Nebraska’s football team suffered a devastating defeat against Indiana on Saturday, with a final score of 56-7. This marks Nebraska’s worst loss since 2018 under former coach Scott Frost, when they allowed 56 points to Michigan. The Huskers aim to forget this game quickly, as it’s their second largest loss since joining the Big Ten Conference.
Indiana, now ranked No. 16 and holding a record of 7-0, capitalized on Nebraska’s potent mistakes. Nebraska stands at 5-2 and is still searching for bowl eligibility. Freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola acknowledged the disappointment, stating, “It sucks, but we’ve just got to learn from it and move on.” Raiola completed 28 of 44 passes for 234 yards but had three interceptions. Coach Matt Rhule noted that not all interceptions were Raiola’s fault.
In addition, Nebraska lost two fumbles, ending the day with a minus-four turnover margin. Indiana scored a significant portion of their points off these turnovers, whereas Nebraska had only turned the ball over four times in their previous six games.
Starting quarterback Kurtis Rourke for Indiana performed effectively with 17 completions on 21 attempts for 189 yards and a touchdown, but he did not play the second half due to an injury. His backup, Tayven Jackson, accomplished an impressive 7-of-8 passing for 91 yards and two touchdowns. As the game neared its end, Jackson’s kneel downs ran out the clock, marking a surreal finish for Nebraska fans.
Despite Nebraska running 75 plays to Indiana’s 63 and possessing the ball longer (32:08 to 27:52), they still faced that 49-point loss. Indiana rushed for 215 yards with five touchdowns against a Nebraska defense known for its strength against the run, which had previously not allowed a rushing touchdown this season. Indiana quickly amassed 14 points within the first two and a half minutes of the second quarter, leading 28-0 at halftime.
Nebraska had a total of 304 yards of offense, trailing Indiana’s 495 yards, including the final kneel downs. Indiana is ranked second nationally for scoring, averaging 47.5 points per game, with their highest score this season being 77-3 against Western Illinois.
In his post-game remarks, Coach Rhule expressed regret over the loss but emphasized that he was not embarrassed by the players’ efforts. “I just think our guys will bounce back,” he said, acknowledging the need for resilience as they face the formidable No. 3 Ohio State next, who will have a week to prepare.
As Raiola stated, “It is what it is right now,” leaving no further need for analysis beyond the heart-wrenching final score.