Nebraska’s season takes a brutal turn as star QB Dylan Raiola suffers season-ending leg injury—Matt Rhule turns to untested freshman TJ Lateef
In a stunning blow to Nebraska football, quarterback Dylan Raiola has been ruled out for the remainder of the season following a lower leg injury sustained during Saturday night’s 21-17 loss to USC. Head coach Matt Rhule confirmed the diagnosis on Sunday, revealing that medical staff advised against Raiola returning to the field, despite his insistence.
“From a medical perspective, they were like, ‘He can’t run,’” Rhule said. “I just didn’t see the respectable thing to do to put a guy out there who can’t run. I told Dylan I love you too much to ask you to play when you’re hurt like this.”
Raiola, who had started 22 consecutive games for the Huskers, limped off the field early in the third quarter, leaving teammates visibly shaken. Running back Emmett Johnson summed up the mood: “I’m hurt. I’m really hurt for him. It just sucks.”
With Raiola sidelined, Nebraska turned to true freshman TJ Lateef, who entered the game with the score at 14-6. Lateef, whose only prior snaps came against Akron and Houston Christian, completed five of seven passes for just seven yards and rushed for 18 yards on six attempts. After the game, he was blunt in his self-assessment: “At the end of the day I got to play better.”
Despite the rocky debut, Lateef earned praise from coaches for his athleticism and eagerness to learn. Quarterbacks coach Glenn Thomas highlighted his off-schedule playmaking ability and proactive mindset:
“He’s literally right behind Dylan at practice trying to get that visual of what’s happening post-snap.”
With Raiola out, the Huskers face a critical pivot point in their season. Rhule expressed confidence that Lateef could rise to the occasion with a full week of preparation, but the pressure is mounting. Other backups like Jayln Gramstad and Marcos Davila may also enter the conversation as Nebraska scrambles to stabilize its offense.