On Day 3 of Big Ten Football Media Days in Chicago, Nebraska coach Matt Rhule finally got his turn at the mic.

In his 11 minutes on the main stage, Rhule opened with a few minutes of his initial thoughts before answering several questions. Here is everything he had to say.

highlighted player representatives and them being from across the country, like the Big Ten is now

Rhule began by highlighting his three player representatives—Justin Evans, Luke Lindenmeyer, and Andrew Marshall—and how they come from New Jersey, Nebraska, and California. 

"Kind of like this conference, stretching across the entire country," Rhule said.

Rhule said those three are what college football and Nebraska are about.

"Luke is to me the definition of grit," Rhule said. "A walk on who will be an All-American candidate this year. One of the best tight ends in the country. Should win the Burlsworth award. Married. A spiritual leader on our team. And a great player."

Rhule noted that Evans is ranked by PFF College as the top returning center in the country.

"(Evans) has come to Nebraska and just fought and bled," Rhule said.

As for Marshall, the lone player rep who didn't begin his career at NU, Rhule said he's an example of programs adapting to the new world.

"Went to Idaho, battled, became a great player. Had a chance to go in the portal. Could go anywhere in the country. Chose to come to Nebraska because he loves football," Rhule said.

Rhule said Nebraska has the best facilities, best fan base, and some of the best players in the country. But there is still work to be done. He talked about how he said on the Big Ten stage a few years ago that Nebraska needs to earn back the respect. The program has gotten back to winning close games and earned back-to-back bowl berths.

"But we know that's not enough," Rhule said. "We didn't come here to go 7-6. We came to compete for (CFP trophies)."

Volleyball was undefeated going into the NCAA Tournament. Men's basketball made the Sweet 16. Baseball hosted a regional for the first time since 2008. Softball made it back to the Women's College World Series.

That's just a snippet of what helped Nebraska to its best finish in the Directors' Cup Standings since joining the Big Ten Conference, but it also missing a level a success from the football program.

"I think that success that Fred (Hoiberg) has had, that Amy (Williams) has had, that Rhonda (Revelle) has had, that so many of our sports have had, it's just what Nebraska's about," Rhule said.

Rhule reiterated the commitment to facilities and nutrition at Nebraska being the best in the nation. That has helped the entire department continue to perform well nationally. Now, it is football that needs to step up.

"Champions are made in those winning moments in the cold, on the road, late in the season," Rhule said. "Those are championship moments. We have to excel in those."

Rhule believes he has the staff and players that want to be in those moments. He also acknowledged that some other places have flipped programs faster.

"Some people can snap their fingers and it happens overnight. We're builders. We've had to build," Rhule said.

A series with Tennessee would have begun this year, but was dropped. There isn't a Power Four opponent in the non-conference this year or in 2027. But Rhule rightfully pointed out that in 2028, the Huskers begin a run of non-con games with Arizona, Oklahoma, Cincinnati, and Oklahoma State through 2035. Only 2032 currently is missing such an opponent.

The SEC will begin playing nine conference games this year, matching what the Big Ten has been doing for years. But the SEC is also requiring a P4 non-conference game, bringing their required total of such contests to 10. 

"I think if we go to a 24-team playoff, (requiring the P4 non-conference opponent) makes total sense," Rhule said. "To me, it's never been about what the requirement is; it's is the requirement the same for everybody else?"

Rhule wants all the conferences to be playing with the same requirements. He adds, though, that the sport is in a good place, even with the turbulence that comes from constant rule changes and arguments over which conferences are best.

"College football is as great as it's ever been," Rhule said. "Maybe there's things that some of us don't like, but I think viewership last year was near an all-time high. Teams that have never been in the mix for national championships are now, in this new model, they're in the mix. There's more access than ever.

"Football is as great as it's ever been."

Rhule began by noting that his quarterback room is one of, if not the only one in the country, to have three guys who started FBS games last year.

"(Daniel Kaelin) is a true Husker, and he wants to be at Nebraska," Rhule said. "TJ Lateef is an unbelievable quarterback."

As for Anthony Colandrea, Rhule told the recruiting story of how he knew that was the guy when Colandrea showed up on campus for a visit.

"He's a great Yin to my Yang," Rhule said. "I'm old school, be tough, incrementalist, get better day by day. He's got some swagger and some juice is great to offset me."

Regarding Raiola's exit via the transfer portal, Rhule said that nothing surprises him anymore.

"I wake up every day and I say, 'what's going to happen today?'"

Rhule noted earlier in his time at the mic that the team needs to be better in November. During his time in Lincoln, the team is 2-10 in the final month of the season. Over the past decade, that number is 9-30.

"You win in November by being the better football team," Rhule said.

Rhule noted the win over Wisconsin in 2024. That was the first win for the Huskers over the Badgers in a dozen years.

"On that day, we were just the better football team," Rhule said.

The data is giving the coaching staff a number of ideas and theories on how to be better in that crucial month, but it still comes down to playing football.

"At the end of the day, the game still comes down to who blocks, who tackles," Rhule said.

Rhule said he believes that players win games, which is why retention and who was brought in were so important for his year four.

"We'll win in November with our guys up front. We'll win with a great offensive line. We'll win with quarterbacks who make players, receivers go take that ball," Rhule said. "I don't think it's necessarily something different; it's just doing what we do better than we did it before."