Hope and optimism.

Two terms seldom uttered in reference to Nebraska football in recent years.

A quick 2-0 start once again has fans in Lincoln hopeful and optimistic. You’ve been down this road several times, Husker fans. Most times you’ve been burned. But 2024 feels different.

Sure, the 2016 team under Mike Riley raced to a 7-0 start and a No. 7 ranking. But Nebraska lost 4 of its final 6 games, including a loss in the Music City Bowl to Tennessee to end the year unranked.

Nebraska hasn’t reached a bowl or had a winning record since. Futility almost incomprehensible for a program of the Huskers’ stature. The Riley and Scott Frost years are a repressed memory for some.

Will 2024 turn into another year or lost hope? Or will Nebraska finally turn things around? Take a deeper dive and there’s reason to suspect this could (should?) be the season the Huskers finally get themselves back on the map as a team to be reckoned with.

Dylan Raiola the difference-maker

True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola has certainly upgraded a once-stagnant offense. Through 2 games, Raiola is 42-for-57 with 423 yards, 3 TDs and no turnovers. That will certainly play with coach Matt Rhule and offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield.

Taking care of the football was one of the team’s major offseason objectives. Nebraska was -17 in turnovers in 2023.  They lost the turnover battle in 10 of 12 games.

Even with a stout defense, NU was unable to overcome the key giveaways to reach 6 wins and bowl eligibility. Through 2 games in 2024, Raiola has secured the ball. Running backs are hanging on to it better. NU is +1.5 in turnover margin. Things are trending upward.

Raiola is showing to be a massive upgrade at QB. The level at which he’s processing the game for a freshman is remarkable, so much so that Rhule already has challenged veterans around him to keep up. There will likely be a few bumps in the road. Big Ten defenses aren’t for the faint of heart. But if he continues to progress and maintains the same ball security he’s shown early, wins will follow.

Defense with some bite

Tony White doesn’t get enough credit.

Nebraska’s 2nd-year DC is doing a phenomenal job. Nebraska’s defense is a menace. The unit surrendered just 16 yards on the ground in Saturday’s 28-10 win over Colorado. They sacked Buffs’ QB Shedeur Sanders 5 times and harassed him countless others.

Ty Robinson, Nash Hutmacher, Mikai Gbayor, Tommi Hill and many others are playing at an extremely high level. The combined levels of power and speed at each level is impressive.

An eye-popping stat emerged this week: White’s Blackshirts’ at home have surrendered more than 14 points just once — to last year’s national champion Michigan — since he took over (9 games).

White has yet had to utilize the blitz much. His front four are creating havoc and winning 1-on-1 battles. It gives the back end confidence they don’t have to cover for an extended time.

So far, it’s been a recipe for success.

Nebraska’s defense gives them a chance each week. It did a year ago. But now it looks to have a complement dance partner on the opposite side of the ball.

Rhule the program builder

Much has been said about the huge leaps Rhule’s teams take from Year 1 to 2.

While at Temple, the Owls went from 2-10 to 6-6 under Rhule. At Baylor, the Bears were 1-11, only to improve to 6-6 the next.

It’s an upward trajectory that’s taking a similar route in Lincoln. Nebraska is deeper and more talented in Year 2 under Rhule. He knows that he wants to build from the ground up. The inside out.

He’s filled nicely from the portal (see, Dante Dowdell, Isaiah Neyor, Jahmal Banks and others) while amping up recruiting. Team chemistry looks strong.

It also helps to snag a 5-star prized recruit. Raiola is the X-factor that could take this team from a 6- or 7-win squad, to one that wins 9, maybe 10 games.

Rhule has shown he knows what it will take to win in the B1G. Stout, run-stopping defense, paired with an offense that can get theirs on the ground or through air.

Nebraska’s stable of backs, led by Oregon transfer Dowdell, look ready for the grind of the conference slate.

Expectations reset?

Nebraska is ranked for the first time since early 2019. Some will say it’s too soon to readjust expectations. Nebraska’s teased us before, only to falter.

Is the projected Vegas win total of 7.5 too low? We’ll see. But I’m guessing there’s many (including myself) out there wishing they were currently holding an overs ticket. The early season returns sure look promising.

Rhule, who usually plays things close to the vest with the media, opened up about their expectations from last Saturday’s win.

“A lot of people probably thought this would be a close game,” Rhule said. “I’ll be honest with you, we expected this score. We have a good team and we felt like we were going to play really well tonight.”

There’s talk of NU visiting the Horseshoe Oct. 26 at 7-0. While that scenario would present a spicy mid-season conference tilt, there’s still plenty of work to be done.

Illinois visits next Friday. The Illini upended a ranked Kansas team 25-17 last week. Rutgers and Indiana are no slouches.

Fans are craving success. Memorial Stadium turned into a frat party during Saturday’s win. Music, dancing … and more. Even the 1994 national championship team was honored during pregame festivities. It’s a place bursting at the seams to become great once again.

Whether wins continue is anyone’s guess. But the foundation has been laid.

With a reliable defense, a 5-star QB, and a program-building coach, it has a different feel than the past.