Nebraska hasn’t opened a season 6-0 since 2016.
That’s also the year the Cornhuskers most recently defeated an AP Top 25 team. Since taking down No. 22 Oregon on Sept. 17, 2016, Nebraska has dropped 31 straight games against ranked foes.
The Cornhuskers’ first opportunity to beat a ranked team in 2026 will come Saturday afternoon when No. 7 Indiana (5-0, 2-0 Big Ten) visits Nebraska (5-0, 2-0) for the first time in four years.
Hoosiers coach Curt Cignetti said he can’t wait to get to Lincoln, Neb., to see what the place is all about.
“It’s a Big Ten game on the road against an undefeated team, so it’s a huge challenge which we have to respond to, and our guys will be ready to play,” Cignetti said. “I’ve never been to Nebraska. I’ve never been to the state of Nebraska and looking forward to it.
“I’ve heard great things about the stadium (Memorial Stadium), the fans, obviously great tradition and history there through the years — and they’re playing really well. … What they’ve put on tape has been extremely impressive.”
Cignetti, however, has plenty of firsthand knowledge about Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea. The 2025 Mountain West Offensive Player of the Year spent his first two years at Virginia, where he lost to Cignetti’s James Madison squad in 2023 despite throwing for 377 yards and two touchdowns in his second college game.
“He was a true freshman, stepped in, really played well, and he’s had an outstanding career,” Cignetti said. “He can beat you with his arm and his legs.”
As Colandrea’s career has evolved, he has become a dual threat. He has rushed for 1,400 yards and 14 touchdowns in his career, highlighted by last week’s career-high 108 yards in Nebraska’s 48-23 home win over Maryland.
Cornhuskers coach Matt Rhule invokes the names of some all-time Nebraska greats when referring to Colandrea and his role in the nation’s ninth-best scoring offense (an average of 43.6 points per game).
“We look at Anthony as part of the run game,” Rhule said. “So just like Eric Crouch and Tommie (Frazier). Not to say we’re in that league. I mean, those are great teams. But they were part of the run game and all.
“We’re going to make people defend our quarterback, all right? It opens up the passing game. … We certainly don’t want him to get hurt, but we’ve got to let him play.”
Colandrea hasn’t faced a defense such as Indiana’s, which ranks fifth nationally in average points allowed (10.8 per game) and fourth in yardage (237.8 per game).
Then there’s the Hoosiers’ offense, which stands eighth in scoring (44.2 ppg) and ninth in rushing (252.6 ypg).
Indiana quarterback Josh Hoover has 15 touchdown passes with no interceptions this season. Lee Beebe Jr. (520 rushing yards, four TDs) ran for 203 yards two weeks ago against Northwestern, and fellow running back Turbo Richard (587 rushing yards, five TDs) one-upped him with 204 yards last Saturday in a 47-15 win at Rutgers.
“I look at their offense like it’s a triple-option offense,” Rhule said. “They’re going to run certain runs versus certain looks. If you try to take it away in man and one-high, then they’re going to throw the ball.”
