After the Nebraska Cornhuskers handled their rival Colorado Buffaloes a couple of weeks ago, the hype around Matt Rhule’s team began building.

Nebraska (3-1) came into Friday night’s game against the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (4-0) with their first AP Top 25 ranking since 2019, sitting at No. 22. However, after a 31-24 loss in overtime, the Cornhuskers may find themselves unranked yet again.

Nebraska took a 17-10 lead into halftime, but Illinois outscored them 21-7 in the second half and overtime. The Cornhuskers had a chance to take control late in the fourth quarter, but quarterback Dylan Raiola missed a critical throw, which led to John Hohl’s missed 39-yard field goal, leaving the game tied. With the ball first in overtime, Illinois needed just two plays for quarterback Luke Altmyer to connect with Pat Bryant on a four-yard touchdown. Nebraska’s overtime possession ended poorly, as Raiola was sacked three times, including on fourth down, to seal the loss.

While the game didn’t end well for Nebraska, the criticism on social media directed at Rhule has been harsh. Many fans are questioning his ability to succeed now back with a Power 4 program like Nebraska.

“Yeah, that’s not good. He’s going to have a hard time in the Big Ten. After all, it is the toughest conference in football,” one fan commented.

“Matt ‘does not’ Rhule,” another quipped.

“Is Matt Rhule an unranked opponent merchant? Some are saying,” one fan questioned.

“Uh oh… Rhule can’t win the big games?” added another.

Rhule’s record against ranked teams has been a source of concern. Including Friday night’s loss, Rhule is now 2-20 versus ranked opponents dating back to his time at Temple. He has lost 14 straight games against ranked opponents, with his last win coming in 2016 when Temple beat No. 19 Navy, 34-10. His only other win over a ranked team came in 2014 when Temple defeated No. 21 East Carolina.

What makes the situation even more concerning is that Nebraska itself has struggled mightily against ranked opponents. The Cornhuskers are currently on a 25-game losing streak against ranked teams, with their last win dating back to 2016 when they beat No. 22 Oregon.

Looking ahead, Nebraska will have at least two more chances to break the streak. The Cornhuskers face No. 3 Ohio State on Oct. 26 and No. 11 USC on Nov. 16, both on the road. But first, they’ll hit the road to face Purdue in Week 5, hoping to regroup and avoid another setback.