5 bold predictions for Nebraska football in 2024

The start of the 2024 Nebraska football season is right around the corner. As of today, it’s 34 days until the Huskers will take the field at Lincoln Memorial Stadium.

For the first time in a few years, Nebraska football won’t open with a conference game. They also get to open at home — something that hasn’t happened in the past three seasons either.

A positive start is much needed. Of course, you have to take it one game at a time, but if Nebraska doesn’t make a bowl game this season, people are going to lose it — more than they have already.

As Matt Rhule said the other day, it’s time.

With that in mind, here are five bold predictions for the 2024 Nebraska football season.

Dylan Raiola will have 3,000 yards and 20 touchdowns

3,000 yards might sound a tad optimistic but when you consider a 13-game season (bowl game) it would only take 230 yards per game to reach 3,000.

Raiola will average more than that. I’m sure of it. The Huskers have an abundance of pass-catching weapons at wide receiver and tight end.

The offensive line has 7-8 capable starters and the running game should provide some balance. There’s no reason Raiola shouldn’t be effective. We’ll see the same guy we saw during the spring game and honestly, I think he’ll go for over 300 in the first game against UTEP.

We are going to see a different offense this season for Nebraska football and Raiola will be Big Ten Freshman of the Year after eclipsing 3,000 yards and throwing 20 touchdowns.

Nebraska football will be bowl-eligible by Ohio State

There has been some chatter about a 7-0 start and it’s not unrealistic. Colorado and Rutgers at home will be the two most difficult games in the first seven. Five of those first six games are at home and the two road games are against Indiana and Purdue — the two teams picked last by the Big Ten media.

The schedule is favorable and this team is hungry. A 7-0 start going into Columbus is realistic but I’m going to say at the very least, Nebraska will have six wins.

Nebraska will have a top-10 scoring defense

It was fun watching Nebraska football play defense last season and my expectation is that will be the case once again in 2024.

For a long time, it felt like Nebraska just got run over by Big Ten teams. Now, the Huskers are big and physical up front. Teams will have a tough time running the ball and while the secondary has a concern at cornerback, you still have Tommi Hill and Malcolm Hartzog. Marques Buford can also play cornerback or slot corner, plus Matt Rhule gave a positive update on Blye Hill this week.

I just don’t see many weaknesses and after ranking 13th nationally in scoring defense, the Huskers will crack the top 10 in 2024, which would be the first time since 2001.

The Huskers will end the top-25 losing streak

Nebraska has lost 20 consecutive games against ranked opponents. That’s a baffling number and it needs to end. Matt Rhule has also been criticized by some fans for a lack of wins against ranked teams.

So there is the chance to silence a couple of narratives at once. Colorado probably won’t be ranked for the Week 2 game against Nebraska, so the first chance might come at Ohio State.

But there are also road games at USC and Iowa, plus a home tilt against Wisconsin. Nebraska could face four ranked teams in five weeks to close out the 2024 regular season.

The games against USC, Iowa, and Wisconsin feel like toss-ups. One or two of those teams will present the Huskers with an opportunity to end that streak and Nebraska will finally take advantage — maybe in the final week of the season against Iowa.

Nebraska football will go undefeated at home

The three most difficult games on the schedule for Nebraska football are all on the road. Wisconsin won’t be a cakewalk — don’t get me wrong — we have seen plenty of heartbreak at the hands of the Badgers.

But if Wisconsin, Rutgers, and Colorado are the three toughest games on the home schedule in 2024, and if Nebraska is ever going to be back to being NEBRASKA, those are the kinds of games it needs to win consistently.

Nebraska football should be favored in every home game this season. They have a great home-field advantage and now that the team has a legit quarterback in Dylan Raiola, the home fans will enjoy the best home cooking Nebraska has seen in quite some time.

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