‘Wait What!!!’ ‘Nebraska’s About To Win the Big Ten’ — CFB Fans Stunned by Huskers HC Matt Rhule’s Surprise Cameo in HBO’s ‘Lanterns’
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Matt Rhule’s Nebraska Cornhuskers have made an incredible start to the 2026 season, remaining unbeaten at 5-0 following a victory over Maryland on Saturday.
However, Rhule became a topic of discussion beyond the college football world on Sunday night after making a surprise appearance in the Season 1 finale of HBO’s Lanterns, catching many off guard.
Matt Rhule’s Lantern Appearance Sparks Hilarious Reactions From College Football Fans
As Rhule made a surprise appearance in the finale of Lanterns, he showed up as himself during a football-related sequence involving Noah Macon, played by Shea Pritchard. Rhule was initially shown sitting in the audience before later appearing alongside Macon, who decides to attend Nebraska after helping his team win a championship game.
The unexpected cameo established a fictional version of the real-life Cornhuskers head coach within the world of Lanterns, and many were surprised to see Rhule in the series.
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“WAIT WHAT!!!” one exclaimed.
“Man, #Lanterns was an incredible show. Great from start to finish. And then (not a plot spoiler) it drops the most unexpected cameo I’ve ever seen in a superhero show/movie: Matt Rhule. Nebraska’s about to win the Big Ten in the DCU lmao,” FanDuel’s Zach Cohen wrote.
“First Ceyair Wright and now Matt Rhule. The Husker to Hollywood pipeline is strong!!” Arbitrary Analytics wrote.
“Holy spoiler what the (expletive),” one said.
While Rhule’s brief appearance provided plenty of entertainment for Nebraska fans, the cameo also brought attention back to the Cornhuskers’ real-world football situation. Rhule is currently in his fourth season leading Nebraska and has yet to win more than seven games in a season during his tenure in Lincoln.
The Huskers are scheduled to face defending national champion Indiana next Saturday, and they have a difficult recent history against Indiana. In the only meeting between Curt Cignetti’s Hoosiers and Rhule’s Nebraska team, Indiana dominated the Cornhuskers 56-7 in 2024.
CBS Sports’ Tom Fornelli offered a humorous take on the situation. “If Matt Rhule can’t win the Big Ten with a Manhunter at QB he’s never going to,” Fornelli wrote.
“Podcaster and Actor lmao this dude is not a serious football coach whatsoever,” one said.
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However, the Cornhuskers still have an opportunity to change the narrative, and a potential win over Indiana would boost Nebraska’s case as a legitimate College Football Playoff contender. PFN currently projects Nebraska at just a 2.8% chance of securing a CFP in the season.
This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.
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