‘They’ve Been Through a Lot

The fact that Nebraska football has not been to a bowl game since 2016 is something that fans think about constantly.

Eight long years is an eternity for a program with such a proud history as Nebraska to endure without a postseason appearance. The tradition at Nebraska demands national championships, not just bowl games. This prolonged bowl game drought is not just a concern for the fans; it is deeply ingrained in the minds of the players as well.

True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola said this week that he understands how badly the fans want to return to a bowl game, and he wants to make that happen for them.

“In practice, I heard someone say we haven’t been to a bowl game in eight years,” Raiola said. “I think getting the fans guaranteed one more game, possibly more, being in the playoffs would mean a lot to this fanbase. They’ve been through a lot and been very loyal to everybody. It would mean a lot to get to a bowl game. I think just the focus of trying to win this week and this week only, and get six wins.” 

Raiola is correct when he says that making the postseason would mean a lot to the Huskers’ fan base which has never stopped showing up in the eight years of losing seasons. Nebraska has one of the most loyal fan bases in all of sports, that amount of loyalty deserves to be rewarded with success. That’s what Raiola aims to restore to Nebraska football: success.

Last season, the Huskers were also 5-3. They had a fantastic chance to end the bowl game drought by winning just one of their final four games, but they were unable to do it. It sounds like Raiola is focused on making sure that does not happen again this season.

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