There is obviously quite a bit of excitement around the Nebraska football team heading into the 2025 season. With Dylan Raiola coming back from a mostly superb true freshman season with new weapons and a new offensive coordinator, the offense is expected to be quite a bit better than it has been during the Matt Rhule era so far.
While the defense lost coordinator Tony White and defensive line coach Terrance Knighton to Florida State, Rhule has been clear that he thinks the unit will be plenty good this season. The Blackshirts also have plenty of bodies they need to replace but they added several talented players from the winter transfer portal they think will address those departures.
All of that is to say that the Nebraska football team isn’t just looking good to fans and people actively rooting for them to be good this year. On3’s Andy Staples put NU in his way too early Top 25. And 247Sports followed that up by putting the Huskers rather high in their post-spring practice Power Rankings:
- Penn State
- Ohio State
- Oregon
- Illinois
- Michigan
- Indiana
- Nebraska
- USC
- Iowa
- Minnesota
- Washington
- Michigan State
- Rutgers
- Wisconsin
- UCLA
- Maryland
- Northwestern
- Purdue
As far as why 247Sports believes the Huskers should be that high in the rankings (which would have them in play for contending for a playoff spot if they can climb a few levels):
“A significant step forward offensively may be in store for Nebraska. Raiola is a year older and could be in for the traditional sophomore leap, and importantly, the situation around him is exciting. Not only is Dana Holgorsen an improvement at offensive coordinator, but Matt Rhule also went out and found outstanding talent in the transfer portal. Offensive linemen Elijah Pritchett and Rocco Spindler will protect Raiola while he throws to new weapons Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter in the receiving corps. The possible offensive surge gives the Huskers a shot at a very fun season.”
It’s a safe bet that Nebraska football fans would be very, very pleased if that Power Ranking came to be by the end of the 2025 season, even if they’d prefer to be a bit higher.