4 days Ago By LUKE MULLIN Lincoln Journal Star
On a warm September evening, the Nebraska football team put together an effort that has scarcely been replicated since. The Huskers’ standout win over Colorado, a game in which they once led 28-0, looks more and more impressive with every passing week with the Buffaloes currently being tied for first place in the Big 12. The energy inside Memorial Stadium and NU’s play on the field produced a big win which currently stands out as the most memorable moment of the 2024 season.
As Nebraska readies for its final home game knowing what’s on the line — a chance to secure a bowl game in front of its home fans — head coach Matt Rhule is hoping his team remembers how that moment felt. “We’ve had some really, really great moments and I don’t know if you’ll ever be able to recapture the feeling of beating Colorado,” Rhule said. “To now be in the tough spot that we’re in, you’re just kinda looking for everyone to rally together and push us through.
” While Rhule can point to the areas in which Nebraska has improved since he took over, the head coach knows that a potential six-game collapse to end the season would eliminate much of that progress. That’s what makes this week’s matchup against Wisconsin all that more impactful — Nebraska has been in this situation before. A 5-5 Husker squad was close but not close enough in a 24-17 overtime loss to Wisconsin last season which played a major role in NU missing a bowl game for the seventh year running.
The Huskers who returned to the team knew that reaching a bowl would be a major team goal in 2024 — and if NU falls short again, it’d mean another offseason of treading the same water rather than elevating the program’s goals. “We’re in the same spot as last year — you’ve gotta break through so that there’s something new next year that you’re going for,” Rhule said. “That’s what the end of the year is about to me — it’s not about optics, it’s not about hope; it’s about action and doing things.
” As a coach who prides himself on developing young players, Rhule has previously spoken about how making a bowl is important for the entire roster, not just the team’s key contributors. If the Huskers lose out, their game at Iowa will mark the final time they step onto the field for a practice or game until the spring. If a bowl game is reached, however, three to four weeks of additional practice reps are the result — an invaluable asset for young players whose physical and on-field growth can only be accelerated from those situations.
While the program’s bowl drought predates Rhule’s tenure as head coach by several seasons, he understands the effect it’s had on players and fans alike. If this year’s Nebraska team can break through, Rhule said “the guys after them will see it,” while pointing to the historical example of the four-minute mile. When what was as much a psychological barrier as physical barrier was broken when Roger Bannister ran the first sub-four-minute mile in 1954, it took just 46 days for another runner to replicate the feat.
“Trying to end the bowl drought and all the things we talk about — it’s always hard to be the first,” Rhule said. With the difficulty of that situation in mind, Rhule said he’s thankful for the many fifth and sixth-year Huskers who’ve battled through those struggles but returned to the team year after year in hopes of finally breaking through. Many of those players will take part in Senior Day and play their final home games inside Memorial Stadium on Saturday — making for the ultimate opportunity to go out with a bang.
“I would certainly love to end their career not just with a win, but with them being the ones that break through,” Rhule said. “We absolutely could’ve won the game last week, but the shoulda, woulda, coulda gets you nowhere; you gotta go do it. I want them to be able to walk off the field with their heads held high knowing that they got it done.
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