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Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola to enter transfer portal

By Andrew Kulha | Last updated Dec 15, 2025 2:04 PM ET

For a while, it seemed like there was potential for the Nebraska Cornhuskers to retain star quarterback Dylan Raiola for his junior season in Lincoln. At the very least, head coach Matt Rhule was talking like a coach who felt he was getting his star player back.

Looking back on it now, though, Raiola returning for year three was a pipe dream for the Huskers, considering today's transfer portal and NIL-focused college football environment.

Raiola was absolutely going to get courted, especially after his younger brother decommitted from Nebraska and his uncle, offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, was fired by Rhule.

It all adds up, doesn't it? And the end result is that Raiola is expected to enter the transfer portal.

This, according to ESPN's Pete Thamel:

Sources: Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola intends to enter the NCAA transfer portal. He’s a true sophomore who has two years of eligibility remaining. He threw for 18 touchdowns, 2000 yards and completed 72.4% of his passes this year. pic.twitter.com/Frt7QgFN57
— Pete Thamel (@PeteThamel) December 15, 2025

While there's always the possibility that Raiola enters the portal to see what kind of options he has and then ultimately comes back to Nebraska, it does seem like this is going to be a permanent decision.

Dylan Raiola to leave Nebraska Cornhuskers, enter transfer portal

Thamel's reporting suggests that Raiola is indeed ready to move on from Nebraska.

"Raiola is seeking a place where he [can] thrive and best harness his potential and develop for the next steps of his career," Thamel wrote.

This is a big loss for Rhule and the Huskers because Raiola has long represented hope for this program. He was a five-star recruit, ranked as the No. 2 quarterback in the 2024 class and the No. 7 player overall by 247Sports.

Throw in the fact that his father, Dominic Raiola, was a two-time All-Big 12 and Rimington Trophy-winning center at Nebraska in the early 2000s, and this seemed like a match made in college football heaven.

Raiola has had ups and downs as a young quarterback in Lincoln, but the talent has always been there. This season, he threw for 2,000 yards and 18 touchdowns compared to six interceptions before suffering a season-ending injury in November. As a freshman, he threw for 2,819 yards and 13 touchdowns with 11 interceptions.

Raiola has the built-in talent to be a superstar, and he's going to be arguably the most-coveted quarterback on the transfer-portal market this winter.

Andrew Kulha

Andrew Kulha is probably the only sports writer you know who also doubles as a mortician. Spooky! @KulhaSports

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