WATCH: Matt Rhule discusses John Butler dismissal, 2026 class at NSD press conference
Matt Rhule and the Nebraska football program wrapped up the 2025 season with a disappointing 7-5 record entering the postseason.
The Huskers, with an embarrassing loss to the Hawkeyes in the annual Black Friday rivalry game, finished their campaign two games above .500 (4-5 in the Big Ten) after losing three of their final four.
Nebraska lost most of the momentum it would have gained if it had finished the season strong with wins over Penn State and Iowa – or just winning one of the two to finish at 9-3 or 8-4 ahead of a bowl game.
Rhule beating his alma mater or notching his first win over Iowa, though, crashed by the wayside in blowout losses – one on the road, one at home as they lost by a combined 51 points (77-26) across those two games.
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>> Analyzing John Butler’s dismissal as Nebraska DC
>> Nebraska DC Hot Board: What to know about names of interest
>> Amid change, Nebraska defense must land difference-makers in the transfer portal
Now, the Huskers will await their fate as they officially discover their bowl game destination. Inside Nebraska projects them to get slotted into either the Las Vegas Bowl or the Music City Bowl. The official announcement will come on Sunday, Dec. 7.
Now, the Huskers and their head coach will carry a great deal of anxiety – and questions to answer – entering not only what will now be a lower-tier bowl game in late December but also what will be yet another pivotal offseason in the Rhule Era.
That offseason officially kicked off on Monday with the dismissal of John Butler as the Huskers’ defensive coordinator after just one year as the full-time DC. He spent two years with the program, in total, after joining the staff as Nebraska’s defensive backs coach in the summer of 2024.
Related content:
>> Signing Day HQ: Meet Nebraska’s 2026 recruiting class
>> What Nebraska coaches said about their 10 signees from the 2026 class
>> Projecting Nebraska bowl game destination after 7-5 finish
On Wednesday – which is National Signing Day for the Class of 2025 recruits – Rhule met with the media to discuss Butler’s dismissal as DC. He also spoke in depth about the Huskers’ small signing class, expectations for the players in the class, the team’s bowl game practice plans and plenty more.
Watch and listen to Rhule’s latest media availability via the video below.
Wednesday’s press conference video is also available to watch for free on the Inside Nebraska YouTube channel.