Frigid history between Minnesota and Nebraska a thing of the past

Dylan Raiola listened to the question, gave a quick reaction and immediately spread the credit.

“Wow,” the Nebraska sophomore quarterback said Tuesday when informed that he is completing 78% of his fourth-quarter passes this season. When asked why that stat is so good, Raiola said, “I’ve got elite pass-catchers.”

That might be so, but Raiola has shown he’s growing into the quarterback who was a five-star recruit in the 2022 class and committed first to Ohio State, second to Georgia and finally to Nebraska.

Raiola and the Cornhuskers, who on Sunday moved into the Associated Press poll at No. 25, face the Gophers at 7 p.m. Friday at Huntington Bank Stadium.

They enter the game with rumors swirling about their third-year coach, Matt Rhule, who grew up in State College, Pa., played for Penn State and now is speculated to be the replacement for fired Nittany Lions coach James Franklin.

Rhule said he loves it in Lincoln and wants to continue rebuilding Nebraska, “to turn this into a beast.”

He didn’t, however, shoot down the Penn State speculation. His quarterback emphatically did, though.

It’s easy to see why Raiola would want Rhule to stay.

The Huskers, who last year posted a 7-6 record for their first winning season since 2016, are 5-1 halfway through the season and are coming off back-to-back wins on strong fourth quarters produced by Raiola.

In the 38-27 win over Michigan State, the QB led Nebraska to 17 points in the fourth quarter. Last week, he engineered drives of 83 and 81 yards in the final 7:47 to produce 10 points in a 34-31 victory at Maryland.

“Raiola’s playing at a very high level,” Gophers coach P.J. Fleck said. “He’s getting the ball out of his hand. He’s really turned into this elite thrower, and not just a runner. That’s such a credit to him and his development and the understanding of what Dana [Holgorsen, offensive coordinator] wants to do.”

For Gophers defensive coordinator Danny Collins, the challenge is to keep Raiola in the pocket. Purdue quarterback Ryan Browne frequently broke out of the pocket last week and hurt Minnesota with his running.

Raiola has completed 73.1% of his passes for 1,591 yards and 16 touchdowns with five interceptions. Three of those picks came last week, and the Huskers overcame them.

Also key for the offense has been running back Emmett Johnson.

The former Holy Angels standout from Minneapolis ranks second in the Big Ten in rushing (108.3 yards per game) and his 24 receptions lead all Big Ten running backs.

Johnson had scholarship offers from six FCS schools and a couple of Mid-American Conference teams. He did not receive an offer from the Gophers. When Nebraska became his first Power Four offer just before early signing day in 2021, he committed.

“This means a lot to us because Emmett’s such a big part of our team,” Raiola said of Johnson’s homecoming. “… He’s been so overlooked by everybody. For him to go back there and have a chance to make a statement, make his mark, is special."

They have won five in a row against Nebraska and are 6-1 vs. the Huskers under Fleck. The one loss was a 53-28 romp in Lincoln in 2018, and that also was Scott Frost’s first victory as Huskers coach.

Fleck and Frost didn’t get along, and the former Nebraska coach mocked Fleck’s use of slogans like “Row the Boat.” After the Gophers beat Nebraska 30-23 in 2021, Fleck repeatedly said that Minnesota’s victory was a triumph of culture over skill.

Don’t expect any pointed messages Friday regardless of the game’s outcome. Fleck and Rhule are good friends, so the focus will be on football.