3 reasons for Nebraska football fans to give thanks in 2024

If you feel entirely different as a Nebraska football fan than you did a week ago, before clinching the sixth win and a bowl game against Wisconsin, you aren’t alone.

It feels like the clouds have lifted. The curse has gone and Nebraska football can get back to something that looks like a normal football program again.

Nobody expects the Huskers to start winning national or even conference championships like they did in the old days. But consistently winning 7-9 games seems doable. Heck, seven wins aren’t out of the question this season, even eight if the Huskers can win in Iowa on Friday.

Hell, going into that game without NEEDING a win to make a bowl game is huge. The Huskers can play loose and with house money. That should worry Iowa fans and looking back at the past year, here are three reasons Nebraska football fans should be thankful.

A bowl berth

We have talked about it over and over, but it’s a huge deal for Nebraska football to finally break through and get that sixth win. It took eight years and two head coaches.

Scott Frost couldn’t get over the hump. Matt Rhule, thanks to the genius move of hiring Dana Holgorsen off the street to be the offensive coordinator, did.

Now, it feels like there is tangible momentum. A win over Iowa, or a win in the bowl game would get the Huskers their first winning season since 2016 and it all feels like a building block toward bigger and better things over the next two years.

This is just the beginning. It’s a new chapter of Nebraska football.

Dylan Raiola

Since last Thanksgiving, Nebraska football landed the game-changing commitment of five-star quarterback Dylan Raiola. We saw the impact of that last Saturday against Wisconsin as Raiola played his finest game as a Husker with 293 passing yards, one touchdown pass, and zero interceptions.

That’s the kind of player Nebraska fans expected. There were ups and downs, as you’d expect with any freshman, but if Raiola can play the way he did on Saturday, consistently, Nebraska football is going to win a lot of games over the next two seasons.

We are starting to see positive returns on the recruiting trail too. Hopefully, the Huskers can reel in another weapon for Raiola such as Cortez Mills or Michael Terry, but to win big in college football, you need an elite quarterback and the Huskers have that in Raiola.

The hiring of Dana Holgorsen

I’m thankful for Dana Holgorsen who has helped transform the offense in just a week or two. The former Houston and West Virginia head coach said he simplified things. He also has demanded more accountability from the players and we saw some positive results last Saturday.

When players are pushed, when they are held accountable, and when they are held to a performance standard, good things happen.

I’m hopeful that Nebraska football can work out a deal to keep Holgorsen on staff long term cause the pairing of him and Raiola is scary for the rest of the Big Ten. That could be a really good relationship for everyone involved.

Raiola will have a better shot of being a first-round pick, Holgorsen will have a better chance at being a head coach again, and Nebraska football will be the benefactor of it all in the win column.

I’m thankful to Rhule for making the move. Not many can admit when they are wrong and course correct. Scott Frost couldn’t and it cost him. Matt Rhule didn’t make the same mistake and now the Huskers are going bowling.

And that’s something every Nebraska fan is thankful for this Thanksgiving.

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