Go Big Ribbit

10/21/2026

🐸🏈 GO BIG RIBBIT: BYE WEEK EDITION

Well, Husker Nation, that one hurt.

I stayed up until 2 a.m. Saturday night, and I think we got just about the worst-case scenario.

I remember seeing Dylan Raiola at his first Nebraska spring game. I was excited about the kid and what he might bring to the program. I’ll admit I was disappointed with how he left Nebraska, and there are things about that whole situation I still don’t like.

In my mind, he didn’t deserve some grand revenge story against Nebraska. But football doesn’t care what I think is deserved. He got his revenge game, and we were on the wrong end of it.

That flippin’ hurts.

Sometimes the guy you see as the bad guy wins. Saturday felt like one of those times.

And the way we lost made it worse. Another one-score loss. Another opportunity against a ranked opponent that slipped away. There were moments that felt a little too much like the Scott Frost years. And I still don’t understand why we weren’t bringing more pressure, when Raiola is easily rattled by blitzes.

I’m not going to call it a moral victory. I’m not going to say, “We’re so close.” I’ve heard enough of that over the years.

We lost. It was a bad loss. We need to own it.

I’ve been reading some James Stockdale lately, and one of the things that sticks with me about his writings is the importance of facing reality while maintaining hope. You don’t have to pretend things are better than they are to believe they can improve.

Here’s the reality: Nebraska is 5-2.

If you’d told me before the season that we’d be 5-2 at this point, with opportunities to win some games we originally thought might be out of reach, I probably would have been thrilled.

But expectations change when a team shows you what it’s capable of doing.

This Nebraska team has shown us some things we haven’t seen in a while. We’re better. There are legitimate reasons for optimism.

But we’re not a great team yet.

And because we’ve seen improvement, we expect more. That’s why these losses hurt so much. We no longer want to be satisfied with simply looking respectable against good opponents.

We want to beat them.

Matt Rhule still needs that breakthrough win against a ranked opponent. And while I think the program is moving in a better direction, Saturday showed us there are still some serious things to fix.

Now we have the bye week, and then it’s Washington.

I love Blackout Night. I want it to remain a Nebraska tradition, and I really don’t want to see us lose two Blackout Night games in a row and potentially lose a new tradition.

Washington is a beatable opponent. But Nebraska needs to do more than just avoid losing.

We need to start winning games convincingly.

After Washington, we’ve got Illinois, Rutgers, Ohio State, and Iowa.

Illinois is beatable, but Bret Bielema has given Nebraska plenty of headaches. Rutgers is beatable, too, but we’ve seen Nebraska stumble against teams it should beat.

Ohio State? Who knows? Nebraska has a funny way of playing up to the Buckeyes. I wouldn’t be shocked if we dropped a game we should win and somehow turned around and gave Ohio State everything it could handle.

And Iowa is Iowa. That’s all I got to say about that.

I’m also hoping we can keep the Memorial Stadium sellout streak alive. Ohio State is the one I’m particularly watching.

As for Rhule, I don’t see a coaching change happening anytime soon, especially with his contract extension. So the question isn’t whether we blow everything up. It’s whether we keep building and start turning improvement into meaningful wins.

I don’t want to sunshine-pump. I don’t want to make excuses. And I certainly don’t want to go back to celebrating close losses.

But I’m not giving up on this team, either.

We’re 5-2. We’ve improved. We’ve also got problems that need fixing. All three things can be true.

The better you become, the higher the standard gets. That’s how it should be.

So enjoy the bye week, Husker Nation. Get healthy. Make adjustments. Watch NDSU, because they’re super fun. Figure out what went wrong.

And when Washington comes to town, let’s quit talking about how close we are.

Let’s win the next one.

GO BIG RED! 🔴⚪

GO BIG RIBBIT! 🐸

10/18/2026

Welp…

10/17/2026

🐸🏈 GO BIG RIBBIT! PREGAME RIBBIT! 🦆🎮

DUCK HUNT: EUGENE EDITION!

Time to dust off the old Nintendo, grab the Zapper, and go duck hunting! Hopefully, we won’t have that stupid dog laughing at us when the night is over! 😂

🌽 Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten)
🦆 Oregon Ducks (3-2, 1-1 Big Ten)
📍 Autzen Stadium, Eugene, Oregon
🕙 10:00 PM Central (Yes, seriously!)
📺 FOX
📊 Oregon favored by 7.5 points

Last week, Nebraska suffered what I begrudgingly have to call a “quality loss” to defending national champion Indiana, 20-17. I hate that term. A loss is a loss, and we had that game won before letting it slip away.

