Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola has always been around the Cornhuskers throughout his life. His father, Dominic Raiola, played in the same stadium his son plays in now and was inducted into the Nebraska Football Hall of Fame.
For Dylan, while his recruitment was a whirlwind with Ohio State, then committing and de-committing from Georgia, Raiola ultimately ended up back at home with the Nebraska Cornhuskers. Getting to play for the team his father played is now a dream come true for the sophomore quarterback, and when sitting down in an interview with Hail Varsity, Raiola looked back on his first-ever game with the Big Red.
"I remember the first time I got on the bus from the hotel to the stadium for the UTEP game," Raiola said. "I didn't even know, I started crying, and it was emotional because the drive in of all the fans out there lining the streets and kind of getting off the bus, and was like, I'm about to do something that I dreamed of as a kid."
Raiola was emotional about his first start of it all being a dream come true for him, but what made it all even more special was the support from his family right at the gates of the stadium. Seeing his family there right before he walks in has become a tradition for Raiola, and he even said it calms him down before games, knowing they are there supporting him.
“I’m about to do something that I have dreamed of as a kid.” ❤️
— Hail Varsity (@HailVarsity) August 23, 2025
Dylan Raiola reflects on his first game as a Husker and what it means to have the support of his family. pic.twitter.com/VjHDUAd7Pi
Raiola also believes that being the quarterback at Nebraska means it is him versus everyone, just like it is Nebraska versus the nation. Knowing he has his family's support makes that battle even easier for the young gunslinger.
As Raiola readies to begin his second season at Nebraska, looking back on his first year has really helped him prepare and better himself for his team and the Nebraska Cornhuskers fan nation.