Nebraska‘s third consecutive loss this season in the NCAAF took a backseat to the injury concerns surrounding star quarterback Dylan Raiola, who was unable to finish the game against UCLA due to a back injury. Regarding this situation, it was the player himself who provided a major update.
The Cornhuskers are heading into the final stretch of the season with a string of consecutive losses, a situation made even more critical by the fact that one of their best players, QB Dylan Raiola, was unable to finish the last game due to a hard hit to his back.
Regarding this situation, the talented player reassured the media about his current health status in his post-game interview after the loss: “Got hit in the wrong spot,” Raiola said, via Max Olson of ESPN.
“I’ll come in tomorrow and get checked out and probably get screened. I thought I could fight through it. I went out there and I guess it kind of locked up on me,” the QB finally concluded.
The aspirations of Matt Rhule’s squad have dwindled in recent weeks due to a series of consecutive losses. If Raiola’s injury is confirmed, it would be a significant setback for Nebraska as they head into the final stretch of the season.
Raiola’s struggles against UCLA
The challenging situation for the Cornhuskers can be partly attributed to the underwhelming performances of some of their stars during this stage of the tournament. A prime example is the level displayed by QB Dylan Raiola before his exit due to the back injury against UCLA.
Raiola passed for 177 yards, with one touchdown and one interception. This marked the second consecutive game in which he did not exceed 200 passing yards and the fourth time overall this season.
Once the starting QB had to leave the field, Heinrich Haarberg stepped in. The junior completed only two of his passes for 32 yards and also threw an interception to end the game.
One more win to secure a Bowl game
Nebraska started the season with great momentum; however, their recent performances have not been impressive, and they currently hold a record of five wins and four losses. With three games remaining, Rhule’s squad needs one more victory to secure a bowl game.
These are the upcoming matchups the Cornhuskers must play in order to achieve their primary goal of the season:
- vs USC, November 16th
- vs Wisconsin, November 23rd
- vs Iowa, November 29th