Indiana will have a chance to get closer to full strength when it takes the field at Nebraska on Saturday afternoon.
The final Big Ten availability report released Saturday morning left cornerback A.J. Harris off Indiana’s injury list, putting him on track to play in the Week 6 matchup in Lincoln, Neb.
Harris won a starting job to open the season, but the Penn State transfer went down with an injury in the first quarter and has not appeared since Week 1. With Harris sidelined, fifth-year Jamari Sharpe and second-year Jaylen Bell have handled the last two starts at cornerback.
Defensive end Daniel Ndukwe also was not listed on the final report after sitting out last week’s game against Rutgers. Through four games this season, Ndukwe has posted six tackles, 4.5 tackles for loss, two quarterback hurries and one safety.
Indiana will still be without four players: running back Khobie Martin, tight end Andrew Barker, wide receiver LeBron Bond and cornerback Carson Williams. Barker started the last four games and was injured in last week’s win over Rutgers. Martin has not played since Week 1, while Williams has been out since Week 3.
Nebraska’s final report listed six players out: wide receiver Larry Miles, defensive back Kahmir Prescott, linebacker Jase Reynolds, linebacker Jacob Bower, defensive lineman Gabe Moore and defensive lineman Riley Van Poppel. Van Poppel is Nebraska’s co-leader in tackles for loss with four and is tied for second on the team in sacks with two. He had not been on Wednesday’s initial availability report, then showed up as questionable on Thursday and Friday.
Both teams enter the game undefeated at 5-0. Kickoff is set for Noon ET, with FOX’s Big Noon Saturday carrying the broadcast and Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft on the call.
In Other News...
Josh Hoover Answered Indianas Biggest Late-Game Question
For much of the afternoon against Nebraska, Indiana had to live with the discomfort that comes from a one-score game in bad weather. Josh Hoover was throwing into a strong wind, and the accuracy issues showed up early, but the Hoosiers still found enough offense to stay in front and protect a 20-17 win that never felt safe.
Hoover became the difference late, delivering two touchdown passes to Nick Marsh when the game tightened and Indiana needed answers most. Nebraska ran more plays and controlled long stretches of the action, but the Huskers did not turn that volume into enough points, leaving the Hoosiers to walk away with a win that said as much about poise as it did about production. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Faces A Huge Road Test That Could Expose One Weakness
Indiana heads to Lincoln for a Big Ten showdown that could tell us a lot about where this team really stands. Both the Hoosiers and Nebraska are unbeaten in league play, but the contrast in styles makes this one especially interesting: Indiana has been cleaner with penalties and more balanced on offense, getting meaningful production from several players instead of leaning on one obvious source.
Nebraska brings a different kind of stress test, with quarterback Anthony Colandrea driving an offense that can hurt defenses through the air and on the ground. Add in the forecast for strong winds, and the game could turn into a tricky afternoon for passing and kicking alike. For Indiana, the challenge is not just keeping pace in a hostile road environment - it's showing that one of its quieter strengths can survive when conditions get messy. [Read more 🡒]
Curt Cignetti Sends Clear Message As Indiana Faces Tougher Nebraska Test
Indianas strong start has not dulled Curt Cignettis sense of how much work still sits ahead, and his latest comments made clear the Hoosiers are treating Nebraska as another step in that process. Cignetti pointed to the continued growth of quarterback Josh Hoover, along with the teams focus on handling communication in a loud road-style environment, as the kind of details that matter when a season starts to draw bigger attention.
Nebraska brings its own test, especially with quarterback Anthony Colandrea helping drive the offense, and Cignetti framed it as the sort of challenge Indiana needs right now. Even with the early success, he made it plain the Hoosiers still see room to climb, which is a useful reminder as the schedule gets tougher and the margin for clean execution gets smaller. [Read more 🡒]