Matt Rhule Year 4 Report Card
“We didn’t come here to go 7-6.”
At Big Ten Media Days in Chicago, Matt Rhule stood in front of the College Football Playoff trophies and delivered the clearest statement of his Nebraska tenure.
“We didn’t come to Nebraska to go 7-6. We came to compete for this,” he said. “Being here today with teams who have won the national championship, it’s inspiring. We understand that we have to take a step this year.”
The message was deliberate. After three seasons and a 19-19 record, Rhule is no longer asking for patience. He is demanding progress.
The Progress That Is Real
When Rhule arrived, Nebraska had just finished seven consecutive losing seasons. The program had become defined by close losses, roster instability, and a long postseason drought.
Under Rhule the Huskers have:
Posted consecutive 7-6 seasons
Reached back-to-back bowl games (Pinstripe Bowl win in 2024, Las Vegas Bowl appearance in 2025)
Ended the seven-year bowl drought
Begun winning more close games
Built a more experienced, older roster through the portal and high school recruiting
Improved the physical profile of the team (Rhule has repeatedly called the 2026 group the biggest and leanest of his tenure)
Those are not empty talking points. The program is more competitive and more stable than the one Rhule inherited. Players who stayed through the early years — Justin Evans, Luke Lindenmeyer, Cameron Lenhardt and others — are now the veterans he points to as the real builders.
The Problem That Persists
The most glaring unfinished business is November.
Nebraska is 2-10 in the month of November under Rhule. The Huskers have repeatedly started seasons with promise only to fade when the schedule tightens and the weather turns. In 2025 they reached 6-2 before finishing the year 7-6. Similar late-season slides defined the previous two campaigns.
Rhule has acknowledged the issue directly. He has said champions are made in the cold, on the road, late in the season. He has also said the 2026 group must be better in those moments.
The November problem is not just about wins and losses. It is about whether the program can sustain physicality, execution, and belief when every game carries heavier stakes.
What a Realistic Step Forward Looks Like in 2026
Nebraska’s 2026 schedule does not offer easy answers. After three non-conference home games, the Huskers face Michigan State on the road, then a brutal stretch that includes Indiana (defending national champion), Oregon on the road, Washington, Illinois on the road, Rutgers on the road, Ohio State at home, and Iowa on the road in the Black Friday finale.
A realistic step forward does not require Nebraska to suddenly become a College Football Playoff contender. It does require measurable improvement in the areas Rhule himself has identified:
Winning more than seven games
Improving the November record (anything better than 1-3 would be progress; 2-2 or better would be significant)
Competing in the games against Indiana, Oregon, and Ohio State rather than being overwhelmed
Showing that the upgraded offensive line and new defensive scheme can hold up against better competition as the season wears on
An 8-4 or 8-5 record that includes a better late-season performance would represent the kind of step Rhule is asking for. A return to 7-6 with another soft November would leave the same questions hanging over the program.
The Stakes of Year 4
Rhule has always described himself as a builder. At Temple and Baylor he produced breakthrough seasons in Year 3. At Nebraska, Year 3 produced another 7-6 finish. Year 4 is now the moment when the foundation is supposed to support something higher.
The roster is more experienced. The offensive line looks stronger on paper. The defense has a clearer identity under Rob Aurich. The quarterback, Anthony Colandrea, brings dual-threat production and starting experience. None of that guarantees results against the schedule Nebraska faces.
Rhule’s own words have set the standard. The program did not come to Lincoln to settle for 7-6. Whether 2026 delivers the next step will determine how the first four years of the Rhule era are ultimately judged.