With a $74 million, eight-year contract, Matt Rhule’s arrival at Nebraska was at the back of his heroics at Temple and Baylor. Not only did he turn around these programs in his tenure, but established a winning culture that has long-term effects. And now, with two full seasons in Nebraska, the head coach has somewhat found his rhythm. The achievements? Made it to the Bowl game first time since 2015 and registered a winning season in 2016. But now the head coach is demanding some help and maybe a chance at that playoff seat.

The playoff in 2024 was a twelve-team playoff for the first time, and the plan always was to expand it to 14 teams or 16 teams. There has been a proposal for that too, with conferences getting automatic bids. For instance, the ACC and Big 12 would be getting 2 bids each, while the SEC and Big 10 would be grabbing 4 bids each. As for Notre Dame, one spot would be reserved for the Irish if they finish top 14, and one spot would be reserved for the Group of 5 teams.

The proposal, while widely reported, nothing is finalised, and negotiations are going on regarding the issue. So Matt Rhule came in with his bold take, and it’s turning heads. “The more spots, the better, man. Make that thing 40 and let’s go. I think, again, you’re talking about a league that we play nine conference games where some others play eight. So I think that puts you at an automatic disadvantage.”

Well, 40 playoff spots? That doesn’t sound right. But when has Matt Rhule shied away from hot takes? Earlier, too, the head coach came into the spotlight when he proposed the scrapping of traditional open scrimmages in spring and even went on to cancel his program’s spring game. As for his scheduling take, Nebraska does play in the Big 10 and faces tougher opponents than other conferences like the ACC or Big 12. But fans think that Matt Rhule’s proposal for a 40-team playoff is too much to digest.

Fans are not happy with Matt Rhule’s 40-team playoff idea

It’s not that Matt Rhule isn’t progressing with Nebraska; we saw several positives for the team last season. The Cornhuskers were the third most improved in their passing game amongst 132 FBS teams, with Dylan Raiola. The team’s strong start initially in the season, with a 3-0 start, was something of a new era for the Cornhuskers, who were reeling with years of mediocrity. But Matt Rhule’s 40-team playoff idea still doesn’t convince fans.

One user wrote, “The ironic thing is that Nebraska would not have made a 40-team CFP.” While another user pointed to the desperation that Matt Rhule was showing and straight up said. “Does he not realize how desperate this makes him sound😭.” Well, last year the team finished with 7 wins, including a win in their bowl game. Moreover, considering their schedule with teams stacked like Ohio State, UCLA, and USC against them, they well might have made it to the 40-team playoff, who knows?

One of the users, however, wasn’t too optimistic about Nebraska’s hopes even when the playoff expanded to 50 or 60. “If it were at 50-60, Nebraska still wouldn’t get in.” While another user signified, the hopes that the head coach has with Nebraska. “He knows Nebraska is cooked 😂.” Well, the 2025 season isn’t expected to be so bad after all. The head coach will be continuing his legacy at Baylor and Temple and will look to finish with at least 10 wins. That’s a lot to say for now, but with Dylan Raiola returning and players like Dane Key and Nyziah Hunter coming in, the 2025 season looks quite optimistic.

A user who had high hopes in 2025, berated Rhule for ‘loser talk,’ pointed out the same thing. “I have high hopes for Nebraska this year, but this is ultimate loser talk. For a guy who talks about being elite like Ohio State and Oregon, this misses the mark by a lot.” Well, the take by Matt Rhule looks nothing but rattling some cages. Since, realistically, who would even think of a 40-team playoff? It is counterintuitive to the idea of what a playoff stands for, and that is to give top teams a chance to face off.