Nebraska Football Opponent Preview: Indiana Hoosiers

Date: Saturday, October 19th, 2024

Location: Memorial Stadium – Bloomington, IN

Time: 11 a.m. (Central Time)

TV Broadcast Info: FOX (Gus Johnson, Joel Klatt and Jenny Taft)

Radio Info: Husker Radio Network with Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning and Jessica Cody. A list of affiliates can be found at Huskers.com/Listen.

Indiana – Nebraska History: Nebraska and Indiana will meet for the 23rd time in school history on Saturday, but for just the fourth time since Nebraska joined the Big Ten in 2011. The trip to Bloomington is just Nebraska’s second as a Big Ten program, with the Huskers winning at IU’s Memorial Stadium, 27-22, in 2016.

Preview: Indiana comes into the game with a perfect 6-0 record, including a 3-0 mark in Big Ten action. Indiana will enter Saturday’s matchup as one of 11 remaining unbeaten teams in the FBS ranks and is ranked No. 16th in the Associated Press Poll and No. 18 in the coaches poll. Indiana is one of two FBS teams that has not trailed in a game this season.

The Hoosiers feature one of the nation’s most potent offenses, ranking second in the nation in scoring offense at 47.5 points per game. The Indiana offense is one of the very best in the nation, averaging 515 yards per game. The Hoosiers average 200 yards on the ground and 315 yards through the air.

Redshirt Senior quarterback Kurtis Rourke leads the Indiana offense. He has completed 73.8% of his passes, throwing for 1,752 yards and 14 touchdowns on the season. Senior running back Justice Ellison and Redshirt Senior running back Ty Son Lawton give the Hoosiers a decent 2-headed rushing attack. Ellison leads the team with 409 yards on 64 carries and 6 TDs. Lawton has 329 yards on 68 carries and 7 TDs. Junior wide receiver Elijah Sarratt paces the Hoosiers with 29 receptions for 513 yards and 2 TDs.

Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Indiana gives up a rather paltry 14.8 points per game. They give up 256 yards per game, 84 on the ground and 172 through the air. Indiana has a +2 turnover margin on the season. and their defense ranks in the top 10 nationally in total defense. The toughest opponent the Hoosier defense has seen was Northwestern, so we’ll see what Nebraska can do offensively.

The Hoosier defense is led by Junior linebacker Aiden Fisher, who has 55 tackles on the season. The Husker offensive line will have to be very wary of Redshirt Junior defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, who leads Indiana with 5 sacks on the season. Indiana as a team is averaging 3 sacks per game. Sophomore defensive back Amare Ferrell leads the Hoosiers with 2 INTs. He’s a big guy at 6’2.

Nebraska will certainly have their work cut out for them on both sides of the ball. Indiana boasts some gaudy numbers both on offense and defense, but there is no denying Nebraska will be the stiffest test for the Hoosiers so far this season. Nebraska hasn’t been to a bowl game since 2016, in which the 6th win of that season was…at Indiana. I may have jinxed Nebraska…sorry in advance. Go Big Red!