Matt Rhule’s speech after Nebraska football beat Purdue strikes perfect chord

There is a narrative that Nebraska football can’t win close games. It’s not without merit. The Huskers are 0-6 in one-score games under Matt Rhule and the record has been poor dating back almost a decade in tight games.

Yet, it feels like the tide is starting to turn. The loss to Illinois was frustrating, sending Nebraska football fans crashing back to reality. But it was one loss, and the Nebraska Cornhuskers responded to adversity in a more positive way at Purdue.

Nebraska football finally wins a “close game”

The final score was 28-10 Nebraska. But midway through the third quarter, Purdue led 3-0. It was 7-3 Cornhuskers in the fourth quarter before Nebraska scored three straight touchdowns — two within a couple of plays after a John Bullock pick-6 — to turn it into a runaway.

“That was a close game until you guys decided for it not to be”🔥 #GBR pic.twitter.com/dompRjTuJ1

— 247Huskers (@247Huskers) October 3, 2024

The Nebraska football head coach went into the locker room after the game, told his girls to cover their ears, and said to his team: “That’s what the fuck we needed.”

One week after suffering another close loss to Illinois in double overtime, Rhule explained how the Huskers won a close game, even if the final score says they didn’t.

“10-3 in the fourth quarter and my dumbass gets a penalty and you guys have my back,” Rhule said via the Nebraska football documentary “Chasing 3”. “10-3 in the fourth quarter. All that narrative, all that shit that people say outside our building, ‘Oh they can’t win a close game’ — that was a close game until you guys decided for it not to be.”

Damn right, coach. Now, get another win on Saturday against Rutgers, which I fully expect to happen.

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