Nebraska came painfully close to turning one play into a full-blown throwback.
Anthony Colandrea’s 39-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter gave the Huskers a 17-6 lead over Indiana with 12 minutes left, and for a moment the whole thing looked like a flashback to the program’s heyday. It had the feel of those Nebraska teams from the 1990s and early 2000s, when Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch regularly broke games open with big quarterback runs and kept the Huskers in the national title chase.
For fans who remember those days, that kind of moment still lands hard. For an Omaha native who celebrated Nebraska’s 1994 national championship on Dodge Street in zero-degree cold, it was the sort of burst that made the old days feel reachable again. All that was left was for the defense - the Blackshirts - to finish it off.
Instead, Indiana answered.
Nick Marsh caught two long touchdown passes, and the unbeaten defending national champions left with a 20-17 win, turning Nebraska’s near-revival into another painful almost. Marsh’s big plays served as the difference, and Nebraska was left with the same familiar frustration that has followed the program for years.
Even so, this wasn’t empty hope dressed up as progress. Nebraska didn’t beat Indiana, but the Huskers looked like they belonged on the field with them. It was a real performance, not a fluke.
That matters because the schedule still gives Matt Rhule’s team another chance to make noise Saturday against Oregon. If Nebraska keeps building on this, the idea of a true return to glory stops sounding like wishful thinking and starts sounding possible.
The Huskers lost, but they gave their fanbase something it has waited a long time for: a reason to believe again.
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 🡒]
Nebraskas 2026 Schedule Already Has A Few Early Warning Signs
Nebraskas 2026 schedule already looks like it could come with plenty of traps, and the early-season results around the Big Ten only add to that sense. Several of the teams on the Cornhuskers future slate have already shown both how dangerous they can be and how quickly a good week can turn into a problem, from Indianas win over Nebraska to Michigan States overtime loss to Illinois and Marylands setback against Ohio State. Even Oregon, which had a bye last weekend, has been dealing with quarterback issues, while Washingtons loss to Iowa and Illinois overtime win over Michigan State have helped sort out the leagues early pecking order.
What makes the picture more uneasy for Nebraska is that some of those opponents are still working through injury and depth questions, which can change the feel of a matchup long before 2026 arrives. Illinois win came despite losing starting quarterback Katin Houser to a broken hand, a reminder that the teams on Nebraskas schedule may look different by the time the Cornhuskers actually see them. For now, the best takeaway is that the road ahead already has a few warning lights flashing, even if the full shape of the schedule wont come into focus for a while. [Read more 🡒]