10-17-24
ON THE ROAD AGAIN
Nebraska faces its biggest challenge yet when it plays 6-0 and AP No. 16 Indiana in Bloomington. Early in the week the Huskers were about a touchdown underdogs.
Statistics support that. Indiana ranks second nationally in scoring offense, fourth in total offense and sixth in total defense and rushing defense. Those standings are influenced by the schedule, which has included Florida International (31-7), Western Illinois (77-3) and Charlotte (52-14). Still . . .
“They’re the only team that hasn’t trailed all year (actually one of two), and they’ve scored 80 points in the fourth quarter,” Coach Matt Rhule said Monday.
“This is probably a top-10 football team we’re facing. They started the season unranked, so they’re maybe not getting the dues that they’re supposed to get.”
Indiana hadn’t won as many as six games in a row since 1967, when it won eight.
The Hoosiers certainly have Nebraska’s respect.
“Every game’s big to us,” linebacker Javin Wright said at Tuesday’s media availability.
Though a cliché, it’s one game at a time, and has to be for success.
As for being the underdog? “We like it that way,” quarterback Dylan Raiola said. “I think our team’s ready and built for this.”
The Huskers are top-10 nationally in scoring defense and rushing defense (seventh in both)and they are the only team nationally that hasn’t allowed a rushing touchdown. They are 11thnationally in fewest turnovers, with four. They are plus-six in turnovers after finishing minus-17 last season.
A win Saturday would make them bowl eligible for the first time since 2016.
The game is Nebraska’s second on the road, in a stretch of three of the next four.
“Going into their stadium and their place, it will be a fun environment, and we look forward to putting up our best fight and go win the game,” Raiola said.
Indiana is led by what Rhule described as an “absolutely fantastic” quarterback, senior Kurtis Rourke, in his first season at Indiana after transferring from Ohio, where he started 34 games.
Rourke, who has completed 118-of-160 passes (.738) for 1,752 yards and 14 touchdowns with two interceptions, is “super savvy,” said Husker linebacker John Bullock.
His leading receivers by yardage are Omar Cooper Jr. (18-375-3) and Elijah Sarrett (29-329-2). Myles Price (20-266), Miles Cross (17-208-2) and Ke’Shawn Williams (13-184-4) are in the mix, too.
Indiana is also a “sneaky-good run team,” Wright said.
The Hoosiers “have two good backs,” said Bullock.
Justice Ellison has rushed for 409 yards and six touchdowns on 64 carries, Ty Son Lawton 329 yards and seven touchdowns on 68 carries. The Hoosiers have rushed for 200.3 yards per game.
Wright gives them “mad respect.”
So do the rest of the Huskers.
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Mike Babcock
