That’s how long it has been since Nebraska football last played in a bowl game on Dec. 30, 2016. Since then, Husker fans have had to endure the never-ending cycle of empty promises from coaches and their expectations never being met.
For what seems like the millionth week in a row, Nebraska remains in five-win limbo. Most recently, the Huskers fell 28-20 to USC, a game where Nebraska started strong but sputtered and stalled in the important moments.
After a promising 5-1 start, which included a 28-10 win over college football playoff contender Colorado, the Huskers have flatlined. They’ve lost four straight, with the last three all coming by one score. Head coach Matt Rhule is no stranger to being in this position. Last season, Nebraska also lost four straight while one win away from bowl eligibility.
Coming into 2024, making a bowl game was the bare minimum for Rhule in proving that he’s moving the program in the right direction. With two games left to complete that goal, it is plausible to call Rhule’s vision into question.
The Huskers will have another go at claiming the illustrious sixth win this coming weekend as they host Wisconsin. This will be the ninth potentially bowl-clinching game in Rhule’s tenure, as Nebraska has gone 0-8 in this situation with him at the helm.
To the paranoid and superstitious, it feels like Nebraska has been cursed by some otherworldly force. However, the only bane keeping the Huskers from reaching six wins stands on the sidelines every week.
“We’re not snakebit. We’re not unlucky. There’s no curse,” Rhule said Monday. “Those near misses are all of our doing.”
The good thing about Rhule is that he is never one to deflect blame. He constantly reiterates that the responsibility lies on him to propel Nebraska over the six-win finish line and that he needs to make the right adjustments. After every tough loss, Rhule takes the podium and voices his frustrations about dropping the ball once again.
“Obviously disappointed that we didn’t win the game, sort of a familiar refrain coming down to the wire,” Rhule said after USC.
However, Nebraska seemingly runs into the same issues every week, raising the question: What changes is Rhule actually making?
There have been some definite improvements Rhule has made in year two. For example, Nebraska has already surpassed its total touchdowns mark from last season and is averaging nearly 100 more passing yards per game. The Huskers have also cleaned up turnovers drastically, as they are averaging 1.4 per game, just a year after averaging 2.6 per game.
However, Nebraska has also regressed in multiple areas. The Blackshirts are worse in almost every statistical measure this season and the rushing offense has also taken a sizable hit. With the Huskers taking one step forward followed by one step back, how does Rhule expect to progress? The answer may be within Nebraska’s matchup this weekend.
Wisconsin is in a strikingly similar position to the Huskers. The Badgers are 5-5 heading into Lincoln amid a three-game losing streak and also have a second-year head coach who has struggled to meet expectations. Before joining Wisconsin, head coach Luke Fickell won 13 games at Cincinnati in 2021 and was the only coach to lead a Group of Five team to the four-team college football playoff. However, Fickell has failed to recreate that magic in Madison.
Beating the Badgers could be a prime opportunity for Rhule to finally show he’s progressing the program. Not only does he have the chance to snap his losing streak in bowl-clinching games, Rhule also has a shot to snap Nebraska’s 10-game losing streak to Wisconsin. A win would also obviously allow the Huskers to clinch a bowl game, but it also would symbolize much more.
If Rhule can beat a rival on senior day, it would serve as a cathartic ending to the Huskers’ nearly decade-spanning quest for an extra game. Many Nebraska teams have rolled over and accepted defeat in the face of adversity, so being the first coach to learn from his losses would be an immense sign of progress for the program.
A win would also show that Rhule can keep his word. He has continually talked up the roster he has, but the team has yet to be able to walk the walk. If the Huskers pull out the win this week, it would ease many worries about Rhule’s roster composition.
No matter how Nebraska looks on the field against the Badgers, if the scoreboard has the Huskers up when the clock hits 0:00 then it will be a success. Even if the Huskers look flat, the combination of a sixth win and extra bowl practices would be monumental for the program, However, that means Rhule has to do one important thing.