Nebraska’s upcoming game at Ohio State in Week 9 holds special significance for Huskers quarterback Dylan Raiola, as it’s somewhat of a homecoming for him. Raiola, a freshman who initially committed to Ohio State as a five-star recruit from Buford, Georgia, in 2022, later switched his commitment to Georgia before ultimately joining Nebraska in 2023. He shared with reporters that he has always dreamed of playing in Ohio Stadium.
“I know many players from Ohio State through the recruiting process,” Raiola mentioned on Tuesday. “It’s an impressive place. I’ve never played there, but it’s always been a dream of mine. Now I have the chance. I attended three games while being recruited by them. I have great respect for their program and what Coach Day has accomplished, and I still do. However, I’m happy where I am now, and it will be exciting to return and be on the other side. I’ll catch up with some guys after the game; it’s going to be a great atmosphere.”
Raiola has had a solid start to his freshman season, throwing nine touchdowns against two interceptions in his first six games. However, his performance has declined recently. In a 14-7 home win against Rutgers in Week 6, he completed only 48.1% of his passes for 134 yards and one interception. He also threw three interceptions in a 56-7 defeat at Indiana last Saturday and hasn’t thrown a touchdown pass since September.
“It starts with me,” Raiola said when discussing the struggles of the Huskers’ passing game. “Facing Ohio State’s defense is a great challenge that I’m ready to accept. Our receivers can make plays; I just need to do a better job of getting the ball downfield. That responsibility falls on me.”
Ohio State is favored by 25.5 points against Nebraska, according to FanDuel Sportsbook, as it looks to rebound from its first loss of the season against Oregon in Week 7. Nebraska’s loss to Indiana marked the team’s second-worst defeat since joining the Big Ten in 2011.
“It’s a fantastic opportunity,” Raiola said regarding the matchup with Ohio State following the heavy loss to Indiana. “We want to demonstrate that we can compete. I can’t express it any other way. We’re just going to play football, no matter who the opponent is or where we are playing. That’s our identity, and we’re committed to it.
“I don’t think it’s hard to regain the right mindset,” he added. “It’s not our last game of the season. We took a tough hit. We need to address our mistakes, fix them, and move forward. It was painful; it lingered over the weekend. But it felt good to get back out there yesterday and work on correcting what went wrong.”
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