Nebraska spent a lot of the afternoon doing the right things against Indiana. The Huskers ran the ball, leaned on the tight end, kept the quarterback in manageable spots and, for a while, looked exactly like a team with a workable plan in bad weather.
Then the game got tight, the pressure rose, and Nebraska fell apart.
Indiana’s 20-17 win at Memorial Stadium turned on a late Huskers collapse, with Anthony Colandrea’s 39-yard touchdown run giving Nebraska a 17-6 lead with 12:01 left before everything unraveled. What should have been a finish became a familiar Nebraska script: a winnable game slipping away in the most avoidable way possible.
For much of the day, Jamal Rule handled the bruising work on the ground, Luke Lindenmeyer provided a reliable target underneath and Colandrea’s mobility forced Indiana to account for one more threat. With 30-mph winds blowing, that formula made sense. It was the kind of football Nebraska has been asking for and, for stretches, actually played.
Then the Huskers abandoned it.
Instead of leaning into clock-eating drives and simple, efficient offense, Nebraska shifted into a sequence of choices that invited disaster. Indiana answered the 17-6 deficit with a quick strike after Nebraska had gone to two deep safeties, trimming the margin to 17-13 on one play. From there, the Huskers never looked settled again.
The fourth-down decisions stood out for all the wrong reasons. Nebraska chose to go for it on fourth-and-1 with Indiana in the shotgun, then later faced a fourth-and-nine near midfield while clinging to a three-point lead with more than four minutes left and came away empty. That call left Nebraska without the chance to pin Indiana back and force the Hoosiers to earn every yard.
Jay compared one of the decisions to Scott Frost’s onside kick in Ireland, and said he and George were there for that game. To Team SMQ, this felt like the same kind of panic, only in a different setting.
Nebraska’s defense did its job again after that, holding Indiana. But the Huskers still found a way to make life harder. On Indiana’s punt, Nebraska fielded the ball at the 5-yard line, a decision that drew the obvious reaction: no coach wants that return attempt when the ball is inside the 10.
By then, the damage was done. Team SMQ’s patience with moral victories was gone, and the final result left only one conclusion: Nebraska had the game in hand, then handed it away.
Up to the 17-6 lead, 34% of Nebraska’s offensive plays featured either Rule or Lindenmeyer with the ball. Bob was even preparing an apology to Genius Dana Holgorsen.
After the lead grew to 17-6, that number dropped to 15%, counting a Lindenmeyer catch at the buzzer. Bob tore up the apology.
The opening plan worked. The players gave Nebraska a chance to win. But once the game got tense, the coaching staff lost control of the moment.
Nebraska showed it could hang with Indiana.
It also showed how fast a good plan can disappear when panic takes over.
In Other News...
Nebraska Turned An Indiana Loss Into A Recruiting Win
Nebraskas loss to Indiana did not keep Memorial Stadium from looking like a sell for the future. During the game, three four-star recruits - Jackson Parker, Terence Parsee and Israel Johnigan - were in the building, and each came away with a positive read on both the atmosphere and the way Nebraska competed. Even on a frustrating day in the standings, the scene around the program still gave the Huskers a chance to make an impression.
That matters because those visits were part of a larger recruiting weekend that brought more than 20 prospects to Lincoln. For Nebraska, the goal was bigger than the final score: create enough energy, consistency and visibility that top targets leave wanting more. If the trip elevated the Huskers in each recruits process, it turned an otherwise tough afternoon into something the staff can point to as a win. [Read more 🡒]
Nebraska Has A Dylan Raiola Reunion Brewing With One Big Catch
Oregons quarterback situation is getting the most attention heading into its matchup with Nebraska, and for good reason. Dante Moore remains in concussion protocol, leaving the Ducks in a wait-and-see spot at the games most important position. If Moore cannot go, backup Dylan Raiola would be next up, adding an unexpected layer to a game already carrying plenty of intrigue for Nebraska fans who know his backstory well.
Raiolas connection to the Cornhuskers makes this one feel a little different than a typical late-week injury watch. The transfer came with real expectations and real familiarity, and his recent play has been a reminder of how quickly the spotlight can swing in college football. After a strong outing against USC, he stumbled the next time out against UCLA, and now the possibility of seeing him line up against his former team gives this matchup an even sharper edge. [Read more 🡒]
Former Huskers Made Noise In Week 5 And One NFL Twist Stands Out
Week 5 gave Nebraska fans a familiar NFL roundup, with several former Huskers making their presence felt across the league. Ameer Abdullah flashed on special teams for the Jacksonville Jaguars with a 53-yard kickoff return, while Maliek Collins was active up front for the Cleveland Browns and finished with 1.5 sacks. Across offense, defense and special teams, a handful of ex-Cornhuskers kept showing why Lincoln still shows up on NFL Sundays.
The one wrinkle from the week came with Cam Jurgens, who was dealt from the Philadelphia Eagles to the Baltimore Ravens but did not dress for Baltimore's game. It was a reminder that the NFL calendar can change quickly for former Huskers, with some players carving out roles right away and others waiting for the next chance to make an impact in a new place. [Read more 🡒]