No. 16 Indiana, Nebraska Clash in Bloomington

Oct 18, 20242 min read

Indiana | Nebraska QB Casey Thompson — © Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

During a typical October in Bloomington, Ind., the only thought on Hoosiers fans' minds, is what the basketball team will look like. That has changed this season, because, on Oct. 19, the No. 16 Indiana Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten Conference) will play one of their most anticipated games in program history when they face the Nebraska Cornhuskers (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) at noon EST at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, Ind.

Indiana Hoosier Hysteria

While the Hoosiers fans are reeling in their success, the Cornhusker fans are trying to figure out what to make of this football season. On the one hand, they’re 5-1; on the other, they’ve struggled against some rough competition like the Purdue Boilermakers. This game could be the deciding factor as to whether or not Nebraska’s College Football Playoff hopes are dashed.

Dante Dowdell | RB Nebraska — © Marc Lebryk-Imagn Images

Indiana is 10-9-3 lifetime against Nebraska. Their last meeting came in 2022, when the Cornhuskers won 35-21 in Lincoln, Neb. The last time the Hoosiers defeated the Cornhuskers was in 2019 and the final score was 38-31.

Ground and Pound

The talk of Lincoln, Neb., has been the play of freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola. Raiola had a hot start to the season but has since cooled off in his last couple of games. The whole Cornhuskers' offense has cooled recently. Nebraska totaled just 261 total yards against Rutgers and against their last quality opponent in Illinois, their offense only amassed 48 yards on the ground. If Nebraska wants to move the ball, then it’ll have to be on the ground. Indiana is giving up 84 yards per game on the ground and Nebraska is averaging 137 yards on the ground. Indiana has averaged 200 yards per game and Nebraska’s defense has given up 84 yards on the ground. The battle of the trenches will be on full display in Bloomington.

Kurtis Rourke | QB Indiana — © Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times/USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Rookie and the Vet

Between the two quarterbacks, it’ll be a classic example of the veteran versus the young gun. Indiana’s sixth-year quarterback Kurtis Rourke, who transferred in from Ohio, has had a fine season thus far. He’s thrown for 1,752 yards, 14 touchdowns and just 2 interceptions. His quarterback passer rating of 192.1 is the best in the Big Ten Conference. Both quarterbacks could serve as complimentary pieces to the running backs.