LINCOLN, Neb. — College football’s transfer portal has become the sport’s version of a streaming drama: plot twists, surprise exits and just enough chaos to keep everyone watching. This week’s headliner is Nebraska sophomore quarterback Dylan Raiola, who is entering the transfer portal following a turbulent stretch in Lincoln that included the firing of his uncle from the Huskers’ staff and his younger brother decommitting from the program.
Raiola’s departure marks a stunning turn for a quarterback once viewed as the centerpiece of Nebraska’s rebuild. A former five-star recruit, Raiola arrived with enormous expectations and early returns that suggested the Cornhuskers had finally found their franchise fixing quarterback. Now, just two seasons in, he is poised to look elsewhere — a reminder that in modern college football, stability can vanish as quickly as it appears.
The timing is not subtle. Nebraska dismissed offensive line coach Donovan Raiola, Dylan’s uncle, late in the season. Soon after, Raiola’s younger brother backed away from his Nebraska commitment. Add those developments together, and the writing on the wall grew difficult to ignore, despite this transfer once seeming like a total shock, if you did not know Raiola’s high school history.
This will be his sixth school in just seven seasons of football.
Six/Seven, as the kiddos like to say! *Groans*
From Buford to Lincoln, and Now to the Portal
Raiola’s recruitment was one of the most closely followed quarterback sagas in the country. The Buford product grew up playing in Kirby Smart’s backyard for his final high school season and committed to Georgia early in the process. On signing day, however, he flipped to Nebraska, delivering a seismic recruiting win for Matt Rhule and a gut punch to the Bulldogs.
On the field, Raiola largely justified the hype.
As a freshman, he started every game, completing more than two-thirds of his passes while setting Nebraska freshman records for passing yards and completion percentage. He followed that up with a strong sophomore campaign before a late-season leg injury cut his year short. Over two seasons, Raiola posted nearly 5,000 passing yards, topped 30 touchdown passes, and completed close to 70% of his throws — efficiency numbers that placed him among the more accurate young quarterbacks in the country.
Those numbers explain why his name instantly becomes one of the most intriguing in the portal.
Is the Georgia Door Closed?
Any Raiola discussion eventually circles back to Athens.
Is the bridge to Georgia burned? Maybe. Maybe not. Raiola famously flipped away from the Bulldogs late, and recruiting memories can be long. Still, Kirby Smart continues to follow Raiola on social media, a small but notable detail in an era where digital breadcrumbs fuel offseason speculation. Smart, notably, unfollowed quarterback Jared Curtis after Curtis flipped his commitment to Vanderbilt late in the cycle, per those in the know.
Does that mean anything? Only Kirby Smart truly knows.
Georgia’s ability to develop for the NFL remains unquestioned, but fit matters as much as opportunity. And for Raiola, mindset, patience and competition will factor heavily into whether a reunion even makes sense — if it is an option at all.
Georgia is at its best with a true homegrown quarterback and less of a headache, if team performance is any indication. Does Kirby Smart want to take this project on? I doubt it, but it had to be mentioned.
Five Schools That Make Most Sense
If Raiola enters the portal, he will not lack suitors. Here are five destinations that align logically with his profile, experience and skill set:
Indiana
The Hoosiers continue to search for long-term stability at quarterback, with Heisman winner Fernando Mendoza bound for the first-round of the draft. Raiola’s accuracy and efficiency would immediately raise Indiana’s offensive ceiling and provide leadership in a program trying to climb to annual contention in the Big Ten.
Miami
Miami has recruited well but still seeks consistent quarterback play, relying on the portal these past few seasons. Raiola’s poise and arm talent could flourish in an offense built around timing and spacing, while offering him national exposure and NIL opportunities.
Cam Ward and Carson Beck did well enrolling in Coral Gables, so why not Raiola? This one may be a bit of a longshot, but the path is there.
Kansas
Yes, the Patrick Mahomes jokes write themselves, wanting to play close to Arrowhead, where the Jayhawks played the past season in 2024. But Kansas has built a creative, quarterback-friendly offense that values decision-making and confidence. Raiola would fit the Jayhawks’ aggressive but structured approach and be able to play hero ball, putting up stats.
Texas Tech
If Raiola wants to fully lean into the Mahomes aesthetic — gunslinger mentality, tempo offense and vertical shots — Texas Tech makes sense. The Red Raiders have long empowered quarterbacks, and it would be a fascinating twist if Raiola landed there while Cincinnati quarterback Brady Sorsby is also rumored to have Tech ties. I do not expect Raiola to land in Lubbock, but the Mahomes obsession warrants a mention here. After all, college football loves irony.
Oregon
Few programs have leveraged transfer quarterbacks better than Oregon. From Bo Nix to recent portal success stories in Dillon Gabriel and Dante Moore, Dan Lanning’s program has proven it can revive and elevate quarterback careers. Raiola’s skill set aligns well with that model.
Honorable Mention:
Georgia
Georgia earns honorable mention because of history and development. Smart’s track record of putting players in the NFL is undeniable. Still, something about this situation suggests Athens may not be the cleanest reset for Raiola — assuming the door is even open.
Wildcards Worth Watching
If chaos truly reigns, two wildcard options stand out:
Florida
If the Gators move on from DJ Lagway, Raiola would instantly become one of the most talented quarterbacks to hit the Swamp in years.
LSU
Lane Kiffin has built a reputation as the transfer portal’s most aggressive power user. If he wants a quarterback with pedigree and upside, Raiola fits the bill to join the other end of the swampland, known as the Bayou.
The Bigger Picture
Raiola’s impending portal entry is not an indictment of his talent. If anything, it underscores how quickly circumstances can shift around a quarterback — coaching changes, family ties and roster direction all matter.
For Nebraska, it’s another reset at the game’s most important position. For Raiola, it’s a chance to recalibrate and find a system that aligns with his goals.
In the portal era, recruiting never really ends. Commitments are chapters, not conclusions. And wherever Dylan Raiola lands next, college football will be watching — popcorn in hand, waiting for the next episode.
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