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Matt Rhule saw ‘championship mindset’ for first time from Nebraska at Ohio State

Mark Kern

By Mark Kern

Published:

Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers were embarrassed in last week’s 56-7 loss at Indiana. The team was dominated in every facet and didn’t show enough.

On Saturday, the Huskers traveled to Columbus to take on No. 4 Ohio State and at one point had a lead in the fourth quarter. It was a competitive game the entire way, but Dylan Raiola was intercepted with 1 minute left to give the Buckeyes a 21-17 win.

Even though his team lost the game, Rhule said it was the first time in his tenure in Lincoln that he saw a championship mindset.

“The hardest part of what we did when we went to Temple, what we did when we went to Baylor was getting guys not to say, ‘Oh, here we go again,’ or getting guys not to expect to lose,” Rhule said. “Last week was a low for us for us since we have been here. “The minute the game got hard, we kind of looked around and said what’s happening to us? Kind of victims.”

Rhule said Nebraska expected to go to Ohio State and win the game.

“This was a hard week, but a week I knew because of my experiences that would turn into something good. … We expected to come here and win the football game. I don’t want this to sound like a moral victory, because we lost. I’m not here to lose,” Rhule said.

“I was proud of that football team today. I was proud. They didn’t back down. They had some really tough breaks. They had some things go against them, and they competed. This was the first time since I have been here that I felt a championship mindset in the locker room.”

The Cornhuskers were down 14-3 early in the game, but were able to take a 17-14 lead in the fourth quarter. Ohio State scored a touchdown with 6 minutes left to get the victory, but Nebraska showed it can compete with any team in the country.

Nebraska (5-3) will be back in action next week when it hosts UCLA (2-5).

Mark Kern