Matt Rhule Cracks CBS Sports’ Elite: Nebraska’s Gridiron Gambler Lands in Top 40 Coaching Royalty
In the ever-intensifying theater of college football, where reputations are forged under stadium lights and legacies cemented with bowl victories, Nebraska’s head coach Matt Rhule has found himself in the crosshairs of national recognition. CBS Sports just dropped its annual ranking of the top 68 head coaches in the collegiate game, a list that might as well be the Mount Olympus of modern football masterminds—and Rhule has carved out his place among them, landing at a respectable (but certainly eyebrow-raising) 32nd overall.
That’s right. Rhule, the architect of Nebraska’s recent resurgence, has made the cut. But the story is as much about what’s behind that ranking as it is about the number itself. It’s a tale of redemption, skepticism, momentum, and the tantalizing promise of greatness on the horizon.
The Long Road to Redemption: From 5-7 to Bowl Glory
Let’s rewind the tape. Just two seasons ago, the Cornhuskers were a program adrift—stuck in the mud with a bleak 5-7 finish in 2023 that left fans shaking their heads and critics sharpening their knives. But 2024 told a slightly different story. Nebraska rallied to a 7-6 finish, capped off by a cathartic, almost cinematic victory in the Pinstripe Bowl. It was their first bowl win since 2016, a stat that feels more like a ghost story than a football record for a storied program like Nebraska.
To the casual observer, it might’ve looked like a modest turnaround. To the diehard Husker faithful, it was a symbolic resurrection. And to CBS Sports? A reason to still bump Rhule down three spots from his previous ranking.
Wait—down? Yes. Despite a tangible improvement and a trophy in hand, Rhule took a tumble in the rankings. And here’s why.
The 6-6 Curse and the Voter’s Dilemma
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli—never one to mince words—offered a cold, calculated explanation: “Rhule’s Nebraska was able to cross a bowl game off the to-do list last year, but he still fell three spots in our rankings. After all, there’s a difference between 6-6 bowl eligibility and 8-4, so you’ll have to forgive some of our voters if they weren’t overly impressed with Rhule’s sophomore season in Lincoln.”
It’s a blunt critique that cuts to the heart of the matter: expectations. Rhule wasn’t just brought to Nebraska to be “pretty good.” He was brought in to ignite a football revolution, to revive a once-proud powerhouse and return the program to national prominence. And in the eyes of many, bowl eligibility is just table stakes, not a cause for celebration.
The Third-Year Charm: Will History Repeat?
Yet Rhule’s supporters have one very compelling card to play—his third-year magic. At Temple and Baylor, Rhule didn’t just improve teams in his third season. He catapulted them into relevance. He took the downtrodden and turned them into contenders. The question echoing through Lincoln now is simple, seductive, and full of possibility:
Is 2025 the year Nebraska finally explodes back into college football’s elite?
The schedule looks promising. The talent pipeline—fueled by an influx of hungry freshmen and seasoned transfers—appears stacked. Rhule’s culture is beginning to crystallize, and the energy surrounding the program feels different. Electric. Dangerous. Like something is about to break wide open.
A Ranking That’s Both a Challenge and a Compliment
So, what does Rhule’s 32nd-place ranking really mean? It’s a mixed signal—part affirmation, part provocation. It acknowledges his steady hand and bowl breakthrough, but dares him to be more. It’s a polite pat on the back… followed by a not-so-subtle nudge toward the next level.
And for a coach like Rhule, that might be all the motivation he needs.
After all, Nebraska isn’t a program built for mediocrity. It’s a sleeping giant, waiting for the right spark. And if history is any indicator, Matt Rhule might just be holding the match.
