For a few minutes on Saturday, Nebraska football had the kind of scene fans have been waiting years to see.
Anthony Colandrea’s touchdown run had pushed the Huskers in front 17-6 in the fourth quarter against defending national champion Indiana, and Memorial Stadium was alive in a way that felt bigger than just one play. The crowd was roaring, people were hugging, and for a moment it looked like Nebraska might finally grab the kind of breakthrough that has been so hard to find.
Then it slipped away.
Indiana fought back and left Lincoln with a 20-17 win, sending Nebraska fans right back into the familiar mix of anger, frustration and disbelief. It was a gut punch, no question. But it also came with a strange twist: Nebraska spent much of the afternoon looking like the better team.
That’s the tension from Saturday. The final score says loss. The performance said something more complicated.
The Huskers actually finished with a 383-328 edge in total yardage, controlled the ball for nearly 40 minutes, won first downs 25-13 and held Indiana to just one third-down conversion. And still, they walked off the field empty-handed.
The self-inflicted stuff was hard to miss. Nebraska was hit by badly timed penalties, missed another field goal, made questionable decisions with game management and suffered two crushing defensive breakdowns that flipped an 11-point fourth-quarter lead into a three-point defeat.
There were chances here. Plenty of them. Nebraska just didn’t cash in enough.
Colandrea was at the center of it all. He’s not flawless - he misses throws, and he can drift into running around too much - but he also brings something Nebraska has been searching for.
He’s a gamer. He’s a leader.
And he gives the Huskers a real shot against anyone. That fourth-quarter scoring burst was the kind of moment that reminds you why college football can still hit like nothing else.
There was more to like around him, too. Jacory Barney made his presence felt, Archie Wilson stood out, and the Blackshirts continued to play above expectations.
The broader picture had encouraging pieces as well. Dana Holgorsen’s offensive plan was excellent, especially in the first half.
Rob Aurich’s defense mostly kept one of the nation’s best teams in check. And Nebraska showed it has the talent and physical edge to go toe-to-toe with elite competition.
But the warning signs were still right there. The offensive line remains a problem.
Special teams keeps giving away points. And the kinds of mistakes that have haunted this program for years haven’t completely gone anywhere.
So what was Saturday, really? Proof Nebraska is turning a corner? Or just another painful entry in the long list of games the Huskers let get away?
The schedule leaves the question open. Oregon is up next, and Washington, Illinois, Ohio State, Rutgers and Iowa are all still ahead.
Nebraska has already shown it can stand in the ring with one of the best teams in the country. Now it has to turn that into wins.
Beat the teams you're supposed to beat. Steal one you’re not supposed to. Stack up nine wins, maybe more, and give Husker fans something real to celebrate in November.
Saturday gave Nebraska a glimpse of what this team can be. What comes next will show what it actually is.
In Other News...
Dan Lanning Just Put Dylan Raiola Back In Nebraskas Spotlight
Dylan Raiola is back in the spotlight in a way Nebraska fans know all too well, only this time the conversation is coming from Oregon. After the Ducks loss to UCLA, coach Dan Lanning said Raiola will be part of a quarterback competition with Brock Thomas while Dante Moore works his way back from a concussion, giving the former Husker target another public moment in a crowded race. Lanning also singled out Raiolas composure after being pulled from the game, a small but notable nod for a quarterback whose name still carries plenty of weight in Lincoln.
For Nebraska, any update involving Raiola tends to ripple beyond Eugene because his path has remained such a point of curiosity for the fan base. Lannings comments added a little more texture to where things stand, especially with Oregons offense searching for steadier footing and changes reportedly coming in team operations. The details of those changes were left unsaid, but Raiolas presence in the mix was clear enough to make this one worth keeping an eye on. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraskas Halloween Stunner Sparked Doubts Fans Couldnt Ignore
Halloween night in Lincoln delivered a jolt Nebraska fans did not see coming, as the seventh-ranked Cornhuskers were stunned at home by unranked Texas, 20-16. The loss snapped a 47-game home winning streak and came despite another outing that had Nebraska leaning on Eric Crouch, with Texas getting major days from Major Applewhite and Ricky Williams.
For a program that had treated Memorial Stadium like a fortress, the defeat carried an extra layer of sting because it was the first home loss to an unranked opponent since 1978. Nebraska slid to 14th in the Associated Press poll afterward, and the result left plenty of doubt around a team that had entered the night expected to protect its place among the nation's elite. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Showed Real Progress In A Loss Fans Know Too Well
Anthony Colandrea gave Nebraska a jolt in the fourth quarter against Indiana with a 39-yard touchdown run that pushed the Cornhuskers ahead 17-6. For a team still searching for the kind of performance that can reset expectations, it felt like the sort of moment fans had been waiting to see, especially with Nebraska showing a level of competitiveness that made the game feel different for a while.
Indiana answered with two long touchdown receptions by Nick Marsh to turn the night around and escape with a 20-17 win, the kind of finish Nebraska supporters know too well. Even in defeat, though, there was a real sense of progress in how the Cornhuskers competed, and enough promise to leave fans thinking this team may be moving toward something better. [Read more 🡒]