The Raiolas are not just known for their football dominance but also for the deep-knit bond they share. No matter the circumstances, they always stand beside each other. However, this time it’s different, as Nebraska hosts Northwestern on Saturday, the same day Dayton Raiola hits a big high school milestone. Still, he’s out there cheering him up.

Dayton has been in the headlines since he joined the Huskers. It’s either him taking forward the family legacy in Nebraska chatter or grabbing eyes with his performance against Milton for the first time in Buford’s new $62 million stadium. However, this time, it’s his brother Dylan who has put the young quarterback in the spotlight.

On Dayton’s senior night, Dylan shared a heartwarming message to his younger brother, saying, “Senior night, my dawg. Proud of you!” Keep goin, lil bro,” in his IG story. So, even if Dylan’s not there to cheer him on in person, he’s doing it from afar.

His sister Taylor Raiola also made sure her little brother is getting all the best wishes for the last game of his high school career before he heads to Nebraska. She put up an IG story with a picture of both of them hugging each other, and the caption perfectly captured the entire mood. As Taylor wrote, “Happy Senior Night!!” Then she added, “I Love You,” highlighting the date of Dayton Raiola’s senior day: “10/24/2025.”

Well, both of them even supported Dayton Raiola from the sidelines during his game against Collins Hills. That’s right, Raiola completed seven passes for 103 yards with one TD while rushing for one more touchdown against them, maintaining Buford’s undefeated status in the league. And right beside him, Taylor and Dylan Raiola were there to support him. Taylor even posted a story with a caption: “#10 WITH THE WHEELS!! @DAYTONRAIOLA,” tagging Dylan too.

Even Dayton didn’t think twice before praising Dylan Raiola’s gameplay while comparing it with his own. “So, I mean, I think we both have pretty strong arms. Humbly speaking. We both like to throw the deep ball. I think the difference between me and him is that I like to use my legs a little bit more. I mean. I wouldn’t say Dylan’s afraid of contact, but I think I like contact just a little bit more, like early on in games,” Dayton added. So, even if they are apart, all the Raiola siblings always find a way to lift each other up.

But, now one side, where Dayton Raiola is going through big changes, Dylan Raiola’s performance is taking a total 360-degree hit.

Dylan Raiola gets furious after Minnesota loss

Dylan Raiola’s season turned from best to worst in a few games. And it’s all because of their offensive line’s inconsistency that’s showing up once again. After completing 20 of 29 passes for 260 yards with a three-touchdown and three-interception performance against Maryland, he had to face 9 sacks against Minnesota. What makes matters worse is that in seven games, Raiola has been sacked 25 times for the loss of 167 yards. Despite that, he didn’t put up a single word of blame on his OL and took it all on himself.

Dylan Raiola made sure his team didn’t take the heat alone. “The team’s pissed off and super eager to get it fixed.” Raiola said. “I need to do a better job of getting us in the right play, getting the right protection, and getting the football out.” Well, it’s a straight fact that Raiola needs to release the ball quicker, but then protection is a major issue that’s hard to ignore. As Huskers rank 131 nationally in sacks allowed.

Now, Raiola does have an impressive WR room with five of them recording at least 20 reps; that’s exactly why, even with protection issues, they rank 17th nationally with 291.4 passing yards per game. This game will be the first meeting of both teams since the 2023 season, when Northwestern lost against the Huskers with a 17-9 margin. But after their dominance against Penn State, that might not be the case this year. Let’s wait and see how this game turns out.