The back half of Indiana’s schedule is here.
And things are about to get very interesting.
For the first time in nearly three years, Memorial Stadium is sold out. FOX’s Big Noon Kickoff is on site. And Nebraska presents the biggest challenge the national darling Hoosiers have seen thus far.
Here’s everything you need to know about Indiana’s matchup against the Cornhuskers.
No. 25/RV NEBRASKA (5-1, 2-1) at No. 16/18 INDIANA (6-0, 3-0)
- Kickoff: Noon ET, Saturday
- Location: Bloomington, Ind., Memorial Stadium (52,626; field turf)
- Television: FOX — Gus Johnson (pbp), Joel Klatt (analyst), Jenny Taft (sideline)
- Stream: Fox Sports
- Radio: IU Football radio network
- Odds: Indiana is a 6.5-point favorite
- Weather at kickoff: 64 degrees, sunny, wind 2 mph, 0% chance of precipitation.
- Series: Indiana leads 10-9-3
- The Coaches:
- Curt Cignetti is in his first year as the head coach at IU. He holds a 125-35 record in his 14th season as a college head coach.
- Matt Rhule is 57-51 in his ninth season as a head coach. He’s 10-8 at Nebraska.
Still cream & crimson, just setting a new standard. pic.twitter.com/YTsoE76x4N
— Indiana Football (@IndianaFootball) October 19, 2024
TALE OF THE TAPE
THE COMPLETE BIG TEN WEEK EIGHT SLATE
FRIDAY, OCT. 18
Oregon at Purdue 8 p.m. FOX
SATURDAY, OCT. 19
Nebraska at Indiana (HC) 12 p.m. FOX
Wisconsin at Northwestern 12 p.m. Big Ten Network
UCLA at Rutgers (HC) 12 p.m. FS1
Michigan at Illinois 3:30 p.m. CBS
USC at Maryland (HC) 4 p.m. FS1
Iowa at Michigan State (HC) 7:30 p.m. NBC
NEBRASKA 2024 RESULTS
Aug. 31 UTEP FOX W, 40-7
Sept. 7 Colorado NBC W, 28-10
Sept. 14 Northern Iowa BTN W, 34-3
Sept. 20 #24 Illinois* FOX L, 24-31 (ot)
Sept. 28 at Purdue* Peacock W, 28-10
Oct. 5 Rutgers* FS1 W, 14-7
NEBRASKA NOTES AND NUMBERS
(Via Nebraska Athletics)
The Huskers stand at 5-1 through the first half of the 2024 season and are coming off a 14-7 home victory over Rutgers on Oct. 5. Nebraska’s 5-1 start marks its best six game start since 2016. Nebraska used an inspired defensive effort to secure the Big Ten victory and improve to 2-1 in league play. They limited a powerful Rutgers rushing attack to just 78 yards on the ground and did not allow a point until the game’s final five minutes.
Saturday’s game marks just the fourth meeting between the schools since Nebraska joined the Big Ten and is only the second trip by the Huskers to Bloomington in that time, joining a 2016 Husker win.
Nebraska opened the season with three consecutive non-conference victories, marking its first 3-0 start to the season since 2016. It was also the first time Nebraska was unblemished in nonconference play since 2016. The Huskers’ 5-1 mark at the midpoint of the season is also NU’s best six-game record since 2016, when Nebraska began the season with seven wins.
True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola has been impressive in leading Nebraska to a 5-1 start. Raiola has thrown for better than 200 yards four times, including a career-high 297 yards and three touchdowns against Illinois. Overall, Raiola has thrown for 1,358 yards and nine touchdowns against three interceptions. His passing yardage leads FBS true freshmen and he is one of only six freshmen (true or redshirt) with more than 1,200 passing yards.
In getting off to its best start since 2016, Nebraska has shown the ability to control games from start to finish. The Huskers did not trail in their first three games, and out-scored the opposition by a total of 102-20 in non-conference play. Through six games, Nebraska has trailed for a total of 15:15 of game action, including just more than 11 minutes against Illinois and less than four minutes at Purdue.
Nebraska scored on its opening drive in each of the first three games. Those scoring drives covered 72, 49 and 75 yards.
In six games, Nebraska has out-scored the opposition 65-3 in the second quarter. In 2023, Nebraska was out-scored 81-66 in the second quarter. They have held each of their last two opponents (at Purdue, Rutgers) scoreless in the first half. Overall, Nebraska has pitched three first-half shutouts, after also blanking Colorado in the opening half.
Opponents have had very little success early in games. Dating back to 2023, Nebraska has allowed just two first-quarter touchdowns in its past 13 games. Just two opponents in the past 19 games have scored a touchdown on their opening drive.
Nebraska is the only team in the nation that has not allowed a rushing touchdown in 2024. Dating back to last season, Nebraska has not allowed a rushing TD in 11 of its past 13 games.
Nebraska has committed just four turnovers in six games in 2024. The Huskers’ four turnovers are the 11th-fewest in the nation. Nebraska is +6 in turnover margin this season after finishing the 2023 season -17.
Nebraska has won five of its first six games, matching its win total from the 2023 season. Nebraska is one of just 20 teams in the FBS ranks who have matched or exceeded its win total from 2023, including three Big Ten teams (also Indiana, Illinois). Indiana currently leads that group with a +3 win total over 2023.
PREDICTIONS
It will be strength against strength as Indiana’s powerhouse offense meets Nebraska’s stout defense. Will it be high scoring like all of Indiana’s games, or low scoring like Nebraska’s? Probably somewhere in between. This one looks like it could go either way, but the fans will leave a sold out Memorial Stadium happy.
TDH PREDICTION: INDIANA 31 NEBRASKA 27
- ESPN SP+ (Computer): Indiana 25 Nebraska 20 (63% win probability)
- ESPN FPI (Computer): Indiana has a 75.7% chance to win.
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