Josh Pate: Nebraska is a sleeper team for College Football Playoff

Nebraska is a sleeper team for the College Football Playoff based on what they have in terms of personnel and schedule, according to Josh Pate. Year 3 for Matt Rhule could be magical, as he’s done in the past at Temple and Baylor.

With Dylan Raiola entering his sophomore year, the young quarterback could take the next step. It helps that OC Dana Holgorsen has the utmost confidence in his signal caller as well.

As long as the offense keeps climbing the ladder, the defense should be able to keep up, per Pate. He explained Nebraska’s chances to make the CFP on Bussin’ With The Boys. 

“So I feel like we’re close enough to the season where a lot of people are gonna start getting on the whole ‘ooh, I just did my research. It looks like Matt Rhule in year three is a big deal,’” Pate said. “I don’t think that those people know that even Holgorsen is the offensive coordinator … I’ve got Dylan here, I’ve got Dana Holgerson here, and I just feel like that’s about to happen this year. 

“And even though they lost Tony White Florida State, which is a move I still question, by the way, even though they lost him to Florida State, I feel like the defensive personnel will be good enough that the scaling of offensive production combined with what I think’s the most workable Big Ten schedule in the entire conference. There’s such a path to 10-2 and I think 10-2 gets them in … The question is, who’s ready not to follow that prediction, but like, is anyone ready to top that prediction? That’s what I came here to find out this morning slash early afternoon.”

Pate referred to Railoa and all indications out of Fall camp are that he’s improved from his freshman campaign. Rhule evaluated a recent performance of the Nebraska QB as “excellent.”

Raiola not only strived to improve his physical attributes this summer, but his mental game as well. Rhule discussed how Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler has helped Raiola learn to read opposing defenses.

“Dylan does non-physical things that are really high level, makes checks, reads the defense,” Rhule said. “He’s lucky he has John Butler, who walks him through, ‘Hey, this what we’re doing.’ They have a great relationship. John Butler’s one of the smartest people I’ve ever been around in my life. He’s brilliant.

“… Dylan is sprinting and leading the way and the other guys are having to catch up. If they didn’t see Dylan doing that, we would probably be much more remedial. But they see Dylan doing it, so as a result, they all want to do it.”