logo
Nebraska's Dylan Raiola ranked among the top quarterbacks in USA Today's rankings

Nebraska's Dylan Raiola ranked among the top quarterbacks in USA Today's rankings

USA Today08-07-2025
USA Today's Paul Myerberg, Blake Toppmeyer, Eddie Timanus, Jordan Mendoza, and Erick Smith released their top-25 college quarterback rankings ahead of the 2025 season. Multiple Big Ten quarterbacks made the list, including Nebraska's Dylan Raiola, who ranked 17th.
The article emphasized that the former five-star recruit will take the next step as a sophomore, building on last year's experience, a much-improved receiver group, and a full offseason learning the ropes in coordinator Dana Holgorsen's system.
Raiola played in all 13 games as a true freshman for the Huskers in 2024, setting a school record for yards thrown by a freshman and completion percentage by a freshman. He completed more than 67 percent of his passes last season, going 275-of-410 while tossing 2,819 yards and 13 touchdowns.
Raiola led all FBS freshmen and ranked 14th nationally in completion percentage in 2024. He also ranked third among all freshmen in passing yards and was a semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award.
Raiola ranked fourth among the seven Big Ten quarterbacks in USA Today's rankings. Penn State's Drew Allar earned the highest rank for the Big Ten, placing at No. 2.
"Raiola has all the gifts to match his immense recruiting hype and should tap into that potential beginning in September."
Illinois's Luke Altmyer and UCLA's Nico Iamaleava also ranked ahead of Raiola, earning the 13th and 16th spots, respectively. Other Big Ten quarterbacks to make the top 25 included Oregon's Dante Moore (19th), Indiana's Fernando Mendoza (20th), and Ohio State's Julian Sayin (24th).
Contact/Follow us @CornhuskersWire on X (formerly Twitter), and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Nebraska news, notes, and opinions.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025
James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025

USA Today

time22 minutes ago

  • USA Today

James Franklin focused on Penn State's big goals, not hype, in 2025

Will Penn State live up to the hype in 2025? James Franklin embraces the challenge. As Penn State head coach James Franklin approached the microphone for his annual round at the podium for Big Ten football media day on Wednesday afternoon in Las Vegas, he did so with the eyes of the college football world on him like never before. Penn State arrived at Big Ten media day with many around the nation considering the Nittany Lions a top threat in the conference, and perhaps more. That rising pressure was not lost on the head coach of the program, who is no stranger to talking about his position being under pressure in the big moments during his career at Penn State. "There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that," Franklin said to the media at the annual Big Ten football media day event, referring to the offseason talk placing high expectations on Penn State. "We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. There's a lot of people that are excited on a national level talking about us." Penn State returns a roster with an experienced starting quarterback (Drew Allar), a dynamic running back duo (Nicholas Singleton and Kaytron Allen), a talented defense under a new high profile defensive coordinator, and a wide receiver unit boosted by additions form the transfer portal to help the one biggest concern on the roster coming off the 2024 season. Penn State played for a Big Ten championship and reached the College Football Playoff semifinal, and was as close to playing for a national title as they have been under Franklin to this point. "We had what a lot of people would consider a really good season last year," Franklin said. "We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high." Penn State has been appearing at the top of many preseason rankings and polls this offseason despite not being the defending Big Ten champion (Oregon) or the reigning national champion (Ohio State). Penn State faces both of those teams in the 2025 season and lost to both last season. But Franklin is not wasting time worrying about the preseason hype train running at full steam. "It's a great conversation, but who really cares about preseason rankings? They mean nothing," Franklin said. "It's a good argument to have and everybody has fun with it, but the only rankings that matter are the ones that happen at the end of the season, and that's what we're concerned about. The only way we'll do that is by handling our business today." Penn State begins its season at home on Aug. 30 with a home game against Nevada. View the full 2025 Penn State football schedule and updated kickoff times. Follow Kevin McGuire on Threads, Bluesky, Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook. Follow Nittany Lions Wire on X, Facebook, and Threads.

Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff

LAS VEGAS (AP) — New year, new slate, no outside noise. That's the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. 'Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,' Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. 'The beginning of every year, that's expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that's how I go into the season every year. 'Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we're laser focused on the task at hand.' Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener against Nevada on Aug. 30. Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year's national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games. Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he's ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience. 'We're very excited about that,' Franklin said. 'There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. 'We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.' Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it's the best atmosphere he's been around since landing on campus. 'The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,' said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. 'With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.' Fighter pilot Fickell Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell wasn't sure what could be tougher: the Badgers' upcoming schedule or the ride-along in an F-16 fighter jet at Nellis Air Force Base he's scheduled to take Thursday. 'The immediacy of the now, the ride-along is going to put more pressure on my body,' Fickell said, laughing. 'But in the long run, the schedule is going to take more years off my life.' In a friend-of-a-friend situation involving a former player, Fickell's butterflies were aflutter as he talked about taking to the skies over southern Nevada with a fighter pilot. 'I know what my body's going to feel like when I'm all said and done,' Fickell said. Among those on Wisconsin's schedule this year are Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. 'There's nothing harder than what's in front of us," he said. "We understand that, but we're not going to shy away from it, either.' Locksley's locker room Maryland coach Michael Locksley displayed a bit of vulnerability, revealing he lost his locker room after the Terrapins finished 4-8 in his sixth full season with the program. It marked Locksley's first losing record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He had navigated Maryland to three straight bowl appearances while winning at least seven games each of those season. He said the new world in which players get paid created divisions in the locker room. 'We had 'haves' and 'have-nots' for the first time in our locker room," Locksley said. 'The landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson: Continue to educate players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about.' The Terrapins open their season at home on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Lakefront vibes As Northwestern awaits the renovation of Ryan Field, being upgraded to a state-of-the-art venue in time for the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats return to the 12,000-seat Martin Athletic Facility for a second straight season. 'Who else gets to play on a lake in college football?' asked incoming quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred in from SMU. 'It's unbelievable, it's an incredible opportunity for us to get to play in a unique environment.' Ticket prices on the school's website range from $94 to $413 for the home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 5. One week later, against Big Ten foe Oregon and with Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff in town, ticket prices trickle upward in the range of $156 to $670. 'I think where we landed was the perfect solution and perfect bridge,' Northwestern coach David Braun said. 'It's unique, it's intimate. It allows our guys to have a level of consistency in terms of where they're playing for all their home games. Allows for our students to engage. And then you bring the element of, I mean, you are on one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire country, right on Lake Michigan. Beautiful fall day, Big Ten football, it's pretty special.' ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here. AP college football: and

Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff
Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff

San Francisco Chronicle​

timean hour ago

  • San Francisco Chronicle​

Penn State blocking out noise of big-game losses, has focus on another run to playoff

LAS VEGAS (AP) — New year, new slate, no outside noise. That's the mantra in Happy Valley, despite James Franklin being saddled with a 4-20 mark as coach at Penn State against teams ranked in the AP Top 10. 'Coming to Penn State, I came here to win Big Ten championships and win a national championship,' Penn State safety Zakee Wheatley said Wednesday, the second of three Big Ten media days. 'The beginning of every year, that's expectations. Whatever happens, happens. But that's how I go into the season every year. 'Coach Franklin does a great job of making sure we're laser focused on the task at hand.' Right now, the task is to open camp with a fresh mindset and zero in on the season opener against Nevada on Aug. 30. Forget his collective 101-42 mark at the helm or the two College Football Playoff victories before falling to Notre Dame in last year's national semifinal. As Franklin enters his 12th season leading the Lions, with 10 trips to the postseason in 11 years, the 53-year-old never seems to escape the narrative of losing big games. Nittany Lions fans might be happy to know Franklin feels he has the best combined personnel he's ever had at Penn State, from players and staff, to depth, to talent and experience. 'We're very excited about that,' Franklin said. 'There's a ton of conversations that are happening nationally. We embrace that. We've earned that based on what we've been able to do and what we've got coming back. 'We were a game away from playing for the National Championship, and you could actually make the argument a drive away from playing for the National Championship, but it didn't feel that way, right? Because the expectations at Penn State are really high. We embrace that.' Wheatley, a fifth-year senior, agreed, saying it's the best atmosphere he's been around since landing on campus. 'The amount of film work and amount of extra work being put in, the energy around the building right now is electric,' said Wheatley, whose 16 tackles in the Orange Bowl against Notre Dame tied for the third-most recorded by a Penn State player in a postseason game. 'With the amount of veteran guys we got coming back and leadership we got going on, it kind of flows from freshmen to seniors. Everyone feels good right now.' Fighter pilot Fickell Wisconsin coach Luke Fickell wasn't sure what could be tougher: the Badgers' upcoming schedule or the ride-along in an F-16 fighter jet at Nellis Air Force Base he's scheduled to take Thursday. 'The immediacy of the now, the ride-along is going to put more pressure on my body,' Fickell said, laughing. 'But in the long run, the schedule is going to take more years off my life.' In a friend-of-a-friend situation involving a former player, Fickell's butterflies were aflutter as he talked about taking to the skies over southern Nevada with a fighter pilot. 'I know what my body's going to feel like when I'm all said and done,' Fickell said. Among those on Wisconsin's schedule this year are Alabama, Michigan, Ohio State and Oregon. 'There's nothing harder than what's in front of us," he said. "We understand that, but we're not going to shy away from it, either.' Locksley's locker room Maryland coach Michael Locksley displayed a bit of vulnerability, revealing he lost his locker room after the Terrapins finished 4-8 in his sixth full season with the program. It marked Locksley's first losing record since the pandemic-shortened 2020 season. He had navigated Maryland to three straight bowl appearances while winning at least seven games each of those season. He said the new world in which players get paid created divisions in the locker room. 'We had 'haves' and 'have-nots' for the first time in our locker room," Locksley said. 'The landscape of college football taught me a valuable lesson: Continue to educate players on the importance of what playing for something bigger than yourself is all about.' The Terrapins open their season at home on Aug. 30 against Florida Atlantic. Lakefront vibes As Northwestern awaits the renovation of Ryan Field, being upgraded to a state-of-the-art venue in time for the 2026 campaign, the Wildcats return to the 12,000-seat Martin Athletic Facility for a second straight season. 'Who else gets to play on a lake in college football?' asked incoming quarterback Preston Stone, who transferred in from SMU. 'It's unbelievable, it's an incredible opportunity for us to get to play in a unique environment.' Ticket prices on the school's website range from $94 to $413 for the home opener against Western Illinois on Sept. 5. One week later, against Big Ten foe Oregon and with Fox Sports' Big Noon Kickoff in town, ticket prices trickle upward in the range of $156 to $670. 'I think where we landed was the perfect solution and perfect bridge,' Northwestern coach David Braun said. 'It's unique, it's intimate. It allows our guys to have a level of consistency in terms of where they're playing for all their home games. Allows for our students to engage. And then you bring the element of, I mean, you are on one of the most prime pieces of real estate in the entire country, right on Lake Michigan. Beautiful fall day, Big Ten football, it's pretty special.'

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store