Indiana’s defensive depth chart is still in flux, and the timing could hardly be worse for Nebraska.
The question hanging over Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt is whether either defender will be available when Indiana heads to Lincoln on October 10 for what could be a matchup of undefeated teams. Their eligibility has already been sorted out more than once, only to get thrown back into doubt as the legal fight around Class of 2022 recruits continues to churn.
The latest twist came after a Colorado court ruling that said all Class of 2022 players were eligible for the upcoming 2026-27 season following the NCAA’s new age-based eligibility model. Daley and Wyatt were initially cleared for Indiana’s first two games, but the Tenth Circuit Court of Appeals then granted the NCAA’s request for a stay, freezing that ruling for Class of 2022 recruits who did not have another temporary injunction.
That sent the two Indiana defenders back to court on Wednesday, and they again won eligibility for the rest of the season. That would put them in line to play against Nebraska if Indiana chooses to use them. But the NCAA is pushing back again, filing an emergency motion to stay the preliminary injunction a judge in Monroe County Circuit Court issued Wednesday.
For Indiana, it’s a headache. For Nebraska, it’s another week of not knowing who will actually be on the other sideline.
Nebraska football awaits ruling on Indiana defenders Stephen Daley and Kellan Wyatt
It’s the kind of uncertainty Matt Rhule has largely avoided with the players Nebraska has brought in through the Transfer Portal or regular recruiting.
Indiana, though, has managed just fine so far even with Daley and Wyatt barely on the field. Daley has played in two games, logging 32 snaps and 6 tackles. Wyatt has appeared in one game and recorded 9 snaps without a statistic.
The Hoosiers are 3-0 anyway, rolling past North Texas 52-16 before posting back-to-back shutouts against Howard, 55-0, and Western Kentucky, 38-0.
Both teams begin Big Ten play this weekend. Nebraska faces Michigan State, while Indiana takes on Northwestern. Then Indiana meets Rutgers and Nebraska draws Maryland before the potential October 10 showdown, which could feature two 5-0 teams if everything breaks that way.
In Other News...
Nebraskas First MSU Injury Report Brings Early Roster Concerns
Nebraska volleyball kept rolling after a postponed match against Missouri, finishing off a straight-set win to move to 11-0. Andi Jackson was again central to the performance, piling up 10 kills, six blocks and two aces while the defense kept Missouri from finding much rhythm at the net. For a program that has handled nearly every challenge so far this fall, the Huskers continue to look like a team built to absorb disruption and keep winning.
The football side of the ledger offered a less comfortable update ahead of Michigan State, with the first injury report putting Carter Nelson out, Jordan Ochoa questionable and Bryson Webber doubtful. Early-week availability reports always leave room for movement, but this one gives Nebraska a little more to monitor as it tries to get ready for a Big Ten road test. Between the volleyball teams clean start and the football rosters uncertainty, the Cornhuskers are heading into the week with two very different kinds of momentum. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Big Ten Opener Puts Its Fast Start Under Real Pressure
Nebraskas fast start is about to get a different kind of test as Big Ten play opens against Michigan State, with the Huskers installed as 5.5-point favorites. The matchup brings a sharper edge than the early-season schedule, especially for a Nebraska team that has leaned on its rushing offense, gotten key work from special teams and needs its quarterback to keep operating behind solid protection.
Michigan State has also shown signs of improvement under coach Pat Fitzgerald, which makes this less of a routine conference opener than the record might suggest. The numbers point to a game Nebraska should be able to control if it keeps winning in the trenches and avoids self-inflicted trouble, but the gap between a promising start and a real Big Ten statement is exactly what this weekend is about. [Read more 🡒]
LJ Martin Is Giving BYU A Breakout Fans Need To See
Early in the 2026 season, the national rushing leaderboard is already starting to separate into tiers, and one of the names drawing attention is BYU back LJ Martin. The ranking measures production by rushing yards per game, and Martin has put himself among the early standard-bearers alongside players like Jaylin Carter, Aiden Flora, Jamal Rule, Wayne Knight, Torrance Burgess Jr. and Braxton Woodson, with several of those runners coming off recent game lines that marked career highs or major spikes in workload.
For Nebraska fans keeping an eye on the wider college football picture, Martins surge matters because it comes from a player driving the kind of offense opponents have to game-plan around every week. The broader list shows how quickly one strong start can reshape a seasons perception, and Martins place near the top raises the obvious question now facing BYU: whether this is just a fast opening stretch or the start of a truly breakout run. [Read more 🡒]