The loss of starting quarterback Dylan Raiola looms over Nebraska’s closing stretch to the 2025 campaign, which takes the Cornhuskers to Pasadena, Calif., for a matchup with UCLA on Saturday.
Raiola sustained a broken fibula in Nebraska’s 21-17 loss to Southern California last Saturday. The sophomore appeared to twist his leg under the pressure of a blindside hit in the third quarter against the Trojans, which sent freshman TJ Lateef in to finish the game.
“Making sure we put together a plan that he’s comfortable with everything we do,” Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule said was the team’s main point of emphasis in preparing Lateef for his first career start.
Last week’s appearance was the first for Lateef in a high-pressure situation at Nebraska (6-3, 3-3 Big Ten). He played in early-season routs of Akron and Houston Christian, completing 11 of 12 passes for 254 yards and a touchdown, and also ran for a score.
Against USC, Lateef finished 5-of-7 passing but totaled only 7 yards as the Cornhuskers sputtered late in a defensive battle.
Saturday’s trip to UCLA (3-5, 3-2) begins the final three-game stretch for a Nebraska team seeking its first nine-win regular season since 2016.
In their Big Ten debut campaign a season ago, the Bruins won 27-20 in Lincoln and held Nebraska to 322 yards of total offense in a game where Raiola was taken out of commission in the second half.
This year’s UCLA roster is dramatically different and has already undergone significant midseason changes.
Since the Sept. 14 firing of DeShaun Foster, UCLA is 3-2 with conference wins over Penn State, Michigan State and Maryland. A Bruins offense that scored just 14.3 points per game through the first four outings of 2025 put up 33.3 during UCLA’s three-game winning streak.
Nico Iamaleava played his best football over that stretch, throwing six of his 10 touchdowns this season and rushing for three scores in the win over Penn State.
The Bruins came down to earth their last time out, losing a 56-6 blowout to No. 2-ranked Indiana on Oct. 26. Interim coach Tim Skipper used UCLA’s bye week to regroup, and has entered into this week preparing for Nebraska’s change at quarterback.
“That definitely is going to change some things,” Skipper said. “We’ll study those reps, and also high school stuff, too, just to get a good feel for him. I know we’re going to get some unscouted looks, unscouted plays. I’m sure there (are) things he does well they’re going to want to (call).”
