Matt Rhule noted the 12-team College Football Playoff could change things when it comes to measuring success at Nebraska or around college football. Rhule has seen jumps in Year 3 at Temple and Baylor and the Huskers are next on the list.
The Huskers got back to the postseason last year with a 7-6 record, winning the Pinstripe Bowl. Naturally, 2025’s goal should be more than seven wins and maybe a breakthrough year.
Will that be enough for the College Football Playoff? That’s to-be-determined, but Rhule noted Nebraska is knocking on the door.
“(Indiana last year) they spoke to the value of production and performance over potential,” Rhule said on Always College Football. “Not all five-star kids came out of high school, but guys that were veterans, that were older, that were committed to the team and the process, you know, credit to them. I think the biggest thing for us is our guys knew that we could hang in there at Ohio State … So we’ve been in a race for consistency. You know, when you’re playing young players, young people aren’t always consistent, but I think they saw the importance of that. I told them from day one, year three for me at Temple and Baylor (were) championship caliber years.
“I expect us to build to get to year three, and that it’s no promise that it will happen. But the way the guys have worked, I think their belief has been, it’s been really high. And, you know, we didn’t solve our problems this year through the portal. We got better (but) we’re solving our problems on the practice field and getting better at football. And I think the guys are finally bought into, hey, you know what? You have to practice really hard, train really hard, to have a chance to win.”
In 2015, Rhule’s third year at Temple, the Owls went 10-4 and lost the Boca Raton Bowl. The next year, they went 10-3 and won the AAC before Rhule went to Baylor.
With a big rebuilding project on deck, Rhule went from one win to seven to 11 wins in Year 3 with the Bears. Baylor finished No. 13 in the country and made it to the Sugar Bowl.
While Rhule’s NFL stint wasn’t successful in Carolina, college football is his bread and butter. Led by sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola, Nebraska might be in position for that 10-win season. Is that enough for the CFP? History suggests it very well could be!
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