Nebraska walked off the field at Memorial Stadium on the wrong end of a heartbreaking 20-17 result against seventh ranked Indiana, a game the Huskers realistically outplayed their opponent in for nearly sixty minutes. For the entire first half, Nebraska was completely dominant, controlling the line of scrimmage, dictating the tempo, and suffocating an explosive Indiana offense.
The third quarter played out as an even draw, but the fourth quarter ultimately belonged to the reigning national champions, leaving a stinging lesson in the fine margins of elite college football.
The defensive game plan against Indiana's very good ground attack exceeded even the wildest expectations of Husker fans. Nebraska completely shut down the Hoosiers' run game, limiting them to a meager 65 yards on the ground while keeping their talented receiving corps largely bottled up throughout the afternoon. Yet, the ultimate undoing came down to explosive plays and self inflicted mistakes. Three costly breakdowns in coverage resulted in long passing plays that completely flipped the momentum and proved to be the literal difference in the final score.
On the other side of the ball, Anthony Colandrea played a fantastic game under center, orchestrating long drives and keeping the chains moving against a fierce defense. Behind him, Jamal Rule ran extremely hard, churning out tough yards and keeping the pressure on the Hoosier front. Nebraska outgained Indiana 390 to 328 and controlled the clock for nearly forty minutes, but untimely errors and missed execution in crucial moments let the visitors steal a win they arguably did not earn on pure statistics.
Perspective is required when the dust settles. Indiana is sitting at No. 7 in the country as reigning national champions, led by Kurt Cignetti, one of the best coaches in the sport. Nebraska proved they can stand toe to toe with the heavyweights of the Big Ten, but beating elite teams requires eliminating costly errors and playing flawless football down the stretch.
There is no time to dwell on what could have been. The coaching staff and players must immediately clean up the mistakes, regroup, and get back to work. A massive test awaits next week as the Huskers prepare to take on a dangerous Oregon squad led by former husker quarterback Dylan Raiola. If Nebraska brings the same physical defense and offensive intensity that defined most of this matchup, they will have every opportunity to bounce back in a big way.
