Off to their first 5-0 start since 2016, the Nebraska Cornhuskers now have a chance to do something they haven’t done since that same year: Beat a ranked opponent.
It’s not every day you get to host the reigning national champions and the Huskers do this weekend, as they host the No. 7 Indiana Hoosiers (5-0) on FOX’s Big Noon Saturday.
To get you ready for the undefeated matchup, here are four storylines for you to watch on Saturday.
Can the Huskers Break the Losing Streak Against Ranked Opponents?
This one will for sure come up multiple times on Saturday as the Huskers come into Saturday with a 31-game losing streak to AP Top 25 opponents dating back to 2016. The losing streak includes the last time these two teams faced off, back in 2024, when Nebraska got demolished by Coach Curt Cignetti and the Hoosiers 56 to 7.
Now, the Huskers are a much different team from what they were in 2024. They have an experienced offensive line, good weapons around senior quarterback Anthony Colandrea and a solid defense. It is also year four of the Matt Rhule era; can Nebraska have its moment of breakthrough?
A Strong Start in Both Halves Will Be Important
Last week against the Terrapins, the Huskers got punched in the mouth to start the game, going down by two scores halfway through the second quarter. Then a pick-six by fifth-year safety Dwayne McDougle III completely flipped the momentum towards the Huskers. It then led to the Huskers taking the lead right before the half and they didn’t look back.
Now, if you are Nebraska, it cannot come out against the Hoosiers as it did against Maryland and expect to win the game. Coach Rhule and his staff seem to know this, as they mentioned it during their weekly media availabilities.
Defensive coordinator Rob Aurich talked about the upcoming challenge and said that they have to play extremely hard to slow down the Indiana offense.
“Indiana is obviously a great test,” Aurich said Tuesday. “It’s going to be really fun to compete against them, but I think you have to play your best ball when you’re playing the best people in the conference.”
Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen said that the team showed no panic after going down 16 to 7 early against Maryland and a thrown interception by Colandrea, but needs to be better in the third quarter.
For two weeks in a row, Nebraska hasn’t scored in the third quarter. Luckily for them, the defense has only allowed three points in both of those games in the third quarter. They will have to play much better in both the first and third quarters to compete against the Hoosiers.
Kickstarting the Running Game and Stopping the Run Will be Crucial
Nebraska struggled at times to get the running game going against Maryland, especially running up the middle. You could really see it in the final stats, with sophomore Isaiah Mozee leading the running backs with 46 yards on eight carries. Now, the Huskers were without their leading rusher, true freshman Jamal Rule, who has been key for the offense in three of their five games so far this season.
Holgorsen said that the true freshman will be back in the lineup this weekend against the Hoosiers and was able to play last week, but wasn’t comfortable playing him without a week of practice.
“Jamal’s back,” he said on Tuesday. “Jamal could of played last week .
As the season has gone on, Colandrea has been a part of the running game as well. His dual-threat ability was much needed at times last week, as the senior quarterback was able to extend plays, beating the Terrapins with arm and legs. Something that has allowed Colandrea to make those plays has been the defenses they’ve gone up against.
Holgorsen said Tuesday that most of the defenses they have faced have run man coverage, while Indiana runs more zone coverage. The holes that Colandrea has found in the past few weeks will be harder to find this week against the Hoosiers.
Now looking on the other side, Indiana’s rushing attack has been lethal so far in 2026, led by junior Turbo Richard and senior Lee Beebe Jr. Both backs combine for over 1,100 yards, with 587 yards on 63 carries and five touchdowns for Richard and 520 yards on 89 carries and four touchdowns for Beebe Jr.
Aurich talked about the importance of slowing down the Indiana offense and it starts with the running game.
“They have an excellant identity in the run game,” he said. “The way they read and respond to blocks, you can tell they’re well coached.”
“What impresses me about the most is that they don’t run out of bounds. So, we got to be ready to tackle and go to work.”
Anthony Colandrea Faces His Biggest Test
Since taking over as starting quarterback at Nebraska, Colandrea has fit the mold of what was expected of him. The senior quarterback has helped the Huskers have a top-10 (43.6 PPG) scoring offense and is top-25 (475.6 YPG) in total offense so far through five games.
However, this is by far Colandrea’s biggest test since being at Nebraska. The Huskers will not be able to afford turnovers or stalled drives against an offense that has proven its able to score points in bunches. Turnovers were a big reason why Indiana was able to win by 49 points in 2024 and Nebraska will have to avoid them on Saturday.
Colandrea has been fairly efficient so far, throwing for 1,142 yards, completing 65.7 (94/143) percent of his passes with 13 touchdowns to only two interceptions. He also has 38 carries for 249 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.
For Colandrea, this is also a chance to show he can lead the team to a victory against one of the best teams in the conference and the country and could give the Huskers major momentum heading further into conference play.
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