But here’s the thing. I think Nebraska is a much more complete football team than we’ve seen in years. We’re 5-1, we’ve got experience, and we went toe-to-toe with one of the best teams in the country.

Now it’s time to prove something.

Oregon is in a bit of a tailspin. The Ducks have lost two of their last three, including an ugly 17-15 loss to UCLA featuring SEVEN turnovers. They’re still loaded with talent, especially at receiver, and Nebraska’s vulnerability to slant routes concerns me. Autzen Stadium is going to be loud, hostile, and absolutely rocking.

And despite all that, Vegas still favors Oregon by 7.5.

Then there’s the quarterback situation.

Dante Moore is out, and former Husker Dylan Raiola’s status is a major storyline. Personally, I’d almost like to see Raiola play, just so Nebraska could shut him down. I wasn’t particularly impressed with how he handled his departure from Lincoln. But this isn’t about settling a grudge. It’s about winning a football game.

And I certainly haven’t forgotten the Scott Frost years, when Nebraska had an uncanny ability to make backup quarterbacks look like Heisman candidates! Hopefully, those days are behind us.

Here’s another interesting wrinkle. Oregon is No. 25 in the Coaches Poll but unranked in the AP Poll. So depending on which ranking you’re using, this might not even count as that elusive ranked win we’ve been chasing.

Fine by me. Just win the game!

Last week, I thought Nebraska should beat Indiana because we were due for a breakthrough. This week, my reasoning is different.

If Nebraska is really the good football team we believe it is, then go into Eugene and prove it.

No excuses about the crowd. No excuses about the late kickoff. No moral victories. Just play four quarters of good football and come home with a win.

Oregon has talent. Nebraska has experience. And I think the Huskers are catching the Ducks at the right time.

I don’t have a score prediction this week, but I’m calling it.

NEBRASKA WINS! 🌽

And if we pull it off, I hope that Nintendo dog stays quiet, because tonight we’re going DUCK HUNTING!

GO BIG RED! 🔴⚪
GO BIG RIBBIT! 🐸🏈

10/14/2026

🚨 BREAKING: Someone ran a computer simulation of Nebraska vs. Oregon.

The results are in.

Huskers win. And it’s not even close. 🌽🏈🦆

Here’s the footage. 👇😂

Enjoy the videos and music you love, upload original content, and share it all with friends, family, and the world on YouTube.

10/12/2026

Let’s Beat Oregon. GBR!

10/12/2026

No matter the outcome of the game, the Herbie Husker and Puddles the Duck mascot funny business is gonna be absolutely top tier this Saturday.

The Emerald looks through the last six years, to find the very best...

10/11/2026

🐸🏈 Welp. Nebraska lost to Indiana.

And yes, we were competitive. Yes, we showed heart. Yes, there were positives.

But COME ON, MAN!

We pay coaches and players millions of dollars to WIN football games, not to collect participation trophies and moral victories!

But you know what? I’m done being negative. I’m turning over a new lily pad. 🐸

We’ve got Oregon coming up, and I think our beloved Huskers need a little motivational wisdom from one of the greatest philosophers of our time…

Ernie from Sesame Street. 🦆

His message is simple:

🎶 PUT DOWN THE DUCKY! 🎶

Put down the distractions. Put down the excuses. Put down the moral victories. And for the love of Memorial Stadium, PUT THE FOOTBALL IN THE END ZONE! 🌽🏈

So I’m officially dedicating this timeless Sesame Street masterpiece to the Nebraska Cornhuskers.

Coach Rhule, please play this at practice ALL WEEK. If Ernie can learn to put down his rubber ducky, surely we can learn to finish a football game! 😂

This week’s official Go Big Ribbit motivational anthem:

🦆🎷 PUT DOWN THE DUCKY!

Because you can’t play your saxophone while you’re holding a ducky…

AND YOU CAN’T BEAT OREGON IF YOU DON’T PUT DOWN THE DUCKY!

🐸 GO BIG RED! 🔴⚪

Ernie gets a lesson from Mr. Hoots.

10/10/2026

🐸🏈 GO BIG RIBBIT!

THE POSTGAME RIBBIT!

Nebraska 17, Indiana 20

WELP.

Nebraska 17. Indiana 20.

The defending national champions came into Memorial Stadium undefeated, and they left undefeated.

But I guarantee you something.

Indiana is breathing one heck of a sigh of relief right now.

