Matt Rhule and Nebraska Start New Show After Losing Old Plot

A Charismatic Preacher Goes Solemn – A Perfect Read of the Room

When Rule arrived, he was justifiably heralded as a Big Red preacher of the Nebraska Football gospel. Despite being an outsider, he demonstrated immediate expertise in the program’s history and culture. Husker fans ate it up and were immediately enthralled. When Rhule signed Raiola, he closed the sale with Nebraska fans, and dreams of a return to glory seemed realistic.

Instead, Nebraska, while going to two bowls in Raiola’s two years, became better known for collapsing against quality Big Ten teams and folding in November. Three losses in three years to Iowa helped sour the taste of those minor bowl berths.

Husker Nation turned on Raiola and his family for having too much influence over Rhule and the program. And when Nebraska was obliterated in a 2025 Las Vegas Bowl loss to Utah, that was the moment many Big Red fans said, “peace out.”

Rhule is no longer preaching about the Huskers returning to college football’s promised land. The great emotional sermons of his first three years have disappeared. Armed with a panic-induced contract extension last fall, when the Penn State job was open, which should keep his seat cool, Rhule is rebooting his program with an attempt at more substance than hype.

In this, he is reading the room perfectly.

A Generational Shift

Husker Nation comprises three fan factions. First, there is the older group that saw Bob Devaney launch a college football powerhouse in the 1960s, culminating in national championships in 1970 and 1971. The next generation joined the first to see Tom Osborne win nattys in 1994, 1995, and 1997 after numerous close calls.

For the first two generations, Nebraska Football was life. No other sports or teams mattered. Husker Football became an industry, with multiple publications and media outlets covering it continually.

But now there is a new generation of Nebraska fans who never experienced the glory years. All they know is mediocrity and the hype that was never backed up with results. These fans also have countless sports entertainment options that the first two generations did not have or did not care to use as much.

The new generation can watch any game from any sport, pro or college, on massive HD TVs, computers, tablets or phones. They can also follow all sports on social media. Thus, if Nebraska football is failing, they can easily get over it through other sports diversions, including Husker basketball and volleyball.

One thing that unites the three generations is their growing apathy and tuning out from Husker football news. Most everyone has had their fill of unfulfilled hype and the offseason nattys.

This offseason, Husker nation is saying, “No Mas!”

Can anyone seriously blame them?

A New Religion, Show, and Opportunity

As always, the media is giving Nebraska a positive spin on its spring football season. But the roster and coaching staff are unsettled at almost every position, including at quarterback and running back. None of this will be sorted out until fall camp.

After two years of the program revolving around Dylan Raiola, the Huskers are now going to the other extreme of a team approach. Rhule aims for the final product to be greater than the sum of its parts. And with football being the ultimate team game, this is a worthwhile and realistic goal.

Initially, this 2026 approach is what Rhule originally implemented in 2023. But Raiola changed that culture. And while Rhule had no choice but to recruit the 5-star QB, the relationship badly burned him, leading to his program being handed over to the Raiola family while taking a big step back.

Rhule has his program back, but with much lower expectations for 2026. In fact, many sportsbooks have the Huskers’ win total set at under 6. Once upon a time, Nebraska fans would have rioted on the message boards, call-in shows, and social media. These days, they don’t have the energy to be bothered with it after years of being burned.

Matt Rhule and Nebraska must rebuild and fully earn the faith of Husker Nation. The days of blind faith and manic devotion are mercifully over. Ironically, that may prove to be the catalyst for future success. In turn, Husker Nation may end up loving this new, understated show and religion.

Indeed, the old plot jumped the shark so hard the show had to be canceled.

This more understated approach may prove to be the best thing that happened to Nebraska Football since Dr. Tom’s final natty.

Matt Rhule’s program is getting serious.