The long postseason nightmare for Nebraska is over, and the Huskers can now relish in a postseason victory for the first time since 2015! On Saturday, Matt Rhule and his squad faced Boston College in the Bad Boy Mower’s Pinstripe Bowl, and it was a sight to behold on a dreary New York City day at Yankee Stadium.

For much of the game, the Huskers were in complete control on both sides of the ball. Nebraska built a 20-2 lead entering the 4th quarter with Boston College’s only scoring coming on a blocked PAT that was returned for the 2 points.

That was a theme for the day with special teams dropping the ball on multiple occasions, including a blocked punt that allowed Boston College to make the score 20-15 late. But Nebraska rallied with an offensive drive to put the game away and secure the win with that final score.

Here are the key takeaways as the Huskers end the season on a high note:

Dominant defense leads the way

In a story that has been a theme throughout Nebraska’s season, the staunch Husker defense led the way in the bowl victory. Boston College did not score a touchdown until the 4th quarter after Nebraska had built a 20-2 lead, and that doesn’t tell the total story.

During the first half, Boston College engineered 4 drives inside Nebraska’s 35-yard line, including one that made it all the way to the 9-yard line. However, the Eagles came away with just a lone field goal attempt (that was no good) with 3 turnovers on downs.

Combined, Boston College produced 4 turnovers on downs in Nebraska’s territory before cracking the end zone in the fourth quarter. And 1 of those 2 touchdowns came after a blocked punt gave BC the ball on Nebraska’s 2-yard line.

Most importantly, Nebraska’s run defense was elite on a sloppy day in New York. The Eagles gained just 47 yards on the ground and averaged a measly 2.8 yards per carry after sack yards were accounted for.

Javin Wright led the Huskers with 8 total tackles while Vincent Shavers Jr. chipped in 5 tackles, 2 TFL, a sack and a forced fumble. Ty Robinson did more heavy lifting up front with 2 total tackles, a sack and 1.5 TFL to go with a pass breakup.

Nebraska secures first winning season under Matt Rhule

Saturday’s bowl win was a long time coming for Nebraska. It is the first postseason win for the Huskers since 2015 in their first bowl appearance since 2016.

In the 7 years between 2017-23, fans of the Huskers endured 7 losing seasons shared by 3 head coaches (and an interim coach as well) before Matt Rhule led a return to the postseason this fall. And with the win against Boston College, Rhule has his first winning season in Lincoln at 7-6 overall.

While the Pinstripe Bowl is far from where the program wants to be, it’s not an insignificant step for Rhule’s tenure. His second season in Lincoln has followed a similar pattern to his stops at Temple and Baylor, and that should get fans excited for 2025.

Rhule went 2-10 and 1-11 during his first-year stints at Temple and Baylor, respectively. He led both programs to 6-6 regular season finishes the following years before a Year 3 breakthrough at both places.

Rhule’s combined Year 3 record in college is 21-7 with each program reaching 10 wins in the regular season. Can the Huskers reach that same plateau next fall?

Passing game ends season on optimistic note

The late-seaosn arrival of Dana Holgorsen has the potential to be a turning point for the Huskers, and the offense has provided some optimism since he arrived. That includes Saturday’s win where it was Dylan Raiola and the passing attack that provided more positivity, even considering the conditions.

After throwing an interception on the game’s opening drive, Raiola was largely fantastic the rest of the way. He finished 23-for-31 through the air with 228 yards, a touchdown and his early interception, and it was Raiola’s work spreading the ball around that has to excit fans.

Raiola registered a completion to 9 different Huskers, and it’s a group that has a chance to include key returners for 2025 if the transfer portal doesn’t claim key pieces. We know Raiola and running back Emmett Johnson will be back as cornerstone pieces for the offense, and we’ll see how the rest of the offense gets rounded out in the offseason.