Nebraska finally gets the kind of stage it has been chasing for years.
On Saturday, the Cornhuskers welcome No. 7 Indiana to Lincoln with a perfect 5-0 record, their best opening run since 2016.
That alone puts Matt Rhule’s team in a rare spot. But the bigger weight hanging over the day is harder to ignore: Nebraska has lost 31 straight games against AP Top 25 opponents, and the last time it beat a ranked team was Sept. 17, 2016, against No.
22 Oregon.
That drought is now squarely in play.
This Nebraska team has done more than stack wins. It has done it with authority.
Every victory has come by at least 18 points, and the Cornhuskers are averaging 43.6 points per game while allowing just 14.2. They also showed some backbone last Saturday at Maryland, where they fell behind 23-14 in the second quarter before ripping off the final 34 points in a 48-23 win.
There was a mess in that one, too. Nebraska was flagged 16 times for 132 yards, the kind of self-inflicted damage that can wreck a game against a quality opponent. Against Indiana, that sort of sloppiness could be the difference between a breakthrough and another missed chance.
Indiana arrives with plenty of its own shine. The defending national champions are also 5-0, riding a 21-game winning streak into Memorial Stadium after blasting Rutgers 47-15.
So this is not just another shot at ending a long run of frustration for Nebraska. It is also a chance to plant itself firmly back in the national conversation.
The Cornhuskers have not beaten a top-10 team since knocking off No. 6 Michigan State in 2015.
Rhule does not need Saturday’s game to prove the rebuild is alive; the unbeaten start already says plenty. But a win over the defending champions would take things to a different level, pushing Nebraska to 6-0 and snapping a ranked-opponent skid that has lingered for a decade.
For a program that has waited 10 years for a night like this, Saturday offers a real opening.
In Other News...
Nebraska Gets Rare Good News Before A Big Test Against Indiana
Three days before kickoff, Nebraska is getting a cleaner injury picture than it has seen in a while heading into a Big Ten test against Indiana. Only tight end Carter Nelson and linebacker Gage Stenger are listed as doubtful, while five players have remained out since the start of league play. On the other side, Indiana is dealing with its own mix of availability, though cornerback A.J. Harris and defensive end David Ndukwe are back in the fold.
That matters for a Nebraska team that has spent much of the season managing personnel issues and trying to keep its depth intact. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said running backs Jamal Rule and Mekhi Nelson have been practicing and could be available if needed, which at least gives the Cornhuskers some flexibility as they prepare for a game that could hinge on who is able to suit up and who can handle an expanded role. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Defining Test Against Indiana In Brutal Conditions
Nebraska gets a measuring-stick opportunity in Lincoln on Saturday morning, with Indiana coming in as the defending national champion and FOX carrying the game to a national audience. The matchup arrives with wind expected to be a major factor, which should put an even bigger spotlight on Nebraskas improved offensive line and how well the Huskers can handle a disciplined Indiana team that has earned plenty of respect for the way it plays.
For Nebraska, the challenge is as much about structure as star power, because this is the kind of game that can expose flaws quickly in rough conditions. Indiana arrives favored at the betting window, but the early kickoff and the weather figure to make this feel less like a standard Big Ten showcase and more like a test of poise, execution and coaching at every level. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Faces A Defining Week With One Big Roster Concern
Nebraska heads into this week with some clarity on the injury front, even if not complete comfort. Jamal Rule and Andrew Marshall are available as the Cornhuskers prepare to face Indiana, which helps stabilize a roster that has been trying to get itself organized at just the right time. It is the kind of update coaches and fans can at least build around, especially with conference play continuing to demand depth and flexibility.
Carter Nelson remains doubtful, though, and that is the detail Nebraska will keep monitoring as the matchup approaches. For a team trying to stack together enough healthy pieces to handle a meaningful stretch, availability can be as important as game plan. There is also broader Nebraska interest elsewhere this week, with former Husker Cam Jurgens landing in a trade from the Eagles to the Ravens, a reminder that the states football storylines rarely stay in one place for long. [Read more 🡒]