The DNA has changed dramatically for the Cornhuskers and the Wolverines
The matchup between Nebraska and No. 21 Michigan at Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., on Saturday will rekindle memories of the split national championship in 1997 and those teams' nasty defenses. But all eyes will be on the blue-chip QB matchup.
Nebraska's Dylan Raiola, a five-star quarterback from 2024 and Michigan's Bryce Underwood, a five-star quarterback from 2025, have an abundance of talent and appear destined for selections near the top of an NFL Draft in the coming years.
This QB matchup might be the most interesting to CFB fans since USC's Caleb Williams and Colorado's Shedeur Sanders met on Sept. 30, 2023. Williams had 403 passing yards, six TDs and an interception. Sanders had 371 yards, four TDs and an interception.
Don't expect the numbers to get quite that crazy Saturday night in Lincoln.
Dylan Raiola 2025 Nebraska statistics
Raiola flipped from Georgia to Nebraska after during his senior season at Buford (Ga.) High School at immediately started as a true freshman under Matt Rhule.
He had an up-and-down season, finishing with 2,819 yards passing, a 67.1% completion percentage, 13 TDs and 11 interceptions. Nebraska finished 7-6 and beat Boston College 20-15 in the Pinstripe Bowl.
Raiola has built on that success in his sophomore season with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. Raiola ranks second in the Big Ten with 829 passing yards and is tied for second with eight TDs and no interceptions through three victories against Cincinnati, Akron and Houston Christian.
Raiola has shown tremendous growth in the intermediate passing game through three games. According to Pro Football Focus, he is 15 of 21 (71.4%) with 319 yards, four TDs and no interceptions passes between 10-19 yards – a solid barometer for what could be a success at the next level. He took three sacks in the opener against the Bearcats on Aug. 28 – but he also had 243 yards, two TDs and no interceptions.
"It's easy to get completions short, and it's easy to throw the ball up and down the field, but truly passing is in those mid ranges where you are throwing three-level concepts and guys are throwing the ball intermediate," Nebraska coach Matt Rhule told The Sporting News. "I think he just has a natural gift, and he's worked really hard at it. He understands – and I think he has great vision. He can see where the defense is. He's throwing through windows. He's not throwing to receivers. That allows him to throw those deep in cuts and over routes and sail routes. He's so good visually compared to a lot of guys I've seen."
Raiola has been good under pressure and against the blitz – which presents an interesting challenge for Michigan defensive coordinator Wink Martindale. Michigan had just one sack against No. 18 Oklahoma in a 24-13 loss on Sept. 6.
Bryce Underwood 2025 Michigan statistics
Underwood, who flipped from LSU to Michigan during his senior season in Belleville, Michigan, immediately started for Michigan in the opener.
Through three games, Underwood put up 628 passing yards, a 57.5% completion percentage, two TDs and one interception. He's added 108 rushing yards and two TDs. Underwood flashed all-around potential with 235 passing yards, 114 rushing yards and three total TDs in a 63-3 victory against Central Michigan in Week 3.
"The thing he brought to the table and it showed up (last week) was his ability to drop back and if it's not fair – you're aggressive in your rush – he can get out and run and not just for yardage but for explosive plays," Rhule said. "That's a real challenge with a quarterback of that level of athleticism."
Underwood has a 58.3% completion when blitzed and a 41.2% completion percentage under pressure. Nebraska defensive coordinator John Butler will likely challenge Underwood with pressure.
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Will Dylan Raiola, Bryce Underwood be first-round NFL Draft picks?
We're a long way from that conversation, but the possibilities with both quarterbacks are there.
Raiola would be eligible for the 2027 NFL Draft.
He has Nebraska on the outskirts of the AP Top 25, and a victory against Michigan would put the Huskers in the mix as a potential College Football Playoff contender. In three games against ranked opponents (No. 24 Illinois, No. 16 Indiana, No. 4 Ohio State) last season, Raiola finished 73 of 111 (65.8%) and averaged 241 yards with three TDs and five interceptions. This would be an opportunity to break a 27-game losing streak against ranked opponents.
At 6-foot-3, 230 pounds, Raiola has prototype quarterback NFL size, and the continued development with Rhule and Holgorsen will have him in the first round conversation for the 2027 NFL Draft. Draft Sharks' early 2027 Mock Draft has Raiola being selected with the No. 12 pick.
Underwood – a 6-foot-4, 228-pound quarterback – will continue to develop at Michigan. He struggled in his first road start, but a victory at Nebraska will reheat the early-season hype around his all-around game. Urban Meyer compared Underwood to Cam Newton on "The Herd" on Sept. 4.
"I went back and watched every snap," Meyer said. "My God, I mean, that's a junior in college, and he's really not. His physical presence is Cam Newton-ish. His size, his athleticism — I mean, spectacular.
NFL Draft Countdown has Underwood as the No. 1 pick in its 2028 Mock Draft, which will obviously continue to evolve dramatically.
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Have two No. 1 picks ever played against each other in college?
That last time it happened was on Jan. 13, 2020 in the College Football Playoff championship game in a matchup between Clemson's Trevor Lawrence and LSU's Joe Burrow. Burrow led LSU to a 42-25 victory before becoming the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft by the Cincinnati Bengals. Lawrence was the No. 1 pick by the Jacksonville Jaguars in the 2021 NFL Draft.
The last time this happened in the regular season? Tennessee's Peyton Manning and Kentucky's Tim Couch faced off in 1996 and 1997. Manning led the Volunteers to a 56-10 victory on Nov. 23, 1996 and a 59-31 victory on Nov. 22, 1997.
Manning (523 yards, 5 TDs) and Couch (476 yards, 2 TDs, 3 INTs) combined for 999 passing yards in the 1997 matchup. Manning was the No. 1 pick by the Indianapolis Colts in 1998. Tim Couch was the No. 1 pick by the Cleveland Browns the following year.
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