Penn State completely ran through Nebraska 37-10 on Senior Day at Beaver Stadium. It was a much-needed win for Penn State after a rough few weeks filled with James Franklin drama and everything that came with it. Today’s dominant performance even had Matt Rhule fired up for his former coach.

On November 22, right after the game, Matt Rhule hit the presser, and questions started to pour in. The interview threw. “What do you think of the job Terry’s done?” Matt Rhule didn’t shy away from giving the credit where it’s due:

“I think Terry’s an interim head coach, people have a tendency to rally around him. he’s a Penn Stater. He’s a lifer. You know, I’m proud of him. I gave him his first job. I think he’s done a really nice job out there. I’m sure Penn State’s a great place. You know, they have fantastic talent, and they played really well tonight.”

Matt Rhule and Terry Smith go a long way back. Matt Rhule gave Terry Smith his very first college coaching job at Temple back in 2013. Fast forward to this past weekend, Terry Smith had one over the guy who gave him his first gig and also the guy who was rumored to take his job. Not only did they get their second straight victory, but they also kept their bowl dreams alive.

Nebraska coach Matt Rhule called the loss “about as miserable as it gets,” but he praised his team for fighting hard and not blaming each other.

He also credited Penn State, especially its running backs Kaytron Allen and Nick Singleton. This duo rushed for 204 yards, two tuddies each, and averaged 6.4 yards per carry. The Nebraska rushing defense couldn’t come up with anything to stop Penn State’s rushing force.

Without Raiola at the helm, the Cornhuskers couldn’t keep the offense rolling. With today’s loss, the Cornhuskers are 7-4, locked in on a bowl game. However, Matt Rhule made it pretty clear Nebraska won’t spend too much time dwelling on today’s loss. The Cornhuskers have Kirk Ferentz’s dangerous Iowa Hawkeyes coming to town for their Big Ten season-closer next week.

Nebraska Cornhuskers flaws and what’s next for Penn State?

Even though the Cornhuskers were actually the favorites heading into the game, they just couldn’t hang with the Nittany Lions. The stats really tell the story of the struggle. Nebraska’s offense was only able to put up 10 points. Emmitt Johnson tried to carry Nebraska on his back, but it didn’t work out this time. Plus, the Cornhuskers failed miserably on fourth downs, including a goal-line stoppage early in the game.

This loss has to sting, especially since it was against a Penn State team that’s been dealing with a ton of coaching turmoil lately. On the flip side, it was a night to remember. With this win, the Nittany Lions are now 5-6 for the season and are just one victory away from becoming bowl eligible.

It was an emotional night for everyone, and the players showed a ton of heart and support for their interim coach. It’s a huge credit to Smith for keeping the team focused during a crazy year, and they’ll look to seal the deal next week against Rutgers.