Top Analyst Predicts a Step Forward for Nebraska Football in 2025

The cherry on top of the season was a victory in the Pinstripe Bowl that gave the Huskers a winning record in Raiola's first year as a starter. Now in 2025, the team is expected to take another step along with its quarterback.

Husker fans are not the only ones who are excited about the team's potential improvement. Top college football analyst Josh Pate is predicting with confidence that Nebraska will improve its win total and finish better than 6-6 this upcoming year.

"I am ready to predict and back with my own money that Nebraska will be better than 6-6 this year," Pate said.

That does not say much more than the fact that Nebraska will be better than a slightly disappointing 2024 season that saw them finish on the fringe of bowl eligibility. However, just like last season was a necessary step for the development of the program, this season could be another marginal improvement when fans may be hoping for a substantial one.

There are signs that point toward this being a more significant jump in wins than just "better than 6-6." Rhule has a history of making a jump to double-digit wins in his third year with a program. At Temple and Baylor, he went from fringe bowl eligibility to conference title contention in his third year.

The precedent is there for Nebraska to have a sizable jump in wins in 2025, but it's also possible that this is another stepping stone season towards 2026 when Raiola and the rest of the team are more seasoned and ready to make a bigger leap.

Whatever the results of the 2025 season end up being, Pate's comments show that there is some confidence in the Huskers on a national level. Even if the confidence is limited compared to the most optimistic of Husker fans.

More From Nebraska On SI