The recent loss to the USC Trojans wasn’t just another mark on the Nebraska Cornhuskers’ record. The full story of what happened with Dylan Raiola, the team’s star under Matt Rhule, has finally come to light.
The talented quarterback, one of the standout players this college football season, suffered a broken fibula during his last game and will miss at least the remainder of the season. A devastating blow for the Huskers and their aspirations.
The news was confirmed by college football insider Pete Thamel, who reported via his official X account (formerly Twitter), about this devastating blow to one of the programs with strong CFP goals.
“Sources: Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola is out for the year with a broken fibula. He suffered the injury against USC on Saturday night,” the insider reported via @PeteThamel.
Rhule took no chances
Nebraska Head Coach Matt Rhule made a tough, but ultimately principled, decision in the Cornhuskers’ heartbreaking loss to USC, pulling star quarterback Dylan Raiola after a third-quarter ankle injury.
While Raiola was reportedly desperate to re-enter the game with the score close, Rhule delivered a major admission on Dylan Raiola’s departure in Cornhuskers’ loss to USC, stating publicly that he refused to put his young signal-caller back on the field.
“I just didn’t see the respectable thing to do to put a guy out there who can’t run,” Rhule said, prioritizing Raiola’s long-term health and safety over a potential comeback win, even as the offense sputtered with the backup.
Replacing Raiola: Who will take the helm
With the devastating news that quarterback Dylan Raiola is expected to miss the remainder of the season due to a broken fibula, the Nebraska Cornhuskers will now hand the reins of the offense to true freshman TJ Lateef.
The highly-touted backup was unexpectedly thrust into action against USC, and while Head Coach Matt Rhule praised his admirable effort, Lateef will face a steep learning curve leading a Power Five offense through the final stretch of the schedule, starting with a crucial road test next week. The immediate future of the Huskers’ attack now rests entirely on the shoulders of the inexperienced QB.