Nebraska finally gets its shot at ending a long, ugly streak against ranked opponents, and the timing could hardly be more demanding.
The Cornhuskers are 5-0 for the first time since 2016, and Saturday afternoon brings No. 7 Indiana to Lincoln for a meeting between unbeaten Big Ten teams.
For Nebraska, it is also the first chance in 2026 to break a run of 31 straight losses to AP Top 25 opponents. The last time the Huskers beat a ranked team came back on Sept. 17, 2016, when they knocked off No.
22 Oregon.
Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said he is eager to see Memorial Stadium for himself.
"It's a Big Ten game on the road against an undefeated team, so it's a huge challenge which we have to respond to, and our guys will be ready to play," Cignetti said. "I've never been to Nebraska. I've never been to the state of Nebraska and looking forward to it.
"I've heard great things about the stadium (Memorial Stadium), the fans, obviously great tradition and history there through the years -- and they're playing really well. ... What they've put on tape has been extremely impressive."
Cignetti also knows Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea from firsthand experience. The 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year began his career at Virginia, and Cignetti's James Madison team beat the Cavaliers in 2023 even though Colandrea threw for 377 yards and two touchdowns in just his second college game.
"He was a true freshman, stepped in, really played well, and he's had an outstanding career," Cignetti said. "He can beat you with his arm and his legs."
Colandrea has grown into exactly that kind of problem for defenses. He has 1,400 rushing yards and 14 touchdowns in his career, and he set a personal best with 108 rushing yards in last week's 48-23 home win over Maryland.
Matt Rhule has leaned into Colandrea's value as a runner, even invoking some of Nebraska's most famous names while talking about the quarterback's role in the offense, which ranks ninth nationally at 43.6 points per game.
"We look at Anthony as part of the run game," Rhule said. "So just like Eric Crouch and Tommie (Frazier).
Not to say we're in that league. I mean, those are great teams.
But they were part of the run game and all.
"We're going to make people defend our quarterback, all right? It opens up the passing game. ... We certainly don't want him to get hurt, but we've got to let him play."
That task gets a lot tougher against Indiana. The Hoosiers bring a defense that ranks fifth nationally in points allowed at 10.8 per game and fourth in yardage allowed at 237.8 per game.
And they are no slouch on offense, either. Indiana ranks eighth in scoring at 44.2 points per game and ninth in rushing at 252.6 yards per game.
Quarterback Josh Hoover has been clean and efficient, throwing 15 touchdown passes without an interception. On the ground, Lee Beebe Jr. rushed for 203 yards two weeks ago against Northwestern, then Turbo Richard topped that with 204 yards last Saturday in a 47-15 win at Rutgers.
"I look at their offense like it's a triple-option offense," Rhule said. "They're going to run certain runs versus certain looks. If you try to take it away in man and one-high, then they're going to throw the ball."
In Other News...
Indiana Faces One Extra Problem In Huge Nebraska Showdown
Saturdays showdown in Lincoln already has the feel of an early-season measuring stick, with Indiana and Nebraska both arriving unbeaten at 5-0 and carrying the kind of rsum that makes this one matter well beyond the Big Noon Kickoff stage. The Hoosiers also take the field with a slight edge in the all-time series, but none of that guarantees much once the ball is kicked off at noon ET on FOX.
The bigger wrinkle may come from the conditions themselves, with the forecast calling for heat near 88 degrees and steady winds in the 15-25 mph range. In a game that could hinge on field position and hidden yardage, those gusts have the potential to complicate kicking and punting, adding one more layer of pressure to a matchup between two of the nations 15 remaining undefeated teams. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Just Showed How Dangerous This Team Can Really Be
Homecoming at SHI Stadium turned into a showcase for just how explosive Indiana can be when everything starts clicking. Josh Hoover was sharp and efficient, completing 20 of 27 passes for 251 yards and four touchdowns, while the Hoosiers kept Rutgers on its heels by mixing in a ground game that never let the Scarlet Knights settle in.
Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. were part of a rushing attack that piled up 329 yards, and the line play on both sides helped set the tone from the start. When Indiana is winning up front like this, the offense can stretch a game in a hurry, and the defense has the kind of support that can make the whole operation look a lot more dangerous. [Read more 🡒]
Indiana Fans Just Got Their First Real Clue About This Seasons Stage
Indiana fans now have their first real sense of how the 2026-27 mens basketball season will unfold on the calendar, with the Big Ten releasing tip times and TV designations for the league slate. For Indiana, that means a spread of visibility across BTN, B1G+, FOX, FS1, Peacock/NBCSN and CBS, plus a clearer picture of when preseason and regular-season games will land on the schedule.
The release also puts the conference tournament back in Indianapolis, where the Big Ten will stage its postseason showcase at Gainbridge Fieldhouse from March 9-14, 2027. For IU supporters, it is the kind of early roadmap that helps turn an empty offseason into something more tangible, even if the real intrigue will come later, when those announced windows start to meet the expectations surrounding the Hoosiers. [Read more 🡒]