Matt Rhule didn’t beat around the bush on how he feels about how the Michigan game ended up. How could he, when there were almost 50 plays where the Nebraska Cornhuskers could’ve done things differently that probably might’ve turned the opposite of their 30-27 loss. That’s why he opened fire from his first statement today in the normal Monday media availability.

“Obviously, disappointed with the result on Saturday,” the Nebraska football coach said to open. “I think it’s really, really important for us right now as a coaching staff, and really a football program, is to have a very calculated response. Not to overreact, not to underreact, but just to be very disciplined in the way that we see things.” That tone set the stage for what would become a blunt message to his players: accountability, not excuses. Matt Rhule wasted little time in taking aim at what he considers a dangerous crutch for young teams.

“What I’ve asked our guys not to do is not to settle for the narrative of we’re just a couple plays away. That’s a deadly, deadly thing when you start saying things like that.” In his eyes, leaning on near-misses is like papering over cracks in the foundation—eventually the structure gives way. His solution? Precision. As per Huskers insider Mitch Sherman, Matt Rhule showed his team about 45 plays that could have gone better, insisting that each one contributed to the loss.

That number speaks volumes. Forty-five plays isn’t just one missed block here or a blown coverage there. It’s a systemic breakdown of execution layered across four quarters. Nebraska did, in fact, have opportunities late. Michigan converted three of its four third downs on its final field goal drive, the sequence that ultimately stretched the lead to two possessions. Nebraska answered with a touchdown drive of its own, but the “perfect” onside kick that followed unraveled as the hands team botched its pursuit of the ball. Rhule’s verdict was cutting in its simplicity: “You always have to make one more play than your opponent. We had our opportunities. We didn’t get it done.”

The coach didn’t completely ignore the big-picture factors. Michigan’s three long touchdown runs loom large on the stat sheet and can’t be erased from the storyline. Still, Rhule pointed out that for much of the night, his defense bent but did not break. “We had so many chances to make more plays.” In that line, you hear both his frustration and his belief that the Huskers weren’t physically dominated. The issue, instead, was the granular—the detail work on assignments, leverage, and finishing drives. It’s the kind of critique that cuts deeper than the scoreboard because it puts the responsibility squarely on Nebraska’s shoulders.

Nowhere was that responsibility heavier than on QB1 Dylan Raiola. He was sacked seven times, and hurried on countless other snaps, and still had the poise to drag Nebraska back from two separate 10-point deficits. That resilience matters. It shows a young QB who refuses to fold when the pocket caves in, even if the protection schemes around him are still a work in progress. And while the offensive line’s struggles were glaring, the fight-back spirit is exactly what Matt Rhule insists he can build on.

Matt Rhule balances anger with the stats accumulated till now

So how does the coach actually feel? He’s angry, yes, but it’s a controlled kind of anger that demands better without blowing up the foundation. Despite the sting of Saturday’s loss, Matt Rhule stood tall and leaned on the numbers to remind everyone that Nebraska’s season isn’t without promise.

The coach rattled off where his team stacks up nationally through four games: 5th in passing yardage, 1st in completion percentage, 1st in passing yards allowed, 1st in touchdown passes allowed (zero, to be exact), and 5th in completion percentage allowed.

Those aren’t just bright spots; they’re national-level markers. “You can be really angry that we lost,” Rhule said. “That’s how I feel. But you also have to realize there are a lot of things we’re doing well.” Still, the red zone continues to be a thorn in Nebraska’s side. As Rhule put it, “I think we’ve attached a lot of RPOs to them. We haven’t really hit on the RPOs. At the end of the game.”