Dylan Raiola Season 2024

Honors & Awards
 » Big Ten Freshman of the Week (Sept. 2, 2024)
 » Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year Semifinalist (2024)

2024 (Freshman)
A semifinalist for the Shaun Alexander Freshman of the Year award, Dylan Raiola won Nebraska's starting quarterback competition as a true freshman and has started every game this season. Raiola has completed more than 66 percent of his passes (253-of-380) while throwing for 2,595 yards and 12 touchdowns. Following the Iowa game, Raiola ranked second among all freshman FBS quarterbacks in completion percentage and passing yards and was ninth in touchdown passes. He also ended the regular season ranked 10th on Nebraska's single-season passing chart with 2,595 yards, just 22 yards shy of the Husker freshman passing record (2,617).

In his debut against UTEP, Raiola completed 19-of-27 passes for 238 yards and two touchdowns in less than three quarters of action. Just the second true freshman quarterback to start a Nebraska season opener since World War II, Raiola led the Huskers on eight drives against the Miners. Nebraska scored touchdowns on five of his eight drives and punted just once. The Huskers scored a touchdown on each of Raiola's final four drives against UTEP. For his performance, Raiola was named the Big Ten Freshman of the Week, the first Husker offensive player to win that award since 2019.

Raiola completed 23-of-30 passes against Colorado for 185 yards and one touchdown. He completed 17-of-23 passes for 247 yards and two touchdowns aginst Northern Iowa, becoming the first Husker quarterback since 1980 to have a 70 percent completion rate in three consecutive starts. Raiola set career highs with 24 completions, 297 passing yards and three touchdowns in his Big Ten debut against No. 24 Illinois. In the first road game of his career, Raiola completed 17-of-27 passes and threw for 257 yards and one touchdown at Purdue. He led nine drives against the Boilermakers with each drive crossing into Purdue territory. After a scoreless first half, Raiola led Nebraska to a touchdown on each of his three second-half drives. Raiola completed 13-of-27 passes for 134 yards in Nebraska's win over Rutgers. He threw for 234 yards on a career-high 44 passes at Indiana. Raiola completed 21-of-32 passes for 152 yards at Ohio State. He also added a career-high 31 rushing yards against the Buckeyes with a career-long 38-yard scramble. Raiola completed 14-of-27 passes for 177 yards and one touchdown against UCLA before leaving the game in the fourth quarter with an injury. Raiola returned to play the entire game at USC, completing 71 percent of his passes (27-of-38) for 191 yards and one touchdown.

In the win over Wisconsin, Raiola threw for 293 yards and one touchdown while completing 28-of-38 passes. Raiola completed 22-of-32 passes for 190 yards at Iowa. He did not throw an interception against the Hawkeyes, marking the only time all season Iowa did not record an interception.

Before Nebraska (Buford HS)
Raiola joined Nebraska as the top quarterback recruit in the country. He began his prep career in Texas and Arizona before playing his senior season for Buford High School in Georgia. In his prep career, Raiola passed for nearly 8,500 career yards with 88 touchdowns and only 11 interceptions, according to MaxPreps.

As a senior at Buford, Raiola helped the Wolves to an 11-2 record and the quarterfinals of the state playoffs. He completed 63 percent of his passes, throwing for 2,666 yards. Raiola threw 34 touchdowns and had just one interception. Raiola played his junior season at Chandler High School in Arizona, where he led the Wolves to the semifinals of the open division state playoffs. He threw for 2,435 yards and 22 touchdowns at Chandler, completing 64 percent of his passes. As a sophomore at Burleson High School in Texas, Raiola completed 65 percent of his passes and threw for 3,341 with 32 touchdowns, and he added nine rushing touchdowns. Raiola was the county and district player of the year.

Raiola was rated as the top quarterback prospect in the country by 247Sports, ESPN and Rivals. Each organization also had him ranked among the top 10 overall recruits nationally, including 247Sports and Rivals which each tabbed him as the No. 2 overall recruit in the 2024 class.

Dylan is the son of Dominic Raiola, who was a center at Nebraska from 1997 to 2000. Dominic was a redshirt on the Huskers' 1997 national championship team and in 2000, he was a first-team All-American and the Rimington Trophy winner as the nation's top center. Dominic's No. 54 jersey is retired at Nebraska. He went on to play 14 seasons in the National Football League with more than 200 career starts, becoming the second player in Detroit Lions history to play in 200 games and the first non-kicker. 

Dylan's uncle, Donovan, is Nebraska's offensive line coach.