Nebraska–Cincinnati Game Gets Fiery Before Kickoff as Analyst Haunts Scott Satterfield With Matt Rhule Praise

Matt Rhule’s third season with the Huskers is shaping up to be quite a comeback story. Despite his modest No. 32 ranking among Power 5 coaches in the recent CBS Sports rankings, he’s steadily building something promising. After a tough 2023 with a 5-7 record and a four-game skid, Rhule completely flipped the script in 2024, guiding the Huskers to a 7-6 record—their first winning season since 2016. To top it off, that Pinstripe Bowl victory finally ended their bowl game drought since 2015. Now, he’s ready to test his momentum against Cincinnati this year, as analysts are praising his rising tide, likely making Scott Satterfield take notice.

Matt Rhule’s Huskers are set to kick off the season against Cincinnati, and the hype is already tilting toward Nebraska. This will only be the second time the programs have met—the first being a 41-0 demolition job by Nebraska back in 1906. Yeah, 119 years ago! And there’s a reason fans and analysts alike are viewing this as a one-sided affair.

On the Nebraska at the Voice of College Football show, analysts Justin Adams and Brian Moore made their thoughts crystal clear. Moore set the tone early: “Just win, baby. I don’t care how you do it—right?” Adams didn’t just echo that sentiment; he took it up a notch.

“I think no matter what, like, even if Nebraska is the way we’re expecting Nebraska to be this year, and looking at Cincinnati’s team like Nebraska, for all intents and purposes, even if they keep it very vanilla, they should win this game by more than two touchdowns,” Adams said. “In our opinion, for it to be like a good start to the season the way we want it to be, I don’t feel like we could just sneak by Cincinnati by a touchdown.” That’s not just confidence—it’s a call for a statement win.

Adams was blunt: this can’t just be a win; Nebraska needs to make noise. “I feel like we could come out and really kind of make a statement that this team is different, because I think in previous years, we would expect to potentially sneak by, right? But now this year is supposed to be turning a corner; we need to beat teams like that by multiple scores and not just survive.”

And he’s not alone in this belief. CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli predicted that Nebraska would go on to beat not only Cincinnati but also Akron, Houston Christian, Michigan, Michigan State, Northwestern, USC, and Iowa State—charting an eight-win season. Now that optimism is driven by more than just good vibes.

Adams pointed out how Cincinnati stumbled last season. “You look at Cincinnati last season, five and seven; I think they only won one game out of like six where they were the favorite.” That alone casts doubt on their ability to deliver in big moments.

Brian Moore also acknowledged the potential for early hiccups. “But I think, too, Cincinnati, the way I look at it, it’s the first game of the year. You’re at home. Essentially, you’re going to have a big crowd advantage. I won’t be shocked if it’s a slower start. You’re going to have a new offensive scheme, a new defensive scheme, and a new special teams scheme that you’re still working through.”

But Moore sees that as only a temporary bump in the road. “But I would not be shocked that, let’s say, come third quarter, you know, it’s 24 to 13 or something, and then Nebraska just blows the doors off. They finally get into that rhythm, and then it turns into a 31-13 type game.”

So while Cincinnati may have the home-field energy, analysts believe Rhule’s squad will ultimately overpower them. That kind of talk? It isn’t just fueling Nebraska fans’ hopes—it’s haunting Scott Satterfield, who needs this game to prove Cincy hasn’t slipped too far under his leadership.

Matt Rhule’s bold take on playoffs format

Even with all the momentum around his team, Matt Rhule stirred controversy this offseason—not with plays, but with playoff politics. Speaking to Husker Online, Rhule didn’t hold back on his feelings about the current College Football Playoff format.

“The more spots the better, man. Make that thing 40 and let’s go,” he said with a laugh. “I think, again, you’re talking about a league that we play nine conference games where some others play eight. So I think that puts you at an automatic disadvantage.”

He expanded, calling for more postseason opportunities, especially for teams in brutal leagues like the Big Ten. “So the more spots, the better. We’re playing in a really, really tough league,” Rhule emphasized. “We’re playing really, really good teams. And you know what? If you play in this league you deserve a chance to get to the postseason and see what you can do.”

But not everyone appreciated his remarks.

Ari Wasserman clapped back on X, questioning Rhule’s priorities: “I wrote about it extensively here after watching the full clip. Instead of soft comments about College Football Playoff reform, how about Matt Rhule—and others—just get better?” According to the On3 analysts, instead of advocating for an easier path to an expanded CFP, programs should elevate themselves to meet current standards, making the 12-team field achievement far more gratifying.

It was a sharp critique, especially with Rhule still trying to shake off his 12-13 record heading into his third season. Still, Nebraska fans argue that his trajectory—especially with a Pinstripe Bowl win and a revamped roster—proves the arrow is pointing up.

Now, analysts are circling Nebraska as a team that needs to prove they’ve arrived, not just improved. Scott Satterfield is already feeling the pressure, while Matt Rhule can’t stop making headlines—on the field and off. If Nebraska cruises to a dominant win, everything aligns with the hype. But if Cincinnati surprises early or pulls off the unthinkable, what then for the Rhule era?

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