Nebraska let a fourth-quarter lead slip away against No. 7 Indiana on October 11, extending a losing streak against ranked teams to 31 games and keeping the 5-1 Huskers searching for a signature win that could reshape the Big Ten race, including the one that ends the regular season against Iowa.
According to Sports Illustrated, the Huskers had the defending national champions in their sights in Lincoln but could not finish, and the road ahead offers little relief. Only two currently ranked teams remain on Nebraska's schedule: No. 4 Ohio State and No. 17 Iowa.
What went wrong for the Huskers against Indiana
Nebraska dominated the stat sheet and still lost. Yahoo Sports reported the Huskers held the ball nearly twice as long as Indiana, ran 83 plays to the Hoosiers' 44, outrushed them by a 2-to-1 margin, and piled up 25 first downs to Indiana's 13.
They still could not close. CBS Sports reported that Nebraska blew a fourth-quarter lead and extended its top-25 losing streak to 31 games, with a missed field goal ultimately deciding the scoreboard.
Sports Illustrated's analysis was blunt: a missed field goal and an illegal-man-downfield penalty on a pass play are the kinds of mistakes that will sink a team against top-tier opponents. The outlet also questioned how a program operating on an $84.1 million budget cannot produce a reliable place-kicking unit.
Eliminate stupid, costly penalties, play smart football for four full quarters. Win the physical and mental battles.
Why this matters for Iowa fans
For Hawkeye fans, Nebraska's stumble is a warning, not a comfort. Iowa sits at 5-1 and ranked No. 17 in the AP poll, and the Hawkeyes appear on Nebraska's schedule in the regular-season finale, the Black Friday tradition that decides bragging rights across the border.
Sports Illustrated laid out the scenario that should get Iowa's attention: if Nebraska beats Rutgers and loses to Ohio State, the Huskers could arrive at the Iowa game at 9-2. One more win after that, and Nebraska would be bowl eligible with room to spare. Three more wins, including a date with Illinois, would give the Huskers their best record, 8-4, since 2016.
In other words, the team Iowa faces in November could be the most dangerous Nebraska squad in nearly a decade, or a team still carrying the weight of a 31-game skid against ranked opponents. The Indiana loss could break them either way.
The Dylan Raiola storyline adds spice
Saturday's game in Eugene carries a subplot Iowa fans will want to track. Former Nebraska starting quarterback Dylan Raiola transferred to Oregon in the offseason, and he started the Ducks' 15-17 loss to UCLA on October 11, a defeat that knocked Oregon out of the AP poll.
Raiola struggled and was replaced by former walk-on Brock Thomas, who completed 11 of 15 passes for 156 yards and a touchdown and nearly rallied Oregon to the win. Sports Illustrated noted that Oregon's situation is further complicated because quarterback Dante Moore, the preseason Heisman hopeful, sustained a concussion against USC two weeks ago and may not be ready to face Nebraska.
Had Oregon beaten UCLA, Nebraska would have had a second straight shot at snapping that ranked-team losing streak. Instead, the Ducks are unranked but vulnerable, and Sports Illustrated reported that some sportswriters who penciled in the Oregon game as a Husker loss now view it as winnable.
Kickoff is set for 10:00 p.m. CDT Saturday in Eugene.
Can Nebraska turn the loss into fuel?
Sports Illustrated raised the comparison that Husker fans will find either inspiring or painful: the 1994 and 1995 national championship teams used a loss to Florida State in the Orange Bowl as motivation to run the table for two straight seasons.
The current Huskers showed something against Indiana that recent Nebraska teams lacked. Sports Illustrated described a level of intensity seldom seen lately from the program, and Yahoo Sports noted the Huskers played with no fear against the defending champions.
The problem is finishing. Red zone execution, penalty discipline, and a trustworthy kicking operation remain unresolved, and the margin for error shrinks every week from here. Ohio State and Iowa are the ranked teams left on the schedule, and neither will hand Nebraska anything.
For Iowa, the message is simple. The Hawkeyes control their own path in the Big Ten race, and a November date with a hungry, wounded rival is coming. Kirk Ferentz's team has beaten Nebraska in each of the last two meetings, and preserving that streak may require doing what Indiana did: withstand the punch and land the last one.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Nebraska's losing streak against ranked teams?
The streak reached 31 games after the loss to No. 7 Indiana on October 11, 2025, according to CBS Sports.
Where is Dylan Raiola playing now?
Raiola transferred from Nebraska to Oregon in the offseason and started the Ducks' loss to UCLA on October 11, though Brock Thomas replaced him during the game.
Who is still on Nebraska's schedule?
Nebraska faces Oregon, Ohio State, Illinois, Rutgers, and Iowa, with No. 4 Ohio State and No. 17 Iowa the only currently ranked opponents remaining.