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The Bruins wanted to break Dylan Raiola’s rhythm
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The Bruins wanted to break Dylan Raiola’s rhythm

Following a Road win 27-20 in Lincoln, UCLA FootballCoach DeShaun Foster was more than happy to praise his team’s ability to spoil Nebraska football offensive game plan.

The Bruins followed their style of play well in Saturday afternoon’s victory, limiting Nebraska to 322 total yards, including 209 passing yards and 113 rushing yards. Foster later said it was the defense’s ability to guard the freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola a counter-rhythm that proved to make the difference.

“We didn’t want him to stay in rhythm. We wanted to make sure we could break his rhythm a little bit. He’s a very good quarterback. He can make plays with his arms, he extends plays with his legs.” , Foster said. of Raiola. “They have a really good offensive line, the running backs were running hard. We just wanted to keep getting out there and not let him stay in rhythm or really get comfortable.”

Quarterback Dylan Raiola hands the ball off to running back Dante Dowdell for a run against UCLA.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola hands the ball off to running back Dante Dowdell for a run against UCLA. /Amarillo Mullen

Raiola finished 14 of 27 for 177 passing yards with a touchdown and an interception and a total QBR of 10.9 – his lowest of the season since his home game on October 5 in a 14-7 victory against Rutgers. The freshman held a 5.9 QBR in the win over the Scarlet Knights, going 13 of 27 for 134 yards and an interception.

The freshman signal-caller was also sacked three times in the contest, making it the fourth game this year. Nebraska allowed three or more sacks on Raiola this year. Raiola has been sacked 20 times this season, with Nebraska ranked 100th in the nation in sacks allowed per game at 2.5.

Foster’s Bruins got off to a strong start in the first quarter, racking up over 100 yards of offense, an early field goal on their first drive, then added a touchdown in the first half. After taking a 13-7 halftime lead, linebacker Kain Medrano returned a Raiola interception for a touchdown followed by a 48-yard touchdown run from Ethan Garbers to Kwazi Gilmer to take a 27-yard lead. 7 in the third quarter.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is helped by offensive lineman Bryce Benhart after being sacked for a 10-yard loss.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola is helped by offensive lineman Bryce Benhart after being sacked for a 10-yard loss on 4th and 5 by UCLA. / Kenny Larabee, KLIN

Nebraska then fought back, scoring thirteen unanswered points to nearly tie the game on the final drive until a late interception tipped off wide receiver Jacory Barney. Foster added that Nebraska’s fight and determination kept them in the competition despite the deficit.

“Every time we got a penalty, they were able to make a big play afterward and then they were able to score at the end of those drives. I thought the defense did a good job. But other than that, This team was continually showing how resilient they are as a team, they’re going to keep fighting,” Foster said. “They were a very good team, that’s why they were able to come back. They weren’t going to give up at all, they were going to keep fighting. That’s what coach Rhule instills in his players, so we “We’re just excited to be able to get a win in a hostile environment like this.”

The penalties Foster mentioned were a headache all day for UCLA, as three unsportsmanlike conduct flags against the Bruins helped Husker score.

Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule talks with officials during the second quarter

November 2, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, United States; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule talks with officials during the second quarter against the UCLA Bruins at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

“Just pure discipline. You know, guys have to be disciplined. A lot of things are going to happen, someone can’t hit you or grab your mask, but you can’t fight back. The second guy always gets caught in situations. “You just have to be smarter than that, those are the kind of situations you have to sacrifice for the best of the team,” Foster said.

UCLA returns to the Pacific Coast to face Iowa on Friday, November 8, while Nebraska takes a week off to lick its wounds before taking on USC out west on November 16.

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