Matt Rhule Sounds Off On Nebraska ‘Shout’ Celebrations vs. Oregon

It was a moment reminiscent of the Oregon Ducks' 17-15 loss to UCLA in Week 6. During Saturday’s matchup against the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon’s iconic fourth-quarter tradition, dancing to “Shout,” made its way onto the opposing sideline once again. With Nebraska leading 14-6 heading into the final quarter, the Cornhuskers joined in on the tradition and danced along to the song before the final 15 minutes.

However, unlike UCLA, Nebraska couldn’t finish the job. After holding Oregon to just six points through the first three quarters, the Cornhuskers watched former Nebraska starting quarterback Dylan Raiola lead the Ducks on a comeback that resulted in a narrow 17-14 Oregon victory.

Apparently, the celebration came a little too soon. Following the loss, Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule made it clear that his team’s participation in Oregon’s tradition would not happen again.

“But just for the record, going forward, I let the guys dance before the fourth quarter. I will never do that again," Matt Rhule said during his Monday press conference. "I was like, we're going to be so physical in the first quarter, second quarter, third quarter. Fourth comes, and they're going to try to intimidate you with that song. Have fun, enjoy it, lock back in.”

Oregon's 'Shout' Tradition Has Become a Psychological Battle

Nebraska isn't the first team to join in on an opponent's tradition. Oregon knows what it's like to participate in another program's signature moment, having joined Wisconsin's "Jump Around" tradition on the road in 2024.

"Embracing the environment and loving every second of it," former Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel said after the 2024 victory.

"It's the fun part of college football, which is being able to, you know, play in new environments and be exposed to that," he added. "But every school and stuff has its little thing, and you know, we just choose to enjoy it."

During the Ducks' 2024 matchup against the Badgers, coach Dan Lanning revealed that Oregon had used "Jump Around" during practice as a way to prepare his players for the atmosphere and turn the familiar song into a signal to lock in.

“Kind of like Pavlov's dog, right? When you hear that song, it means it's time to go,” Lanning said in 2024.

Since then, Oregon has seen opposing teams take a similar approach to its own fourth-quarter tradition, particularly this season. UCLA joined in on "Shout" before handing the Ducks their second loss in Week 6.

Boise State and Nebraska also joined in on the tradition, but neither team came out on top. The Broncos and Cornhuskers both came up short against Oregon, with Nebraska's 17-14 loss proving especially costly after the team entered the fourth quarter with an eight-point lead.

"Our guys got back in, we didn't win the fourth quarter. And that's not my DNA. So I have to own that ... We get three plays on offense in the fourth quarter. We give up a 16-yard drive ... We give up fourth and 3 on a shallow cross we knew was coming," said Rhule.

Nebraska Couldn't Finish What It Started Against Oregon

After holding Oregon's offense to just 91 total yards through the first three quarters, the Cornhuskers watched the Ducks come alive in the final 15 minutes. Oregon turned to former Nebraska starting quarterback Dylan Raiola in the fourth quarter, who led the Ducks' offense to a comeback victory.

Raiola finished the game 11 of 18 passing for 59 yards.

Oregon opened the fourth quarter with a 17-play, 69-yard drive that ended in a 37-yard Gage Hurych field goal. The Ducks followed it up with a 20-play, 82-yard drive that ate up more than five minutes and ended with a four-yard touchdown pass from Raiola to Jamari Johnson. Oregon then converted the two-point attempt to take a 17-14 lead.

Nebraska struggled to get off the field and allowed Oregon to convert all three of its fourth-down attempts in the game. Prior to facing Nebraska, Oregon had converted on just four fourth-down attempts out of 12 total tries on the season.

The Cornhuskers also managed just three offensive plays in the fourth quarter, which left their defense on the field as Oregon controlled the clock and completed the comeback.

In the end, Nebraska's fourth-quarter collapse overshadowed what had been a strong defensive performance for most of the night. The loss was a reminder for Rhule that the game isn't won until the final whistle, and he made it clear after the game that he wouldn't let his team make the same mistake with Oregon's "Shout" tradition again.

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