It's Okay To Ask Nebraska To Be More On Point Right Now
On this week’s I-80 Football Show, Doug Lesmerises joined Josh Peterson to discuss the latest across college football. Their conversation covered Ohio State, Indiana, the Buckeyes’ 2025 matchup against the Wolverines, and the challenges facing Nebraska after a harsh loss to USC.
Matt Rhule’s Extension and Nebraska’s Current Mood
Josh raised the topic of head coach Matt Rhule’s contract extension, reflecting on the unusual atmosphere surrounding Nebraska football.
Josh: “For years, everyone here wanted to get back to bowl games and win the ones we used to lose. And now that it’s happening, people still seem frustrated and not really enjoying it.”
He noted that even after apparent progress, local sentiment feels muted. Fans imagined an 8–4 season as a worthy step forward, yet living through the actual results—like losing by 18 to Minnesota—has proven disappointing.
Josh: “You think 8–4 sounds fine in the summer, but then you have to watch them go 8–4, and it just kind of sucks.”
Doug listened and reflected on how the extension was received publicly, emphasizing that the move wasn’t surprising given Rhule’s trajectory, but the broader mood around Nebraska remains uneasy.
Author’s Summary
Nebraska’s progress under Matt Rhule is real but uninspiring to many fans, highlighting how expectations often clash with emotional reality in college sports.