The Nebraska football team is coming off a dominant double-digit win against the Michigan State Spartans, and a big part of the win was the performance by sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola.
In the 38-27 win, Raiola threw for nearly 200 yards and one touchdown. While the numbers themselves aren't resounding, his poise and presence in the back field helped push the Cornhuskers to the victory.
Dana Holgorsen is all in on Nebraska football's starting QB
Dana Holgorsen praised Dylan Raiola for staying strong and pushing through the tough moments on Saturday.
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) October 7, 2025
“Good for him for just hanging in there making a play and then getting us the win.” pic.twitter.com/ZqvaDL224U
Afterward, Nebraska offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen sang the praises of his young quarterback.
"There's a lot on a starting quarterback... I think Dylan [Raiola] does an outstanding job with virtually everything," Holgorsen said. "He was getting knocked around, bad snaps, missed assignments... Good for him for just hanging in there, making a play, and then getting us the win.:
The game against Michigan State was as sloppy as it could have been and still resulted in a win for the Cornhuskers. However, Raiola remained a calm presence in the pocket, which led to the rest of the team settling down as well.
Holgorsen praised Raiola's in-game performance and also complimented the quarterback's off-field performances. He gave Raiola the nod for being a well-rounded student athlete and a leader for the team, being named a captain ahead of the 2025 season.
Raiola earned the starting job as a true freshman last year and has only proved his worth in the role over the last season and a half. So far, he has earned 4,150 career passing yards for 25 touchdowns, while leading the Cornhuskers to 11 wins and just six losses.
To cap off his first season as QB1, Raiola led the team to a win over the Boston College Eagles in the Pinstripe Bowl. Now, he is on track to do even more this year.
This weekend, Raiola and the Nebraska football team is scheduled to take on the Maryland Terrapins on Saturday, Oct. 11, at 2:30 p.m. CT. Nebraska fans can tune into the Big Ten Network to catch their young quarterback in action.