Was 2025 really an improvement over 2024?

[Irv]

Many of us seem to be assuming the fact that 2025 was an incremental improvement over 2024. But was it really?

NU had six losses in 2024.

2 were to playoff teams. The other 4 were competitive games.

We only suffered one blowout loss - to playoff-bound Indiana.

We played the national champions on the road about as closely as any team they played that was not Michigan (21-17 loss).

Best win was a manhandling of CU, who finished the regular season ranked at 9-3.


2025 we had 5 losses.

Absent a Michigan win tomorrow, none of those are playoff teams.

We were blown out 3 times including by a mediocre Minnesota team and with 2 of those to end the season.

The best win was 7-4 Cincinnati, week zero.


You can grade on a curve a little for TJ, but the schedule (as indicated above) was also quite a bit easier.

I don’t think it’s a lock to say this team is better than last year’s, which I think is a problem if you are trying to buy into Rhule’s vision of how he is going to build this.

 

[Steveweiser316]

Many of us seem to be assuming the fact that 2025 was an incremental improvement over 2024. But was it really?

NU had six losses in 2024.

2 were to playoff teams. The other 4 were competitive games.

We only suffered one blowout loss - to playoff-bound Indiana.

We played the national champions on the road about as closely as any team they played that was not Michigan (21-17 loss).

Best win was a manhandling of CU, who finished the regular season ranked at 9-3.


2025 we had 5 losses.

Absent a Michigan win tomorrow, none of those are playoff teams.

We were blown out 3 times including by a mediocre Minnesota team and with 2 of those to end the season.

The best win was 7-4 Cincinnati, week zero.


You can grade on a curve a little for TJ, but the schedule (as indicated above) was also quite a bit easier.

I don’t think it’s a lock to say this team is better than last year’s, which I think is a problem if you are trying to buy into Rhule’s vision of how he is going to build this.

We looked better overall as a team at times this year compared to last. However, if there was “progress” I think it was minimal and only amounted to 1 additional regular season win. I understand Dylan got hurt but that’s not the reason why we got blasted by Minn, Penn State and Cockeye.

 

[Bootleg11]

Raiola doesn’t get hurt yeah I think it is because I think they win that USC game.

The most disappointing thing to me was the absolute miss on the DL.

I’m struggling with completely faulting the OL because they ran the ball so well but the pass protection was disgusting by the OTs.

But misreading what this DL was going to be by Rhule in a league where it is so so important to be big and deep there…that is what makes me scratch my head.

Honestly the defense as a whole I think there were a lot of personnel misses. Safety and LB were also not upgraded enough.

Why is this team falling part in November every year. Depth? Worn down?

Also just thinking about the last game…I don’t get how Cockeye can run bootleg like they do but Nebraska’s play action while running for 200+ yards is a complete disaster.

 

[Irv]

We looked better overall as a team at times this year compared to last. However, if there was “progress” I think it was minimal and only amounted to 1 additional regular season win. I understand Dylan got hurt but that’s not the reason why we got blasted by Minn, Penn State and Cockeye.

Special teams significantly better. Which is a red flag to why the whole thing was about the same.

 

[vailhusker]

Many of us seem to be assuming the fact that 2025 was an incremental improvement over 2024. But was it really?

NU had six losses in 2024.

2 were to playoff teams. The other 4 were competitive games.

We only suffered one blowout loss - to playoff-bound Indiana.

We played the national champions on the road about as closely as any team they played that was not Michigan (21-17 loss).

Best win was a manhandling of CU, who finished the regular season ranked at 9-3.


2025 we had 5 losses.

Absent a Michigan win tomorrow, none of those are playoff teams.

We were blown out 3 times including by a mediocre Minnesota team and with 2 of those to end the season.

The best win was 7-4 Cincinnati, week zero.


You can grade on a curve a little for TJ, but the schedule (as indicated above) was also quite a bit easier.

I don’t think it’s a lock to say this team is better than last year’s, which I think is a problem if you are trying to buy into Rhule’s vision of how he is going to build this.

 

[Sous Chef]

Many of us seem to be assuming the fact that 2025 was an incremental improvement over 2024. But was it really?

NU had six losses in 2024.

2 were to playoff teams. The other 4 were competitive games.

We only suffered one blowout loss - to playoff-bound Indiana.

We played the national champions on the road about as closely as any team they played that was not Michigan (21-17 loss).

Best win was a manhandling of CU, who finished the regular season ranked at 9-3.


2025 we had 5 losses.

Absent a Michigan win tomorrow, none of those are playoff teams.

We were blown out 3 times including by a mediocre Minnesota team and with 2 of those to end the season.

The best win was 7-4 Cincinnati, week zero.