Because the Indiana Hoosiers didn’t just waltz into Lincoln and steamroll the Cornhuskers.

They survived them.

And I wouldn’t be surprised if a few Indiana players and coaches are thinking, “Oh, crap. We were lucky to get out of that one!”

And honestly?

That’s something.

But is it enough?

We’ll get to that.

First, let’s talk about how far we’ve come.

Remember the last time Nebraska played Indiana?

Indiana 56, Nebraska 7.

FIFTY-SIX TO SEVEN!

This time?

20-17.

Against the defending national champions.

We had a two-score lead at one point. We had Indiana on the ropes. Memorial Stadium was rocking, and for a while, it looked like Nebraska might finally get that signature victory we’ve been waiting for.

Then Curt Cignetti did what good coaches do.

He rallied his troops.

Indiana woke up, found its footing, and once the Hoosiers took control, Nebraska couldn’t quite wrestle it back.

That’s why Cignetti is one heck of a football coach.

But here’s what I took away from this game.

NEBRASKA IS NOT A BAD FOOTBALL TEAM.

Not even close.

We just went toe-to-toe with the defending national champions and made them earn every inch of that victory.

We’re probably not going to be ranked after this. We’re not quite nationally relevant in the way we want to be.

But we proved something today.

Nebraska can play with the best teams in the country.

And that’s encouraging.

Except…

HOW MANY TIMES HAVE WE SAID THAT BEFORE?

Oh, boy.

Here comes the frustrating part.

Nebraska fans have become connoisseurs of the moral victory.

We’ve practically earned a doctorate in the subject.

We play a great team. We fight hard. We make some big plays. We get everybody’s hopes up.

And then?

We lose by three.

Or four.

Or seven.

And afterward, we say, “Well, at least we proved we belong!”

Sound familiar?

Remember Ohio State in 2018? Nebraska went into Columbus and lost 36-31.

Remember 2021? We lost to Oklahoma 23-16. Michigan State 23-20 in overtime. Michigan 32-29. Ohio State 26-17. Wisconsin 35-28. Iowa 28-21.

That 2021 team practically wrote the instruction manual on losing close games to really good opponents.

And then there was 2024, when Nebraska went into Ohio Stadium and nearly shocked the Buckeyes before falling 21-17.

Every single time, we found reasons to believe.

And every single time, we were left wondering the same thing.

WHEN ARE WE FINALLY GOING TO GET OVER THE HUMP?

Because moral victories are encouraging when you’re rebuilding.

But eventually, moral victories have to become ACTUAL victories.

You can’t hang a banner that says, “We Almost Beat Somebody Really Good!”

And Nebraska has had enough almosts to last a lifetime.

Now, let’s talk about Matt Rhule.

I believe Matt Rhule has Nebraska moving in the right direction.

I really do.

He’s brought stability to a program that desperately needed it. He’s improved the culture. He’s made Nebraska competitive again.

And today, against the defending national champions, his team fought like heck.

I’m proud of these players.

I’m proud that they didn’t fold.

I’m proud that they gave Indiana everything it could handle.

But here’s the reality.

Matt Rhule still needs that signature victory.

He needs to beat a ranked opponent.

He needs to win one of these games where Nebraska isn’t supposed to win.

He needs that moment when the clock hits zero, the crowd goes absolutely bonkers, and Nebraska fans can finally celebrate instead of talking about what might have been.

Because Rhule’s job isn’t just to salvage Nebraska football.

It’s not just to make us respectable again.

His job is to take Nebraska to the NEXT LEVEL.

And I think he can.

But at some point, he’s got to prove it.

That’s not being negative.

That’s having expectations.

And after everything Nebraska fans have endured, I don’t think expecting an occasional signature victory is asking too much.

So where do we go from here?

Well, here’s the encouraging part.

I think Nebraska can beat Oregon.

Yes, even with Dylan Raiola on the other sideline. And wouldn’t THAT be an interesting storyline?

I think we can beat Washington, too.

And that blackout game?

Oh, man. I LOVE the blackout concept. Let’s make Memorial Stadium look absolutely intimidating and give those Huskies a night they won’t forget!

And Iowa?

Well…

Dadgummit, Iowa looks pretty darn good this year.

Of course they do.

Because apparently Iowa is contractually obligated to make Nebraska fans miserable.

But after watching Nebraska go toe-to-toe with the defending national champions?

WHY CAN’T WE BEAT IOWA?

I’m not saying we will.

I’m saying we’ve got a shot.

And after today, I genuinely believe that.

Here’s my final thought.

I’m frustrated.

