Two future stars of the B1G will be squaring off Saturday, where the Big Red ‘N’ will host the Big Maize ‘M’. Nebraska QB1 Dylan Raiola has been lights-out through three weeks, piling up more than 800 yards and eight touchdowns without a turnover. Across the field, Michigan freshman Bryce Underwood has shown flashes of why he was the nation’s top recruit, throwing for 600 yards, two touchdowns, and running for two more. Bryce’s stat line looks pedestrian only because of the baptism by fire he endured in Norman against a top-10 Oklahoma defense. The stage is set for two young guns to trade haymakers.

When CBS Sports’ Jenny Dell asked Dylan Raiola if he felt an extra spark facing someone who walked such a similar path, the sophomore QB smoothly answered without instigating things. “I don’t—I try not to think about it in that sense. You know, what he’s doing is extremely rare, and it’s hard, and I respect, you know, respect the heck out of his game and what he’s done so far.” Now, that’s about as clear as a player can be without taking a direct shot. He respects Underwood, but he’s itching for the duel.

For Dylan Raiola, efficiency has been his calling card: no turnovers, sharp decision-making, and a willingness to push the ball vertically. “I think it’s cool to see young quarterbacks coming up and playing right away. And yeah, it’ll be cool to go head-to-head… that’s what you dream of, playing another good quarterback and trying to outduel them.” Against Michigan’s defense, that patience will be tested.

Bryce Underwood, meanwhile, has been groomed for this spotlight, with Biff Poggi already vowing to let the freshman “utilize all of his skills” and lean into his dual-threat ability. Expect more zone reads and scrambles, much like the Central Michigan game, where he used his legs to keep defenses honest. In Dylan’s words, “It’s just the nature of the game, and as competitors, at least I know Nebraska fans would hope that’s what they want out of me. So, they’re going to get that.” 

Is he even prepared? Raiola says that he said he has the keys to keep his Nebraska offense humming against a defense filled with monsters off the edge. “I think just keeping us on schedule, staying ahead of the chains and not hurting ourselves with false starts and penalties like that,” he explained later on. The margin for error shrinks when the Wolverines can unleash athletes at every level, and Raiola’s own words underscore the chess match. Stay on script, avoid third-and-long, and make Michigan’s secondary defend every blade of grass.

You can almost bet that Saturday will not just be a Week 4 clash—it will be a glimpse into the Big Ten’s future. Two prodigies, both barely old enough to rent a car, are carrying the weight of flagship programs on their shoulders.

The Wolverines’ jab will come in the form of heat

Michigan’s Jaishawn Barham, the rangy LB-EDGE hybrid, is the player circled in every scouting report. His ability to generate pressure could be the single most important swing factor in this matchup. If he consistently disrupts Raiola’s rhythm, UM can tilt the field and mask its own young secondary. For a Nebraska team thriving on clean pockets and timing routes, the sight of Barham in the backfield could turn an explosive unit into a sputtering one.

Matt Rhule didn’t keep it lowkey about Dylan Raiola’s leap forward in the conference. The Nebraska head coach has seen his QB blossom into one of the nation’s most efficient passers, completing 76.6% of his throws while spearheading a 147–24 scoring edge through three weeks. The difference? Command and poise.

“Dylan’s more than ready,” Rhule said when asked about Big Ten play. He credits daily preparation and last year’s hard lessons for Raiola’s growth. “Everything Dylan went through last year was for the first time,” Rhule added, noting that those freshman bumps now look more like a springboard than a setback.