Another day in the desert at Big Ten media days has come and gone. We heard plenty on Wednesday from coaches and players who repped Penn State, Oregon, Minnesota, Northwestern, Washington and Wisconsin. And guess who brought Nebraska and Matt Rhule into the conversation? PJ Fleck, the Gophers’ coach. In fact, Fleck offered a prediction about the Huskers as they enter Year 3 under Rhule. 

Connor and Mitch are here to discuss Fleck. What are Nebraska fans supposed to think of him now that he has coached Minnesota to five consecutive wins against the Huskers? We’re also talking about James Franklin. He came as close as any coach in Vegas to veering off course as Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti has gathered support behind him for the league’s proposed playoff plan. Franklin just wants uniformity in scheduling with the SEC. It makes sense.

And we revisit Dylan Raiola’s appearance on Tuesday in Las Vegas. The Nebraska quarterback handled the spotlight well. Is it a sign of things to come in his sophomore season?

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Nebraska’s appearance at Big Ten media days has come and gone. Matt Rhule, Dylan Raiola and the Huskers flew in and out of Las Vegas on Tuesday. In several hours on the ground, Rhule made a point to embrace former Nebraska coach Scott Frost. In a fascinating display picking the positive path, Rhule agreed with Frost that the Nebraska job was not great when the coaching transition went down in 2022. So it was, in fact, the wrong job for Frost. 

We review Rhule’s messaging – why did he do it? – and perhaps put this subject to bed once and for all. Also at the Mandalay Bay on Tuesday, the College Football Playoff was a hot topic. Commissioner Tony Petitti maintained his stance that four auto bids in 2026 for the Big Ten and the SEC is best for the sport because it minimizes the impact of the committee. Indiana coach Curt Cignetti took the bait in repeated attempts by media members in attendance to advance the Big Ten-SEC battle. 

Rhule provided a few roster updates. The offensive line is getting healthy. There’s a change in the possible lineup at running back. The third-year coach likes his team. And yes, details were revealed on the live bull that took up residence in the Nebraska weight room last month.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule, quarterback Dylan Raiola and the Huskers take the stage on Tuesday in Las Vegas at Big Ten media days. The main appetizer to the 2025 football season will be served. And we’re all ears as Nebraska lands on the Strip for its appearance at this annual event. 

The preseason poll is out, thanks to the good people at Cleveland.com. Nebraska sits eighth. Perhaps more notably, it placed no players among the vote-getters – 25 panelists are asked to choose a top three on offense and defense – for Big Ten offensive or defensive players of the year. Ten teams were represented in the results. Do the Huskers lack the star power to compete for a spot near the top of their league?

Also, Troy Dannen will be in attendance. Revenue sharing, which began on July 1, is sure to be a topic with the AD. What’s new with the Huskers’ roster after an important month of June? Tony Pettiti has some advice for the NCAA on Michigan. And just where did Nebraska get a real cow to use this summer as part of the entertainment when it hosted recruits? All of that and more in this packed episode. Join us.

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Big Ten media days are almost here. We’re so excited that we’re here to deliver an early podcast this week to preview the festivities in Las Vegas – through the eyes of Nebraska opponents. The big event gets underway Tuesday as Nebraska, Ohio State, Maryland, Illinois, Indiana and Rutgers take the stage. 

We start our look at the Huskers’ foes with Penn State. Did the Nittany Lions break through last year in winning a pair of College Football Playoff games? We go west – to Los Angeles, where USC and UCLA play. Both are set to face Nebraska in November. Are the Trojans ready for a rebound? Is the hype around Nico Iamaleava, the Bruins’ quarterback, justified?

This episode concludes with conversations about Michigan and Iowa. The Wolverines remain on track to visit Lincoln in September without their head coach, Sherrone Moore. Is that a mistake? And who is more likely, the Huskers or the Hawkeyes, to remain in the CFP conversation on Black Friday? Join us. 

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The Friday mailbag is open. We start with an important update from the mapmaker, Nathan, who contributes a question about the best Nebraska squad not to win a national title. Who among Matt Rhule’s assistant coaches faces the most pressure in 2025? Which freshman is poised for the biggest season this fall? 

