After Nebraska’s 40-7 victory over UTEP on Saturday afternoon, supporters of the Huskers are expressing their opinions on social media. The squad hadn’t won at the start of the season since 2019.
Much of the conversation focused on Dylan Raiola, the rookie quarterback. Raiola was among the best prospects in the class of 2024 and a five-star prospect.
Ultimately, the quarterback completed 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns. In the second half, he appeared in just one series before turning the team over to Heinrich Haarberg, the backup quarterback.
Seeing a quarterback—possibly the most anticipated recruit of this generation—live up to the expectations was entertaining. For instance, as the UTEP defense adjusted, Dylan Raiola checked a play in and out of a run and back to a run three times. This led to an Emmett Johnson 42-yard run.
That would be noteworthy for an experienced veteran, but in this instance, it was the genuine freshman’s first game. Furthermore, wide receiver Isaiah Neyor appears to be a potential first-round pick in the NFL draft. I think the same could be said for Jahmal Banks.
The offensive line kept demonstrating its prowess, and the four running backs in the stable all played well.
Conversely, the defense demonstrated why Nebraska has a chance to be a force to be reckoned with this season. Had Skyler Locklear’s 38-yard touchdown pass not been intercepted, UTEP would have only amassed 167 yards of total offense, allowing the defense to pitch a shutout.
It’s likely that someone outside of the team would like to point out that performing well against UTEP differs from performing well, say, versus Colorado. The majority of Nebraska football supporters, on the other hand, would legitimately reply that the state hasn’t hosted a bowl game in seven years and that contests such as this one against the UTEPs of college football have historically been very competitive.
