"He didn't play like a freshman": Nick Saban appreciates the maturity Nebraska QB Dylan Raiola brings to the game
Dylan Raiola made his collegiate debut as a true freshman for Nebraska last weekend, leading the Cornhuskers to an impressive 40-7 win over UTEP.
Raiola looked comfortable in just his first career start, completing 19 of 27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in the highly anticipated game.
The freshman quarterback garnered a lot of attention after his debut, with legendary coach Nick Saban speaking very highly of him on Friday's episode of the Pat McAfee Show.
"[Dylan Raiola] showed confidence in the game, he didn't play like a freshman and I think that's really important," Saban stated. "It's amazing how mature some of these guys are when they come in because quarterback is a position that carries tremendous responsibility. Calling the plays, giving the signals, reading the defense."
Raiola showed why he was one of the most highly-touted recruits in the country coming out of Buford High School in Georgia, ranked as the No. 7 recruit in the country and the No. 1 recruit in Georgia for the class of 2024 by 247Sports.
Dylan Raiola, Nebraska Cornhuskers favored in Week 2 matchup versus Colorado
The national spotlight will be on Dylan Raiola and Nebraska for Week 2, as Deion Sanders and his Colorado Buffaloes come to Lincoln.
The Cornhuskers open as a 6.5-point favorite at home and will be tasked with the difficult job of slowing down the Buffaloes' high-powered offense.
Colorado is coming off a win over North Dakota State last weekend, which came down to the final seconds with an NDSU hail-mary attempt on the final play.
Shedeur Sanders completed 26 of 34 passes for 445 yards and four touchdowns. Travis Hunter caught seven passes for 132 yards and three touchdowns, while Jimmy Horn Jr. caught seven passes for 198 yards and one touchdown.
Nebraska's defense will have their hands full with Sanders, Hunter and Horn, while Dylan Raiola will look to lead his offense past a modest Colorado defense in Week 2. This game should be an exciting one as two elite offenses clash.