The Big 10 is loaded with some big-name QBs this year, looking to make their starts. Drew Allar is ultimately going to have all eyes on him. But Indiana’s brilliant performance last year has also led to Fernando Mendoza getting some attention. Fresh into the team from California, the Hoosiers will get a QB who’s experienced in college football and the conference. However, another celebrity also threatens to steal his newfound thunder. He’s younger than Mendoza, entering his 2nd season in CFB. Can the sophomore threaten to upset the odds of the Hoosiers’ QB?
Based on his past performance and his present revamp, Dylan Raiola looks like he will light up the year for the Huskers this season. Raiola was a five-star recruit for Nebraska, and single-handedly helped in turning things around for the Huskers last year. He needed some more fine-tuning, and that’s something he’s been working on diligently. That development, Pick Six Reviews’ Brett Ciancia thinks, will make all the difference this season. A Heisman voter, he thinks Raiola as a sophomore stands a better chance than Indiana’s Mendoza, who will play his 3rd CFB season this year.
Of the two QBs, Mendoza will be part of a team that is coming off a playoff appearance. The Hoosiers became a program that shook CFB with their surprise addition to the bracket. Curt Cignetti took the team to a double-digit record for the first time in its history. In an appearance for Hurrdat Sports, Ciancia was asked whether Mendoza and Indiana’s newfound glory under Cignetti, or a year 2 Raiola, looked better. He pointed out Mendoza’s very noticeable struggle in the Miami game. “They uh, they had like a 35 to 10 lead on Miami. He was throwing the ball all over the yard before that big Miami comeback,” he said. For Raiola, his review was more positive. “He’s got a five-star billing, and you always see that biggest improvement from the first to second year starting… I think you’re going to see a great boost here, rom Raiola in the second year,” Ciancia said.
“I think you’re going to see a great boost from [Nebraska quarterback Dylan] Raiola in his second year.” – @PickSixPreviews
The Huskers enter 2025 with high hopes for offensive improvement from Raiola and offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen.
Presented by @CentrisFCU. pic.twitter.com/qBzyS9hIEF
— Hurrdat Sports (@HurrdatSports) June 30, 2025
Fernando Mendoza will enter 2025 as a proven QB, with a total of 4,712 passing yards and 30 TDs. But, he also comes with 16 interceptions. Dylan Raiola’s sole season in CFB so far was also not refined. But the odds for improvement side heavily with Raiola. He has 2819 yards in the bag already, 13 TDs, and 11 interceptions. But things are serious at Nebraska for helping Raiola cut down his flaws and bolster his strengths. “I got to see Nebraska at their best last year… They always talk about Rhule’s third year. Here we are, at year three. They’re older. They’re bigger,” Ciancia further commented.
Raiola, after his arrival at Nebraska, has taken the program to heights fans did not think were coming in the near future. Sure, the QB is boosting Nebraska as a program. But his success on the field is also pertinent to Nebraska’s success.
Dylan Raiola advised to focus more on gearing up for the game
Raiola, after just one season in college football, will take home at least 2 million this year. He’s now synonymous with the idea of Nebraska football. And that’s a good thing. But Wilson Dittman thought it might be too much for the QB, who still has a long way to go in his career. He said in a June 14 episode of his show, “I love Dylan Raiola going to all these events all the time, being basically a celebrity for Nebraska. That’s a good look for the program. But he needs to get in the practice field a lot as well.” Raiola has been working hard to cut down on his weight, is modeling himself after his idol, Patrick Mahomes, both physically and game-wise.
“I’ll just tell you this, if Dylan Raiola can become a top 10 quarterback, which I think is doable, there’s no reason why Nebraska can’t make the playoffs. If you’re a top 10, if you’re on the upper echelon, you can will your team to a win. We haven’t had that in Nebraska in a very, very long time since Eric Crouch,” Dittman noted. Crouch was in talks for the Heisman back in 2001. It’s been more than 2 decades since Nebraska tasted that kind of success. But with Raiola in the mix, it looks like the Huskers can once again rise to that level. He has a new offensive coordinator in Dana Holgerson, who has nothing but high hopes for the QB.
Dylan Raiola was not perfect in 2024. But the scope of improvement in him still had experts talking favorably about him. Even against QBs like Mendoza, Raiola looks like the better option because of the potential he still has in him. Can the Nebraska QB deliver on Ciancia’s words this season?
The post Indiana’s Fernando Mendoza Receives 2,819-Yard Reality Check in Heisman Voter’s Tough Verdict appeared first on EssentiallySports.