Of course I’m frustrated.

We had Indiana on the ropes. We had an opportunity to do something special. We had a chance to give Matt Rhule that signature win and announce to the entire country that Nebraska football was becoming a force again.

And we came up three points short.

Again.

But I’m also proud.

Because this wasn’t the Nebraska team that got humiliated 56-7.

This wasn’t a team that rolled over and accepted defeat.

This was a Nebraska team that made the defending national champions WORK for their victory.

That matters.

But now comes the hard part.

WE HAVE TO TURN PROGRESS INTO RESULTS.

We have to stop being the team that almost beats somebody.

We have to stop collecting moral victories like they’re commemorative coins.

We have to stop saying, “Well, at least we were competitive.”

Because we’ve been competitive before.

We’ve been close before.

We’ve been encouraged before.

And we’ve been heartbroken before.

Eventually, Nebraska has to WIN one of these dadgum games.

I believe Matt Rhule has us moving in the right direction.

I believe this team has something special developing.

I believe Nebraska football is closer to a breakthrough than it has been in a long time.

But believing isn’t enough anymore.

Now we need to SEE it.

So here’s to hoping that signature win is coming.

Here’s to hoping we finally knock off a ranked opponent.

Here’s to hoping that someday soon, instead of saying, “We almost did it,” we’re celebrating because…

WE FINALLY DID IT!

Until then, congratulations to Indiana. You earned the victory.

And to our Huskers?

Keep your heads up.

You proved you belong on the same field as the defending national champions.

Now go prove you can BEAT somebody like them.

Moral victories are nice.

Actual victories are better.

GO BIG RED!

GO BIG RIBBIT! 🐸🏈

10/10/2026

🐸🏈 GO BIG RIBBIT!

THE PRE-GAME RIBBIT!

Nebraska vs. Indiana: Is Today FINALLY the Day?

Folks, this game is EPIC.

Two undefeated teams. Both 5-0. Memorial Stadium. Lincoln, Nebraska. The defending national champions coming to town.

And the Nebraska Cornhuskers have an opportunity to do something we haven’t seen them do in a very, VERY long time.

Win a game that actually changes the national conversation.

Now, before anybody accuses me of drinking the Big Red Kool-Aid, let’s establish something.

Indiana is really, REALLY good.

Curt Cignetti has built one heck of a football program. In fact, I’m willing to admit something that might upset a few Nebraska fans. Right now, Cignetti is probably the better head coach than Matt Rhule.

His teams are disciplined, fundamentally sound, and they don’t generally beat themselves. That Indiana defense is LEGIT.

But here’s the thing.

Indiana looks human this year.

Yes, they’re the defending national champions. Yes, they’re undefeated. But who have they really played?

Northwestern gave them a fight, and to Northwestern’s credit, they’ve been playing some inspired football. Chip Kelly has that offense doing some interesting things.

But Indiana hasn’t exactly been running through a murderer’s row of opponents.

And Nebraska?

Well, Nebraska hasn’t looked like a world-beater either.

We beat Michigan State. We beat Maryland. But there have been slow starts, frustrating mistakes, and moments where I’ve wondered if this team remembered there were four quarters in a football game.

HOWEVER…

Something feels different about this Nebraska team.

I can’t entirely explain it, but I can see it.

When Nebraska finally gets rolling, they don’t just look competitive. They look downright dangerous.

The offense starts clicking. The defense starts making plays. The confidence builds. And instead of finding creative new ways to lose football games, Nebraska is finding ways to WIN them.

And here’s something worth considering. Nebraska has won five consecutive games by at least 18 points, something the program hasn’t accomplished since 1997.

That’s a pretty significant development for anybody who’s followed this program over the last decade.

I’m starting to wonder whether Nebraska might actually have a slight talent advantage in some areas.

And while Indiana has the coaching and consistency advantage, I’m beginning to think Nebraska has a little momentum on its side.

This team might finally be waking up.

But then there’s that pesky little thing called HISTORY.

Oh, boy.

Nebraska has lost 31 consecutive games against ranked opponents. Our last victory over a ranked team came against Oregon in 2016.

2016, PEOPLE!

Matt Rhule’s record against ranked opponents hasn’t exactly inspired confidence either.

And whenever Nebraska gets a nationally televised opportunity to announce that the Huskers are back, what generally happens?

We get embarrassed.

We get humbled.

We get reminded that rebuilding Nebraska football is apparently a project with a longer timeline than the construction of the Great Pyramids.

And let’s not forget what happened the last time we played Indiana.

