
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