Matt Rhule’s Million-Dollar Shocker Forces Tennessee’s Demand for Serious Consequences as Insider Exposes Blunt Intentions

Well, for a long time, Nebraska kept serving its fans a cold buffet of disappointment, and at this point, nobody’s asking for seconds. After a shaky season, Matt Rhule pulled the plug on the spring game — fine. But now? Now Nebraska looks like it’s shadowboxing its own paranoia as Rhule’s intense focus on NIL is not just changing how he approaches recruiting and the transfer portal, but also scheduling. Is that Nebraska’s new war cry? If so, someone should check the microphone. To what extent will this chaos persist before reality intervenes?

Let’s get down to brass tacks — the Nebraska Cornhuskers is canceling its two nonconference games against Tennessee Volunteers to shore up its finances. Well, Matt Rhule’s team was destined to play against the Vols on September 12, 2026, in Lincoln and on September 11, 2027, in Knoxville. But that’s an old story now. Memorial Stadium’s 2027 renovations will probably reduce revenue due to fewer seats, and to avoid losses, Nebraska revised its plans, rearranged its schedule, and sought methods to recoup its funds.

However, the biggest irony of this situation is they are planning on gaining revenue by dilating their NIL. Yes, you heard that right. Matt Rhule’s Huskers are going to pay a hefty amount to Vols for calling off their game. Even insider RJ Young confirms the stance, exposing their weird game plan. “Nebraska’s going to pay Tennessee $1 million to go away. That $1 million doesn’t feel like that steep a price like it did in, say, 2014. Yesterday’s price is not today’s price, is what Danny White would like you to think. He would say, Hey, look, if you’re going to pull out this late in the game, there should be consequences. There should be consequences. There should be things that you have to admit to, some tests that you might need to pass, or we need to hit you with a higher level.”

That’s a straight fact. In today’s college football world, $1 million is pocket change. And for a team like Tennessee, a million dollars means nothing whose HC salary is around $9 million. Let’s examine the flow of funds into coaching: Florida State invests $10 million, USC $11 million, Ohio State a substantial $125 million, and Texas and Georgia are spending $10-13 million. SEC schools? They’re raking in over $50 million annually from TV deals alone. What about ESPN? Regardless of who makes the College Football Playoff, they just spent $7.8 billion on it.

Now the question is whether this is solely a cost-cutting strategy or if Matt Rhule’s Nebraska is concerned about facing a playoff opponent. Their upcoming season already features three 2024 college football playoff teams: Ohio State, Oregon, and Indiana. As we all know, Rhule is under pressure to make this season a success. But what’s done is done. Nebraska has already made changes to its schedule in 2026 and 2027, replacing Tennessee with Bowling Green and Miami (Ohio), respectively, to align with their long-term goals. Additionally, they have added an extra game against Northern Iowa in 2027, increasing their home games to eight for the first time since 2013.

Moreover, it’s not like Matt Rhule’s program is the first one to follow this path. Even Tennessee has also made similar schedule changes in the past, swapping a 2022 home game against Army for Akron. But Nebraska could have at least considered their history with Tennessee before making this decision.

Tennessee Volunteers are disheartened with Matt Rhule’s Nebraska Cornhuskers decision

Nebraska has a strong history against Tennessee, but Matt Rhule is choosing to walk away from a scheduled home-and-home series as if it’s just another game. The Huskers dominated the Vols in their last two meetings, notably with a 42-17 victory in the Orange Bowl that contributed to their 1997 national title. This win was not just significant; it was a defining moment for Nebraska football. The decision to withdraw from the series seems peculiar, especially for a program aiming to regain national prominence.

Now, instead of facing a prominent SEC opponent and building on their history, they’re opting out. Even Tennessee’s AD looks quite disappointed with Matt Rhule’s team’s recent move. While expressing his thoughts, Danny White said, “Tennessee is not canceling this series. Nebraska did. We are very disappointed that they didn’t want to play these games, especially this close to 2026.”

Tennessee has been improving, and facing them could have been an opportunity for Nebraska to demonstrate its place in the big leagues once again. Instead, they are opting to replace the Vols with opponents who are more likely to be defeated, trading a high-profile matchup for safer bets at home. For a team that thrived on challenging the best, this change feels like a step backward.