Look how the tables turned, folks! There was a time when Matt Rhule and the Nebraska Cornhuskers were on a mission to terrorize college football fans. Do you remember how Rhule’s QB Dylan Raiola pulled out a Patrick Mahomes look and turned heads? That broccoli hair, those Oakley glasses, the fans were hopeful of Raiola pulling off a Mahomes doppelganger stance even on the gridiron.
Sadly, that didn’t happen. Now it’s time for Rhule to be on the receiving end of terror. And who is sending more crisis in Nebraska’s way? None other Josh Heupel and Tennesee Volunteers. But do you know that Rhule is trying to damage control by paying Tennesse a million of dollars?
Are Matt Rhule and the Huskers running scared?
Things are already tough for Rhule and Co. Coming off a 7-6 lackluster season, they might have thought of gifting fans with a new narrative. Sadly, it looks like the chances are dim. After all, the Huskers defensive lineman Ty Robinson, corner Tommi Hill, tight end Thomas Fidone, and wide receiver Isaiah Neyor are now headed to the NFL Combine. Plus, he lost his starters, Nash Hutmacher and Jimari Butler. Amidst his own team crumbling down, Rhule is now fighting a battle with himself. He has kept the ceiling too high for himself. Here, the ceiling is the Vols HC Huepel. That’s what the analyst believes. On the Crain & Company podcast, analyst Jake Crain came with a reality check for the Huskers fans.
“I’m sure you’ll give me reasons A B C and D of why this was smart or why you’re not scared. But I’m just telling you from the 30,000 foot view from the macro view of college football it looks like the cornfields are shaking in their boots having to see what Tennessee is bringing down.” Now when was the last time that Nebraska faced off against Tennessee? Back in 2016 in Music City Bowl. Even in that game, the Vols came off as the winner 38-24. Now what makes Vols, under Heupel, a threatening force?
Of the eight first-year Power Five head coaches in 2021, no coach won more regular season games than Heupel. The former national champion turned quarterback took the reigns in 2021 and has guided Tennessee to a national resurgence and its first College Football Playoff. Now that’s truly impressive, isn’t it? Maybe that’s where the inferiority complex begins for Rhule who is yet to gift the Huskers a playoff ticket.
Co-host Blain Crain stated, “Matt Rhule’s just upset because he’s supposed to be where Josh Heupel is. What’s Matt in his third year in Nebraska I think Josh at his fourth year in Tennessee. Josh got them the playoffs. Matt, I’ve only heard bad things coming out of Nebraska…he was supposed to be the fixer the guy who fixes Nebraska.” Now do you know that Rhule is even prepared to dish out 1 million dollars to Heupel just to not face them?
Matt Rhule shelling off $1 million as an exit fee
For the fans who were waiting for a marquee Big Ten vs. SEC football series, that’s not going to happen anymore. Rhule’s Huskers have dropped out of its home-and-home against Tennessee that was set for 2026 and 2027. They first signed the deal in 2006, rescheduled in 2013 and now Nebraska dropped a year before it would finally be played. One game was scheduled to be played on September 12, 2026, and the other one on September 11, 2027. Now can this be the reason behind leaving the battleground?
According to an ex-Nebraska player and prominent online presence, it was a game that made no sense for the Cornhuskers to play. But the Nebraska Athletic Director had pointed out some other points. Troy Dannen stated that the renovation of the Memorial Stadium would temporarily affect the seating capacity which propelled them to take the decision. But this decision turns out to be heavy on Rhule’s program’s pockets.
The Huskers will pay $500,000 for each game to get out of the scheduling agreement, totaling $1 million. Now Tennessee Athletic Director Danny White was “very disappointed” after Matt Rhule’s program called off the series. The Vols had its non-conference football schedule set through the 2030 season before Nebraska’s change of heart. Now they will have to go scouting for an opponent to fill the schedule. Will Matt Rhule’s subtle jab at Josh Heupel’s program pay off? Or will it backfire on the Huskers in the long run?
The post Matt Rhule & Nebraska’s Deep-Seated Crisis Addressed in Troubling Update on Million-Dollar Damage Control for Tennessee appeared first on EssentiallySports.
