(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Key Players Returning:
QB Dylan Raiola. RB Emmett Johnson, WR/RS Jacory Barney Jr., OG Justin Evans, OG Henry Lutovsky, OT Gunnar Gottula, CB Ceyair Wright, NB Malcolm Hartzog Jr., FS Mario Buford Jr., SS DeShon Singleton, PK Tristan Alvano, and PK John Hohl.
Key Players Departing:
RB Dante Dowdell, WR Jahmal Banks, WR Isaiah Neyor, TE Thomas Fidone II, OC Ben Scott, OT Bryce Benhart, DE Jimari Butler, DE Ty Robinson, DE James Williams, NT Nash Hutmacher, LB John Bullock, LB Mikai Gbayor, LB MJ Sherman, NB Isaac Gifford, PR Isaiah Garcia-Castaneda, and PT Brian Buschini.
Top 10 Recruits:
4 Star Recruits: LB Dawson Merritt (Stilwell, Kansas), WR Dane Key (Kentucky transfer), EDGE Williams Nwaneri (Missouri transfer), OT Elijah Pritchett (Alabama transfer), WR Cortez Mills (Homestead, Florida), OL Rocco Spindler (Notre Dame transfer), LB Dasan McCullough (Oklahoma transfer), DL Malcolm Simpson (Hitchcock, Texas), LB Christian Jones (Omaha, Nebraska), and WR Nyziah Hunter (California transfer).
2024 Results:
G01 UTEP W 40-7
G02 COLORADO W 28-10
G03 NORTHERN IOWA W 34-3
G04 #24 ILLINOIS L/OT 24-31
G05 @ Purdue W 28-10
G06 RUTGERS W 14-7
G07 @ #16 Indiana L 7-56
G08 @ #4 Ohio State L 17-21
G09 UCLA L 20-27
G10 @ USC L 20-28
G11 WISCONSIN W 44-25
G12 @ Iowa L 10-13
BOWL vs. Boston College W 20-15
Team Info:
2024 Record: 7-6 (13th in Big Ten)
Home: 5-2
Away: 1-4
Neutral: 1-0
B10: 3-6
Non-B10: 4-0
Head Coach: Matt Rhule
Nebraska: 12-13
Bowls: 2-2
Career: 59-56
(Photo Credit: USA Today Sports)
Returning Statistical Leaders:
Passing: Dylan Raiola (275-410, 2819 yards, 67.1%, 6.9 avg., 13 TD, 11 INT)
Rushing: Emmett Johnson (117 car., 598 yards, 5.1 avg., 1 TD)
Receiving: Jacory Barney Jr. (55 rec., 447 yards, 8.1 avg., 0 TD)
TDs Scored: Jacory Barney Jr./Emmett Johnson (3)
Sacks: 4 Tied (1)
Tackles: DeShon Singleton (71)
Tackles For Loss: Cameron Lenhardt/Vincent Shavers Jr. (3)
Interceptions: Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (4)
Pass Deflections: Ceyair Wright (6)
Forced Fumbles: Willis McGahee IV (2)
Kick Returns: Jacory Barney Jr. (14 ret., 285 yards, 20.4 avg., 0 TD)
Punt Returns: Jacory Barney Jr. (3 ret., 13 yards, 4.3 avg., 0 TD)
Kicking: John Hohl (10-15 fg/fga., 67%, 23-25 xp/xpa., 53 pts.)
Punting: Dylan Raiola (2 ret., 69 yards, 34.5avg., 1 in20)
Projected Offensive Starters
QB: 15 Dylan Raiola (SO)
RB: 21 Emmett Johnson (RS JR)
WR: 00 Dane Key (SR/TR)
WR: 00 Nyziah Hunter (RS SO/TR)
WR: 17 Jacory Barney Jr. (SO)
TE: 44 Luke Lindenmeyer (RS JR)
LT: 77 Gunnar Gottula (RS SO)
LG: 51 Justin Evans (RS JR)
OC: 62 Sam Sledge (RS SO)
RG: 59 Henry Lutovsky (RS SR)
RT: 00 Elijah Pritchett (RS JR/TR)
KR: 17 Jacory Barney Jr. (SO)
PK: 30 Tristan Alvano (RS SO)
Projected Defensive Starters:
DE: 97 Keona Davis (SO)
NT: 16 Elijah Jeudy (RS SR/TR)
DE: 11 Cameron Lenhardt (JR)
LB: 00 Dasan McCullough (SR/TR)
LB: 33 Javin Wright (RS SR)
LB: 1 Vincent Shavers Jr. (SO)
NB: 7 Malcolm Hartzog Jr. (SR)
CB: 00 Andrew Marshall (JR/TR)
CB: 15 Ceyair Wright (RS SR/TR)
FS: 31 Mario Buford (SO)
SS: 8 DeShon Singleton (SR/TR)
PR: 17 Jacory Barney Jr. (SO)
PT: 37 Kamdyn Koch (SO)
Team Grades:
Offense
Quarterbacks: B
Running Backs: B
Wide Receivers: C
Offensive Line: B
Defense
Defensive Line: C
Linebackers: C
Secondary: C
Special Teams
Kick Returners: C
Punt Returners: C
Kickers: C
Punters: C
Schedule:
08/28 vs. Cincinnati Bearcats | Nebraska won (41-0) the only prior meeting in 1906.
09/06 AKRON ZIPS | Nebraska won (59-14) the prior meeting in 1997.
09/13 HCU Huskies | First meeting.
09/20 MICHIGAN WOLVERINES | Nebraska trails the series 4-8-1. The Cornhuskers are 0-4 since restarting the series in 2018, and they lost (7-45) the last meeting in 2023.
10/04 MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS | Nebraska leads the series 9-4. The Cornhuskers are 2-2 since 2015, and they lost (17-20) the last meeting in 2023.
10/11 @ Maryland Terrapins | Nebraska leads the series 2-1. The Cornhuskers lost (10-13) the last meeting in 2023, and they won (54-7) the prior meeting in 2019.
10/18 @ Minnesota Golden Gophers | Nebraska trails the series 25-37-2. The Cornhuskers are 3-6 since 2015, and they lost (10-13) the last meeting in 2023.
10/25 NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS | Nebraska leads the series 10-7. The Cornhuskers are 4-5 since 2015, and they won (17-9) the last meeting in 2023.
11/01 USC TROJANS | Nebraska trails the series 0-5-1. The Cornhuskers lost (20-28) last season’s meeting, and they lost (42-45) the prior meeting in 2014.
11/08 @ UCLA Bruins | The series is tied 7-7. The Cornhuskers are 1-1 since 2015, and their last series win (37-29) was in 2015.
11/22 @ Penn State Nittany Lions | Nebraska leads the series 10-8. The Cornhuskers won (30-23) the last meeting in 2020, and they lost (44-56) the prior meeting in 2017.
11/28 IOWA HAWKEYES | Nebraska leads the series 30-22-3. The Cornhuskers are 9-1 since 2015, and their last series win (24-17) was in 2022.
Predictions:
Home: 3-3
Road: 0-6
Neutral: 0-0
B10: 1-8
Non-B10: 2-1
Overall: 3-9 (17th in B10)
gridironpredictions.net 