Luke Lindenmeyer was part of the 2024 Nebraska football team that lost to Indiana, and he’s excited for the chance to avenge that loss Saturday afternoon.
The Huskers lost 56-7 to the Hoosiers in Bloomington, then watched them win the national championship in 2025. Now, the fifth-year tight end and Nebraska will have get another shot at Indiana in Lincoln on Saturday.
“That’s why you come to Nebraska, to play in these big, big Big Ten games,” Lindenmeyer said. “Big Noon Kickoff was here my freshman year, so it’s cool to have that again, just kind of the stuff outside of the actual game, but again, it’s just another game. You’ve got to prepare. You’ve got to out-recover, out-prepare.”
That’s what the Huskers will attempt to do ahead of the game. Both teams are 5-0 and have new rosters. Indiana is No. 7 in the country, and both teams have new quarterbacks leading the way.
Senior Anthony Colandrea leads the way for the Huskers, and the Hoosiers have fifth-year quarterback Josh Hoover holding the reigns.
“They’ve got new guys, new quarterback, new defensive linemen, new linebackers, a lot of different jersey numbers,” Lindenmeyer said. “We’ve got some of the guys who played in that game, but I was wearing 44 at the time, and No. 8 now. You’ve got other guys. [Janiran Bonner] played; he was 16 at the time, now he’s 4 and now he’s a tight end. Both teams have changed so much in the last two years, so I’m excited.”
One thing that hasn’t changed is Indiana’s coaching staff, however. Hoosiers head coach Curt Cignetti has retained nearly all of his assistants since joining the Hoosiers in 2024. Nebraska, on the other hand, has not had that same continuity. It has a different offensive and defensive coordinator leading the way.
Offensively, Dana Holgorsen is the play caller, and he’s done well this season. The Huskers beat Maryland 48-23 on Saturday but got off to a slow start. They picked it up at the end the first half, however. Lindenmeyer said he hopes to see a better start against the Hoosiers.
“We want to start off fast, but it’s been a theme this season,” Lindenmeyer said. “We don’t get worried. We just play our game. We just get back to who we are.”
Who the Huskers are is a team that has been winning this year. Although they want to start fast, Lindenmeyer said how they finish is what counts.
“Every game’s going to come down to the fourth quarter,” Lindenmeyer said. “That’s where most games are won, but a good start would just help us be able to win in the fourth quarter and having body blows throughout the game.”
Lindenmeyer and the Huskers will continue preparing for the Hoosiers and Big Noon Kickoff while expecting a great crowd.
“It’s going to be loud,” Lindenmeyer said. “They’re the best fans in the nation, and it’s going to be fun.”
Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CT on FOX and the Huskers Radio Network.