Indiana 56, Nebraska 7.

FIFTY-SIX TO SEVEN.

That wasn’t a football game. That was a public ex*****on with commercial breaks.

And with Big Noon Kickoff in Lincoln, the national spotlight is shining directly on us again.

So forgive me if I’m a little cautious.

What does Nebraska have to do to win?

First of all, we have to play CLEAN football.

No stupid penalties. No turnovers that hand Indiana easy points. No spotting the defending national champions a double-digit lead before deciding to wake up.

Nebraska cannot afford one of its patented slow starts.

We need to execute on offense, protect the football, tackle well, and make Indiana earn every single yard.

And frankly, we’re going to need Cignetti’s team to have an unusually imperfect afternoon.

That doesn’t happen very often.

Indiana has won 21 straight games. Cignetti has been remarkably consistent, and his defense is one of the best in the country.

Maybe they’re looking ahead to Ohio State. Maybe they underestimate Nebraska. Maybe Memorial Stadium gets so loud that Indiana starts making mistakes it normally doesn’t make.

Maybe, just MAYBE, everything finally comes together.

Because history tells us Nebraska probably isn’t winning this game.

But history isn’t playing football today.

These players are.

Now, imagine this for a moment.

Imagine Memorial Stadium absolutely ROCKING.

Imagine Nebraska trading punches with the defending national champions.

Imagine the fourth quarter arriving, and instead of wondering how Nebraska is going to blow it, we’re wondering how Indiana is going to survive it.

Imagine the clock hitting zero.

NEBRASKA WINS.

Six and zero.

BOWL ELIGIBLE.

The defending national champions knocked off in Lincoln.

Matt Rhule finally gets his signature victory.

And suddenly, the national conversation changes.

No, Nebraska isn’t necessarily BACK.

We’re not talking about the 1995 Cornhuskers.

We’re not booking hotel rooms for the national championship game.

But you know what?

NEBRASKA IS NATIONALLY RELEVANT AGAIN.

We’re no longer the team everybody circles on the schedule as an easy win.

We’re no longer the team you schedule for your dadgum HOMECOMING!

We’re becoming the kind of team that, when you see Nebraska coming up on the schedule, you think:

“Oh, crap. We have to play THEM?”

Not necessarily a team you fear.

But a team you sure as heck don’t look forward to playing.

And after everything this football program and its fans have endured, wouldn’t that be something?

So here’s where I stand.

I’m not predicting a score.

I’m not guaranteeing an upset.

I’m not even saying Nebraska SHOULD win this game.

Indiana deserves to be respected. Cignetti deserves to be respected. And Nebraska is going to have to play its best game of the season just to have a chance.

But at some point, doesn’t the breakthrough have to happen?

How many times can we say, “We’re getting closer”?

How many times can we say, “Maybe next year”?

How many times can Nebraska get knocked down before it finally stands up and punches somebody right back?

WHY NOT TODAY?

Why not in Lincoln?

Why not against the defending national champions?

Why not with a chance to become bowl eligible and show the entire country that Nebraska football is finally turning a corner?

I’m trying not to get my hopes up.

I really am.

But, dear football gods…

PLEASE. OH, PLEASE. LET IT HAPPEN TODAY.

I would REALLY, REALLY like to win this one.

And if we don’t?

Well…

Could we at least beat Dylan Raiola and Oregon?

PLEASE?

And can we win that awesome blackout game against Washington? Because I absolutely LOVE the blackout thing, and it would be a shame to waste all that glorious black clothing on another heartbreaking loss.

And while we’re at it, beating Iowa would be pretty darn satisfying, too.

Although, unfortunately, Iowa looks pretty good this year.

Of course they do.

Because apparently the Big Ten doesn’t believe in giving Nebraska nice things.

But that’s a conversation for another day.

Today, we’ve got Indiana.

Today, we’ve got an opportunity.

Today, we’ve got 90,000-plus Husker fans who have been waiting an awfully long time for a moment like this.

History says no.

My head says probably not.

But my heart?

My heart says we’re DUE.

Come on, Huskers.

Give us something to remember.

GO BIG RED!

GO BIG RIBBIT! 🐸🏈

BOOYAKASHA!

10/07/2026

Oh my goodness. Skippy Neuheisel just picked Nebraska to win.

This is a win-win. If we win, we can say we finally knocked some sense into the Ol’ Skippy(we beat him when he was QB at UCLA and also beat him many times when he was the HC at Colorado). If we lose, we can now blame the loss on the Ol’ Skippy.

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