You can grade on a curve a little for TJ, but the schedule (as indicated above) was also quite a bit easier.

I don’t think it’s a lock to say this team is better than last year’s, which I think is a problem if you are trying to buy into Rhule’s vision of how he is going to build this.

To me more important is we seemed to be gaining momentum at the end of the season. The infuriating fashion in which we lost to Cockeye is so much more preferable to this years buttfucking from an optics standpoint. We won the bowl game and things looked promising. We are losing to whoever they decide to feed our corpse to in the bowl game and will finish with the exact same record as last year but there won't be a single thing that will give us hope. So short answer no we are actually worse this year by a good margin.

 

[ChocaEgg]

Not an improvement. Team fucking sucks and looked unprepared. Still no identity on offense, and defense lines up in 3 man front on 2nd & goals. Love Ek tho

 

[TampaBaySkers]

No - I’d argue this is Rhule’s worst team (not due to talent) Blown out by three unranked teams. Very, very weak schedule. Next year is going to be a blood bath.

 

[TampaBaySkers]

Not an improvement. Team fucking sucks and looked unprepared. Still no identity on offense, and defense lines up in 3 man front on 2nd & goals. Love Ek tho

Without Ek Nebraska is probably 5-7

 

[doublewing]

Outside of special teams, it's hard to see improvement on offense or defense. Offense was improved in some areas but we remain bad on the OL, negating any improvement. Same thing for the defense - secondary was better but we had a shit DL.

Every team will experience occasional drop-offs but it's clear that we're not building a foundation to this program. Your HS recruiting classes should be used to develop players and build depth, particularly on the OL and DL. We're not seeing that and will be a program that is too reliant on the portal every off season.

 

[wildcat_husker]

Stagnant. I’m curious how we’d view the season if Raiola didn’t get hurt and we beat USC.

 

[Tell_Sackett]

Many of us seem to be assuming the fact that 2025 was an incremental improvement over 2024. But was it really?

NU had six losses in 2024.

2 were to playoff teams. The other 4 were competitive games.

We only suffered one blowout loss - to playoff-bound Indiana.

We played the national champions on the road about as closely as any team they played that was not Michigan (21-17 loss).

Best win was a manhandling of CU, who finished the regular season ranked at 9-3.


2025 we had 5 losses.

Absent a Michigan win tomorrow, none of those are playoff teams.

We were blown out 3 times including by a mediocre Minnesota team and with 2 of those to end the season.

The best win was 7-4 Cincinnati, week zero.


You can grade on a curve a little for TJ, but the schedule (as indicated above) was also quite a bit easier.

I don’t think it’s a lock to say this team is better than last year’s, which I think is a problem if you are trying to buy into Rhule’s vision of how he is going to build this.

Our lack of development is troubling. We are too reliant on the portal and have far too many holes to fill. I do think the meltdowns in November are a product of how little depth we have.

When you analyze it blow by blow, this season was worse.

 

[SlumpBuster]

Stagnant. I’m curious how we’d view the season if Raiola didn’t get hurt and we beat USC.

Yeah that's my thoughts. Not any better, not any worse.

Minnesota was the true stain on the season. That's not a good football team.

Cockeye is a pretty decent team and Michigan PSU USC are as well. (Though the way we lost to Cockeye and and PSU are not good).

 

[iruletheskool]

No

 

[Alcaus]

I think it was an improvement but still a disappointment

 

[iruletheskool]

I guess IF we win a bowl 8>7

 

[Hotcarl]

Also just thinking about the last game…I don’t get how Cockeye can run bootleg like they do but Nebraska’s play action while running for 200+ yards is a complete disaster.

I think you answered your own question here. Our front 7 was selling out against the run. Theirs was not. They always had an LB available to pursue

 

[king_kong_]

USC was running for 10ypc

We weren’t beating them with or without fatrick

 

[Hotcarl]

The most disappointing thing to me was the absolute miss on the DL.

But misreading what this DL was going to be by Rhule in a league where it is so so important to be big and deep there…that is what makes me scratch my head.

Honestly the defense as a whole I think there were a lot of personnel misses. Safety and LB were also not upgraded enough.

Why is this team falling part in November every year. Depth? Worn down?

I agree with this. Defense travels. I vote we spend 80% of NIL on D until we’re hitting 8 wins a year like clockwork

 

[Samkellers_69]

Still suck. Everything comes back to Wins and losses.

Nebraska fans are the champions at turning every narrative into something positive no matter how much evidence there is it's not getting better. See Mike Riley hire, the end of the frost tenure, and now Rhule.

Still get out worked, out schemed, out everything.

Tired about hearing about the "extra" bowl practices. Those are just glorified pre season games for next year, half the players will sit out and transfer instead of play then you'll have new transfers come in during the spring.