Dylan Raiola remembers all the details of his first Big Ten game, and not always for the right reasons.
The missed chances that defined Nebraska’s overtime loss to Illinois last fall have replayed over and over in Raiola’s mind, motivating him in the games and months that followed.
With the slate wiped clean, Raiola now leads the Nebraska football team into a new season of Big Ten Conference play with a prime opportunity: to change the script Saturday against No. 21 Michigan.
“I’ve seen the same team the last three weeks that I’ve seen this week; nothing changes for one specific game or opponent,” Raiola said of Nebraska’s attitude this week. “… It doesn’t change for who we play, but it ramps up a little bit because of the Big Ten season coming up.”
The ramp-up is natural for an undefeated Nebraska team, which will have the opportunity to secure the program’s first ranked win since 2016.
Husker players and coaches have downplayed the notion that this week’s matchup is any different than the three before it — playing a “nameless, faceless opponent” was drilled into the team’s mindset — but they understand the reality of who they’ll be lining up against.
“That maize and blue ‘M,’ it pops out on the schedule every year,” senior tight end Heinrich Haarberg said. “It doesn’t matter what they looked like the year before, it pops.”
Now in the second year under Sherrone Moore, who will not coach Saturday due to a self-imposed suspension, Michigan is not the same caliber of team as the squads that won three consecutive Big Ten titles.
It’s not far off, though; Michigan is still one of the premier teams in the Big Ten with the talent on both sides of the ball to back it up.
“This is why you came to Nebraska,” Rhule said Thursday. “We had a vision of being a program that would be relevant nationally, not for our history only, but for what we’re doing right now.”
Off to a 2-1 start, which includes a loss to No. 11 Oklahoma, Michigan is again a strong defensive team and also features the Big Ten’s leading rusher, Justice Haynes.
Nebraska can say the same with its powerful junior tailback, Emmett Johnson, and a veteran secondary which is yet to allow a passing touchdown this season.
In a matchup that is nearly even to call — the Wolverines are 1.5-point favorites as of Thursday — it’s the two young starting quarterbacks who could make all the difference.
Raiola is hardly a veteran, though Saturday will still mark the sophomore’s 17th game as Nebraska’s starting quarterback.
“Everything Dylan went through last year was for the first time,” head coach Matt Rhule said Monday. “… Dylan’s more than ready. It’s a tough league and you’re going to face great teams.”
There are natural parallels between Raiola and Michigan’s true freshman signal-caller, Bryce Underwood, with both having been five-star recruits at the top of their respective classes.
Both arrived at historic programs entrusted with the keys to the offense from day one and all the pressure that comes with it.
Raiola said he’s not overly familiar with Underwood, but they did “bump shoulders” with each other as recruits.
Where the two quarterbacks differ, however, is experience.
Underwood is three games into his collegiate career, not having faced a Big Ten defense anywhere other than the practice field.
“There’s no substitute for live game reps in a Big Ten game,” Raiola said. “He’s (Underwood) an elite player, he’s going to be ready.”
The Michigan coaching staff would agree with that assessment, though they’ve had to adjust the offensive game plan to make use of Underwood’s skillset. After initial ups and downs as a passer, Underwood used his legs to power a blowout win over Central Michigan last weekend.
Outside of any designed runs that Michigan dials up, Underwood will also look to hurt Nebraska when scrambling from the pocket.
Biff Poggi, Michigan’s interim head coach for the matchup, said Underwood has “a green light to do whatever he wants.”
Of concern for Michigan is Underwood’s ability to execute the offense in a loud road environment. The freshman quarterback has already played one road game ahead of his trip to Memorial Stadium.
“I don’t know if there’s a harder place to play than Nebraska,” Poggi said. “They’ll obviously be very excited and what Bryce has to learn — I think Bryce learned this — (is) just be Bryce; you’re not playing against the stadium.”
Much like Underwood, Raiola also has a green light, though in a different context.
Rhule said this week that Nebraska entrusts Raiola to change the play call if he notices something at the line of scrimmage.
The Husker head coach noted that Raiola has “seen everything” in practice with different defensive looks and pressures, and that his ability to understand opposing defenses opens up the playbook for offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
“It just allows the playcaller to call plays knowing he’ll get them in the right play, so you’re not always worried about worst-case scenario,” Rhule said.
Holgorsen agrees, saying Tuesday that Raiola is a “student of the game” who executes the game plan well.
Not only is Nebraska’s starting quarterback taking care of the football — Raiola has totaled 829 passing yards, eight touchdowns and zero interceptions thus far — he’s also been highly efficient, with a completion percentage that is among the best in the Big Ten.
“I think we’re doing a fantastic job of putting the ball in play,” Holgorsen said. “That is something that I talk to him about nonstop, not wasting plays.”
All of Raiola’s success this fall has been building toward this moment, toward leading Nebraska into the games that will define its season.
The preparation started early — Raiola began breaking down film of “a well-put together” Michigan defense not long after defeating Houston Christian last weekend — and opportunity dawns on Saturday.
For as good as Nebraska’s 2024 season was with a rivalry win over Colorado and a bowl game victory to end the year, the Huskers are still searching for a victory over a ranked opponent.
A fired-up crowd will pack into Memorial Stadium ready to see if this year’s Nebraska squad can deliver that milestone and send itself off to a hot start in Big Ten play.
“We’re always talking about raising bars and raising standards, and (the fans) set a pretty high bar for the Colorado game, so I want to see if we can one-up that game,” Raiola said. “… These are everything and more that you want to come here and play football for.”