Is that Patrick Mahomes? Heck no, that is Dylan Raiola. Matt Rhule and the Huskers have proved after their 2 Week 1 games that they have got one heck of a prodigy on their team. QB Dylan Raiola is something else, folks. With the season opener against the Miners, Raiola managed to assert complete dominance on the turf.

The true freshman locked in 2 TDs and an amazing 59-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Neyor. He was so impressive that even former HC Nick Saban was singing his praises back on September 7th. “Nebraska QB showed confidence in the game. He didn’t play like a freshman,” Saban had mentioned. 

So, it shouldn’t come as a surprise that Josh Pate now has a bold prediction about Nebraska as Raiola takes the team into Week 2. “You could talk me into double digit wins,” Pate noted when asked about what he thinks the Huskers can achieve this season. The game against the Buffs is what solidified Raiola as the best and the Huskers’ offense as one of the strongest. RB Dante Dowdell and Raiola were all over the field and it was absolute domination in the first half of the game. Nebraska ended with 28-10 on the scoreboard, with Raiola grabbing 1 TD and Dowdell grabbing 2 TDs. However, while the offensive domination was quite visible and Matt Rhule’s year 2 reinforcement of the team paid off, one thing people skipped on was the defense.

“They’ve got the most underrated defensive staff in the country,” Pate mentioned. If we go back to the Buffs game, Deion Sanders’ team had NO chance. Every opening in which Jimmy Horn Jr or Travis Hunter got to run the football was cut short by the Huskers’ defense. It was so bad that till the 3rd quarter, the Buffs were on negative rushing yards. This proves that the new era of Huskers football under Rhule is going to pay off big time. However, the main question is if they can keep up the momentum while stepping into Week 2.

What awaits Dylan Raiola and the Huskers?

The first big threat for Matt Rhule’s run would be the Trojans. Quite literally, the underdogs, the Trojans under Lincoln Riley, have managed to achieve something else. A 48-0 win against the Aggies and a 27-20 win over LSU, proved that Riley has revamped the defenses of the team. While QB Miller Moss is yet to make it big, the defense being the silver lining for the team could grab them an easy win against the Huskers.

Next up for the Huskers is a tough road game at Ohio State, and even Josh Pate admits that “everyone circled that game for a reason.” While Pate’s not entirely convinced of a loss, it’s clear that the Buckeyes are a tough opponent. The Huskers will have their hands full with Ohio State’s Will Howard and Chip Kelly play-calling combo, which is something you should keep an eye out for. Marked as the No.1 team on the Power Rankings list, the Buckeyes have had a massive Week 1 showcase. With Howard 4 TDs and 600+ yards already, the Huskers are going to have a rough time dealing with what HC Ryan Day has in store.

Let’s wait and watch who comes out on top.