Ohio State’s Week 9 matchup against Nebraska is a significant one for the Buckeyes as they look to get back on track following a difficult 1-point loss to Oregon on Oct. 12. But it is also a big game for the Cornhuskers, who are coming off a blowout 56-7 loss to Indiana last weekend, and more specifically freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola.
Raiola is starting under center for the Cornhuskers this season after one of the more eventful recruitments for a high school prospect in recent memory, one which saw him originally commit to the Buckeyes in 2022 before flipping to Georgia just over a year later, only to flip again from the Bulldogs to Nebraska in December of 2023.
Now set to play against the team that he originally pledged to for the first time in his career this Saturday at Ohio Stadium, Raiola offered some perspective on his recruitment and what the upcoming game means to him personally, saying that he although he is excited to go back to Columbus for the first time since high school, he ultimately feels he is in the right place at Nebraska.
“I know a lot of Ohio State players through recruiting,” Raiola told reporters Tuesday. “It’s a cool place. I never played there. I always grew up wanting to play there. The opportunity is here. I went to three games when I was recruited to them.
“I respect their program and what Coach (Ryan) Day has done. I still do, but I am happy where I am today. It’ll be fun to go back and be on the other side. I’ll see some guys after the game. It’ll be a cool atmosphere to go into.”
Raiola has had an up-and-down start to his collegiate career as the Cornhuskers’ starting signal caller. He began his freshman season strong, completing an efficient 100 of his 142 passes (70.4 percent) for 1,224 yards and nine touchdowns to only two interceptions, but has since struggled.
In his last two games against Rutgers and Indiana, he failed to throw for a touchdown while also throwing four interceptions and completing 57.7 percent of his passes.
Raiola has another steep hill to climb against the Buckeyes, who will likely be motivated to put forth a strong defensive performance after giving up multiple explosive plays to Oregon’s Dillon Gabriel and Co. But that has not stopped those within the Ohio State program from giving their former five-star commit his flowers, starting with the head coach who originally recruited him.
“When it comes to Dylan, I think he’s got an opportunity to be a great player,” Day said on Tuesday when asked about Raiola. “I think he’s already playing at a high level. He’s got a lot of talent, and he’s got a great family.”
