Nebraska didn’t just lose in Happy Valley; it got physically overwhelmed.
Penn State, a 4–6 team that entered the night having fired its head coach and searching for stability, dominated the Huskers 37–10 in a performance that exposed clear gaps along Nebraska’s offensive and defensive lines. The Nittany Lions gashed the Huskers for over 400 yards for the first time all season, ran for 5.9 yards per carry, and scored four rushing touchdowns in a game that looked out of reach for Nebraska well before the second half even started.
And as Matt Rhule made clear afterward, the result was “disappointing,” but the response must be immediate with Iowa looming. With that in mind, here’s the good, the bad, and the ugly both from yesterday night’s turn of events and the outlook for the final regular season game of 2025.
Nebraska Cornhuskers quarterback TJ Lateef, who completed 21-37 passes for 187 yards and scored the Huskers’ only touchdown, against Penn State. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
It’s tough to find positives in a 27-point loss, but Rhule did highlight a few. Most notably, he praised his team’s composure in a game that went sideways early. Nebraska didn’t quit, and with Iowa coming up on a short week, the head coach made it clear there’s no time to dwell.
“We’ll come back. We’ll eat this one, [and] when we get on the plane, we’re on to next week. We got no time to worry about what just happened.”
That won’t soothe a frustrated fanbase, but it’s the only reality the Huskers can operate in with less than six days to prepare for a physical Hawkeye team.
Penn State Nittany Lions running back Kaytron Allen, who broke the school record for career rushing yards on senior night, against Nebraska. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Another overlooked positive from the game is that Nebraska won’t face another opponent this season with Penn State’s level of NFL talent. Despite their record, the Nittany Lions’ roster is stacked on both sides of the line, and their playmakers reminded everyone why they opened the year ranked inside the top five.
“Both those backs are really outstanding players. All-American candidates since they were freshmen.”, Rhule said. He also pointed out their stellar defensive line, which totaled three sacks on the night. “Their pass rushers are some of the best in the country.”
Saturday exposed a talent gap, but it also underscored that Nebraska won’t see anything that explosive again this season. However, as “good” as that may sound, it also highlights a severe gap in talent differential that the Huskers will aim to tighten over the offseason.
TJ Lateef runs with the ball during the third quarter against Penn State. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Finally, freshman quarterback TJ Lateef delivered an encouraging performance. In a hostile environment, he protected the football for the second straight week and handled the moment with surprising poise.
“I think TJ didn’t have a bad play on the night… He moved the ball, got us on the right checks, handled the pressure, handled the crowd noise.”
No turnovers. No panic. No unraveling. For a game that fell apart relatively quickly, Lateef’s control was a bright spot heading into the short-week matchup with Iowa back at home.
Penn State defensive end Dani Dennis-Sutton has recorded 23 tackles, 6 sacks, 3 pass deflections, and 3 blocked punts on the year. / Dan Rainville / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
For the small amounts of encouragement Nebraska may take from its effort, the on-field issues were impossible to ignore, starting with a run defense that’s been nothing but concerning since Kansas City back in August. Penn State didn’t just find success on the ground; it dictated the entire game through it, and Nebraska was never able to develop a response. The Nittany Lions averaged 5.9 yards per carry, scored four rushing touchdowns, and repeatedly exposed Nebraska on the edges and up front.
“They got the ball on the perimeter a bunch. We missed some tackles, [but] we were in spots,” Rhule said, before acknowledging the larger problem at play. “They controlled the line of scrimmage.”
That was the story. Nebraska was overpowered at the point of attack and beaten to angles in space, a combination that left the Huskers chasing all night, and one that must be addressed if they hope to compete with the Big Ten’s more physical programs in the years ahead.
Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Emmett Johnson, who totaled 151 yards from scrimmage, against Penn State. / Matthew O’Haren-Imagn Images
Offensively, the issues were different but equally bad. Nebraska reached the red zone four times and walked away with just 10 points, a deflating return in a game where they desperately needed to match Penn State’s scoring pace. Missed opportunities on both 3rd and 4th-and-1 on the opening drive didn’t help, and even when the Huskers moved the ball, finishing remained the problem.
“We had 300 yards of offense, which isn’t great, but it wasn’t like we couldn’t do anything offensively,” Rhule said. “We just didn’t come with a lot of points.”
The theme of doing enough to get there but not enough to capitalize has surfaced multiple times this season, but on Saturday, it buried any chance of keeping the game competitive, let alone coming out with a win.
Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule has led the Huskers to a 19-17 record through 36 games at Nebraska. / Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
For all the progress Nebraska believes it has made under Matt Rhule, the program’s struggles against quality opponents remain the biggest concern moving forward. Saturday’s loss wasn’t an isolated stumble, just another data point in a larger, uncomfortable trend.
Through 36 games, Rhule is now 6–13 against teams that went on to become bowl-eligible in their respective seasons. Simply put, when Nebraska faces opponents with a pulse, the results haven’t been there. And when you look even closer, the wins themselves are not something to brag about.
Of the Power Four teams Nebraska has beaten under Rhule, those opponents have averaged just 5.3 wins across their 12-game regular seasons, which translates to, roughly, the profile of a fringe bowl team at best, and in many cases, one that never reached postseason play.
This reality paints a clearer picture of where the program stands. The Huskers have generally taken care of the teams they should beat but have rarely broken through against teams with winning records, balanced rosters, or postseason-caliber depth. It’s the gap between competence and competitiveness, and ultimately, the next step in Rhule’s rebuild depends entirely on closing this gap.
FINAL | Nebraska 10, Penn State 37
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) November 23, 2025
Even with Saturday’s collapse, there’s still reason to believe Nebraska is moving in the right direction long-term. Rhule’s roster is young, the quarterback situation doesn’t help, and Saturday’s loss made it more clear than ever where the Huskers must improve. But none of that changes the reality that things must improve, and quickly, for the Huskers to finish 2025 on track.
More than anything, this season has shown how drastically the conversation shifts in Lincoln based solely on the final score. One week, Nebraska looks ahead of schedule; the next, the sky is falling. The truth, as usual, lives somewhere in the middle. The Huskers are exactly where most projected them to be at this point: competitive, inconsistent, and still learning how to win against real opponents.
The future remains promising, but the present demands urgency and results. With Iowa up next and a chance to steady the narrative, Nebraska doesn’t need perfection. It just needs progress. And just like the win against UCLA made everyone forget about the week before, a victory at home over rival Iowa would likely reset the tone once again.
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