Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule has made strong statements about the Big Ten, suggesting that four teams from the conference should automatically qualify for the College Football Playoff, calling it “the NFL of college football.” Rhule’s bold remarks came during the Big Ten media days, despite his team’s struggle last season, where Nebraska finished with only three wins.
College football analyst Paul Finebaum criticized Rhule’s comments sharply on ESPN’s “Get Up,” advising him to focus on improving his team’s performance rather than making grandiose claims. Finebaum told Rhule to “stay in your lane” and concentrate on achieving a bowl game. He highlighted Rhule’s lackluster NFL stint with the Carolina Panthers and his underwhelming first year at Nebraska, where the Cornhuskers ended up with a 5-7 record and a 3-6 mark in conference play.
Rhule’s coaching background includes two successful seasons at Temple and an 11-3 record at Baylor in 2019. However, his overall career record stands at 52-50, with a 1-2 bowl game record. Finebaum pointed out that Rhule’s track record doesn’t support his claims about the College Football Playoff and suggested he should focus on winning games instead of making ambitious statements.
With Nebraska’s schedule becoming more challenging this season due to the inclusion of UCLA and USC, Rhule faces an uphill battle to validate his lofty predictions.