We go to Napa for an important observation about current and past Nebraska coaches. What happens to collectives if companies like Learfied and Playfly get heavily involved in NIL operations? Do the Huskers have enough size at wide receiver? Who’s on the Nebraska QB Mount Rushmore? That’s an easy answer. But the solution to the Huskers’ lack of experience and bulk up front on defense is not. 

The mailbag has exploded into the international space, with questions from three more locations that require a passport to visit. Join us to share in the fun. 

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Big Ten takes a stand against SEC's 8-game schedule. Will this reshape college football's landscape?

Spencer McLaughlin and the Locked On Big Ten Squad dissect the conference's bold move, demanding SEC alignment for playoff expansion. The hosts analyze Indiana's controversial non-conference schedule changes and debate Ohio State's projected 10.5-win total. Key discussions include the impact of road games, particularly Ohio State's trip to Wisconsin, and the push for scheduling uniformity across major conferences.

Can the Big Ten force the SEC's hand? Will Indiana's scheduling decisions backfire? Tune in for expert insights on these pivotal issues shaping college football's future.

We’re joined on this Thursday by Sam Khan Jr. of The Athletic, who ranked all 136 FBS quarterbacks with Antonio Morales. They spent more than a month on the project and published their findings this week. Of note to us at the Locked On Nebraska podcast, Nebraska’s Dylan Raiola came in at No. 40. Before you get upset, that’s not bad. He’s in Tier 4 out of 7 nationally and in the top 30 percent nationally, with the potential to rise. Sam explains the process that landed Raiola in this position – and provides insight on how experts and insiders in the sport view the Huskers’ returning starter.

Also, we’re looking at the list to find other QBs on the Nebraska schedule and from around the Big Ten. We review the ESPYs from Wednesday night and pay tribute to Lee Corso. 

And we finish the show with the final group of three in our Bowl of Fascination. Tune in.

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Jumping back in on this Wednesday with the Bowl of Fascination countdown. It just so happens that Nebraska wide receiver Demitrius Bell shared an update on his return from a 2024 injury on Tuesday. What can the Huskers expect from this promising receiver? And aside from his injury, why is Bell overlooked as Nebraska and Matt Rhule inch closer to preseason camp?

We’re talking, too, about more Huskers who fit into the overlooked category. SEC media days is halfway complete. How is it possible that somebody from the league played the Aggie War Hymn on Tuesday as Texas coach Steve Sarkisian walked on stage? What is the Big Ten equivalent of this gaffe?

Nebraska has a schedule for Fan Day. It includes an open evening practice session on the first Saturday of August. We wonder if it will be well attended by Nebraska fans. And ESPN paid homage to our state on Tuesday.

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We’re dreaming today. Nearly three decades ago, Lane Kiffin, the Lincoln native and son of a Nebraska football icon, got his start in coaching. Around that time, the Huskers embarked on a roller-coaster ride that hasn’t stopped. Kiffin jumped around, landing in 2020 at Ole Miss, where he appears entrenched. His path never crossed with the Huskers, though it could have happened if the stars aligned differently on multiple occasions. What would that have looked like? 

Kiffin was on stage Monday at SEC media days. We believe he’s one of the most intriguing figures in college football. There’s more on tap Tuesday from Atlanta, where the SEC heavyweights will continue to argue against the Big Ten’s proposed College Football Playoff format modification. 

Nebraska baseball took a couple hits in the MLB Draft. And we dip into the Bowl of Fascination to find a sophomore for the Huskers on defense who turned heads late last season. Join us.

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We’re back on this Monday and getting serious about the Bowl of Fascination – our countdown of fascinating players on Matt Rhule’s Nebraska roster ahead of preseason camp. Practice starts in two weeks, so we’re doubling up today, with one player on the offensive side and one on defense. What do they have in common? Well, nine months ago, you may not have seen them as integral pieces. But now, there’s no doubt. 

Also, we review the weekend and discuss Ndamukong Suh’s official retirement from football. He is the greatest former Nebraska player in the NFL since … whom? SEC media days are here. They’re in Atlanta. So are the MLB All-Star festivities, an intriguing combination. 

We look ahead to Las Vegas next and discuss a former Nebraska baseball star in the news – and perhaps a future Nebraska basketball star. Join us.

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