LINCOLN, Neb. — — Dylan Raiola threw for 238 yards and two touchdowns in his college debut and Nebraska defeated UTEP 40-7 on Saturday for its first win in a season opener in five years.

Raiola looked confident throughout the game against the formidable Miners and occasionally showed a flair that made him a five-star recruit and the highest-rated player ever to sign with the Cornhuskers.

“I’ve been waiting for this since I was 8 years old,” Raiola said. “I’ve tried to absorb it all — not be like a tough football player. You have to be human and enjoy this scene. Yeah, it’s really fun. The fans showed up like I expected.”

Both touchdown passes were perfectly placed. The first, for 59 yards, went to Texas transfer Isaiah Neyor, who was well covered when he caught the ball over his shoulder along the right sideline. Neyor stumbled as he retrieved the ball at the 12, regained his balance and ran into the end zone.

On his second touchdown pass, Raiola threw the ball to the outside shoulder of Wake Forest player Jahmal Banks, who leapt up and downed the ball in the back corner of the end zone.

“It was about trust,” Banks said. “Those conversations we’ve had, those drills we’ve had. Let’s go get it. That’s what we train for, that’s what we sacrifice for, that’s what we suffer for, moments like this.”

Raiola had already committed to Ohio State and Georgia before telling Nebraska coach Matt Rhule in mid-December that he wanted to play where his father, Dominic, was an All-America center in 2000.

His highly anticipated first game for the Huskers brought 86,000 to Memorial Stadium, and he undoubtedly sent the fans home happy. He had one series in the second half and was 19 of 27 for 238 yards when he turned the ball over to Heinrich Haarberg.

“For a first game for Dylan, a lot of great things,” Rhule said. “There’s also a lot of things to clean up as a staff, and we’ll do that.”

Neyor caught six passes for 121 yards. It was the Huskers’ first game in which he had 100 yards receiving since Trey Palmer had 165 at Iowa in 2022.

UTEP’s lone touchdown came after it held Nebraska short on fourth-and-5 in the first quarter. The Miners needed just 42 seconds to go 63 yards, with Skyler Locklear connecting with Kam Thomas for a 38-yard TD.

“I think everybody expected to win,” said Miners first-year coach Scotty Walden. “But when you play a great team like Nebraska, you have to execute, and we didn’t.”

The takeaway meal

UTEP: The Miners’ 205 total yards were their fewest since allowing 131 in a 2019 loss to Texas Tech. They are now 1-60 against top-conference opponents, their only win coming against Mississippi in the 1967 Sun Bowl.

Nebraska: The Huskers did what they had to do — which was an accomplishment considering the face plants they’ve made in seven straight losing seasons. Raiola was sharp, the new group of receivers did what they promised and the team largely shook off the turnover bug that’s plagued them for the past two years. Dante Dowdell’s first-half fumble in the UTEP 5 was the lone one.

Offensive improvement

Nebraska scored 40 points, its most since a 56-7 win over Northwestern in 2021, and its 507 total yards were its most since its 575 against Georgia Southern in 2022.

Rhule joked that members of the Fox television crew at the game had called Nebraska’s offense a “disgrace” during a game they covered last year.

“We were,” he said, laughing. “I don’t blame you. I didn’t overreact. Now you stand there and you see guys making plays, the O-line blocking, our tight end play was outstanding. We’re better. We’re going to have to be a lot better going forward.”

Next

UTEP: Hosts Southern Utah on Saturday night.

Nebraska: hosts Colorado on Saturday night.

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