College football season is rapidly approaching, with fall camp underway. We’re going through Indiana’s schedule to look ahead at all 12 opponents for 2026.
- Opponent: Nebraska
- Date/Time/TV: Saturday, October 10, TBD
- Location: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Nebraska
- 2025 record/postseason result: 7-6, 4-5 Big Ten (44-22 loss to Utah in the Las Vegas Bowl)
- Overall returning production: 69 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (third in the country, second in the Big Ten)
Returning production, offense: 69 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (14th in the country)
Offensive outlook: Matt Rhule and Dana Holgorsen had a middle of the pack offense in 2025, finishing 82nd in the country in total offense. But though the Cornhuskers have among the most returning offensive production in the country, they lost some key pieces from last season that will make this offense look much different. Quarterback Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon, and running back Emmett Johnson went to the NFL.
UNLV transfer Anthony Colandrea will take over at quarterback for Nebraska this fall. He led the Mountain West in 2025 with 3,459 passing yards, and his 65.9 completion percentage ranked third. He threw 23 touchdowns with nine interceptions, and added 649 rushing yards on 127 attempts with 10 touchdowns. After riding with Raiola’s raw talent the last few years, Colandrea should give the Cornhuskers a much more poised and productive quarterback.
They opted against a portal running back, going with redshirt sophomore Mekhi Nelson and true sophomore Isaiah Mozee to step in for Johnson. Nebraska brings back its two leading receivers from 2025 in Nyziah Hunter (43 receptions, 617 yards, five touchdowns) and Jacory Barney Jr. (45 receptions, 484 yards, five touchdowns). UCLA transfer Kwazi Gilmer led the Bruins last year with 535 yards on 50 receptions and four touchdowns, giving Rhule an experienced trio at wide receiver.
Nebraska’s offensive line was quietly a solid unit in 2025, ranking in the top 20 nationally in both pass block and run block grades on Pro Football Focus. The Huskers have two starters back from that group — left tackle Elijah Pritchett and center Justin Evans — and turn to transfers in the other three spots.
Returning production, defense: 69 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (seventh in the country)
Defensive outlook: The Huskers finished 2025 ranked 30th in the country and ninth in the Big Ten in total defense, allowing 329.5 yards per game. But Rhule still fired defensive coordinator John Butler after the season, and hired San Diego State defensive coordinator Rob Aurich to replace him. The Aztecs boasted an even stingier defense than Nebraska had, finishing 11th in the country in total defense with 293.7 yards per game allowed.
Nebraska has five starters back on defense. Watch for defensive end Williams Nwaneri (five tackles for loss, 2.5 sacks, one pass breakup, and five QB hurries) and linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. (61 tackles, 7.5 TFLs, one PBU, one hurry, one forced fumble) among that group. Redshirt sophomore returnee Donovan Jones, another returning starter, could be primed for a step forward in the defensive backfield.
Aurich brought two transfers with him from San Diego State, safety Dwayne McDougle III and linebacker Owen Chambliss. McDougle racked up four interceptions in 2025, finished as the team’s fourth-leading tackler with 55, and recorded three PBUs and a forced fumble. Chambliss led SDSU with 110 tackles last year, and added 9.5 TFLs, four sacks, five PBUs, and nine hurries. Those numbers would put him in conversations among the best linebackers in the Big Ten.
Special teams outlook: Nebraska posted the fourth-best special teams grade in the country in PFF last year. And the team has both placekicker Kyle Cunanan and punter Archie Wilson back after that performance. Wilson will look to improve on his average of 39.4 yards per punt form last year as a true freshman. Cunanan went 16 for 19 on field goals and made all 45 extra-point attempts. Barney handled punt returns last year, ranking 14th in the country with 12.3 yards per return; he split kickoff return duties as well, and should be in that role again.
Overall Outlook: Expectations are always high in Lincoln, and Cornhusker home games are among the toughest road atmospheres in the Big Ten when their team is rolling. This year marks a decade since the last time Nebraska won more than seven games in a season, and this team may be its strongest team since that 9-4 2016 squad. If Aurich successfully carries the defensive dominance over from San Diego State, the Huskers could be one of the better teams in the Big Ten this year. Of course, the team has weaknesses, and there are scenarios where things go awry and fall apart midyear. But ahead of the season, this looks like it’ll be Indiana’s toughest game to that point in the year.
Previous Outlooks:
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