Five of Nebraska football’s six losses in 2024 came by just one score, the lone exception a 56-7 loss at the hands of Indiana in mid-October. Months removed, losing that many close games, especially an overtime loss to Illinois and a four-point loss to Ohio State, the eventual national champions, is often cited as a cause for optimism around the program. In the moment, all it caused was frustration.
When asked about why his Cornhuskers came up short so often in close contests, Rhule didn’t mention his true freshman quarterback, a mid-season offensive coordinator change, or his team’s six missed field goal attempts last season.