Huskers Show Heart But Can't Finish: Nebraska Falls Short Against Indiana
LINCOLN, Neb. — Nebraska proved Saturday it belongs in the national conversation, but the Huskers couldn't deliver the knockout punch when it mattered most. The 5-1 Huskers (2-1 Big Ten) fell 20-17 to defending national champion Indiana in a FOX Big Noon showdown, a game where Nebraska controlled the action but lost the war of small margins.
The fears that Nebraska would buckle under the national spotlight proved unfounded. The Huskers held the ball nearly twice as long as Indiana, ran 83 plays to the Hoosiers' 44, outrushed them 2-to-1, and made 25 first downs to Indiana's 13. But in the end, the scoreboard told a different story.
What went wrong for Nebraska in the fourth quarter?
With a 17-6 lead and 12 minutes remaining, Nebraska needed just one more push to lock down a signature win. Instead, the Huskers watched it slip away. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea appeared to deliver the dagger with a spectacular 39-yard touchdown run with 12:01 left, but two coverage busts by the Blackshirt defense nullified the moment.
Junior wideout Nick Marsh torched the Nebraska secondary, catching six passes for 187 yards with touchdowns covering 75 and 44 yards. On the 75-yarder, Marsh split defenders Victor Evans III and Caleb Benning on a post route and outran them both. On the 44-yard score, nobody covered Marsh or teammate Charlie Becker on a fourth-and-1 play.
The Huskers sorely missed safety Jamir Conn, who was injured on the first play of the second half.
Coaching decisions under scrutiny
Head coach Matt Rhule again found himself under the microscope for critical decisions. He burned a precious timeout in a questionable situation and asked his team to convert a fourth-and-nine at their own 44-yard line with nearly five minutes left. Both decisions backfired.
The first half also left points on the table. Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen called a superb opening half, putting Nebraska in position to stretch its lead to 14 points with under a minute before intermission. But a false start by right tackle Tree Babalade and two incompletions left the Huskers settling for a 40-yard field goal attempt. Kicker Kyle Cunanan pushed it wide right, even with a 20-mph wind at his back.
Rhule called it a “bad snap, bad hold, bad kick.” The snap from long snapper Jack Wills appeared profoundly offline, nearly hitting holder Kamdyn Koch in the shoulder. Koch recovered to get the ball down with laces properly turned, but Cunanan was out of sync.
Should Nebraska make kicking changes?
It may be time to replace Wills at long snapper, and questions are growing about Cunanan's reliability. Indiana's Nico Radicic made a 35-yard field goal in the third quarter from nearly the same spot, and it proved to be the difference in a game where small margins were gigantic.
In happier kicking news, punter Archie Wilson continues to impress. The sophomore from Australia averaged 57.3 net yards on three kicks, including a career-long 68-yarder and a beautiful 44-yard punt against the wind that was downed at the Indiana 1-yard line.
The mystery of Gunnar Gottula
Left guard Gunnar Gottula played the first half and mysteriously disappeared at halftime, with no word afterward about a possible injury. His absence became more significant as Babalade struggled in the second half. On the final Husker drive, Babalade was badly outflanked by defensive end Tobi Osunsanmi, who recorded Indiana's fifth sack of the game to shut down Nebraska's last hope.
What can Nebraska learn from Indiana?
Under Curt Cignetti, Indiana continues to make clutch plays on the road to win close games, as it did twice last season.
“It took everything the players and coaches had to find a way to overcome,” Cignetti said. “I give Nebraska a lot of credit; they're a real good football team. It's a great win on the road. It was hard-fought. A win like that has a lot of value. I told them, good teams find a way to win a game like this, they win at the end, and that's what we did.”
What's next for the Huskers?
Though they lost, the Huskers give every indication they're on the climb. The question now is how they'll respond to this gut punch. The schedule gets tougher, but if Nebraska truly belongs in the playoff conversation, they'll need to break through against at least one rated team.
Iowa fans will watch with interest, as the Hawkeyes faced a nearly identical situation last season, narrowly missing an upset of Indiana at home before winning six of their last eight. Nebraska's resilience will be tested against a backloaded schedule, starting with next week's trip to Oregon.
Frequently asked questions
How did Nebraska lose to Indiana despite dominating the stats?
Nebraska outgained and outplayed Indiana in nearly every statistical category but lost on the scoreboard due to red zone failures, a missed field goal, two critical coverage busts, and questionable coaching decisions in key moments.
What happened to Gunnar Gottula at halftime?
Gottula played the first half at left guard but did not return after halftime. No injury was reported, and no explanation was given by the coaching staff.
Will Nebraska make changes at kicker or long snapper?
After Kyle Cunanan missed a 40-yard field goal and long snapper Jack Wills delivered an errant snap, there is growing speculation that Nebraska may explore changes at both positions.