Nebraska, Indiana both healthy as they look to take big step forward

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. — Eight concrete steps rise — or drop — precipitously inside the press box of Indiana’s Memorial Stadium. Unaware visitors catch their feet going up and stumble forward going down.

“I have to jump to manage the stairs,” Huskers Radio Network analyst Damon Benning told a few mingling reporters as he walked by on a sunny Saturday morning.

A similar challenge awaits the Nebraska football team as kickoff with unbeaten and No. 16 Indiana nears. Missteps may have painful consequences. A complete game — where the offense is occasionally explosive, special teams aren’t a liability and the defense remains dominant — would mean a quicker arrival to where the Huskers want to be as nationally relevant.

Both sides are as healthy as can be coming off bye weeks for a midseason Big Ten showdown. Nebraska lists only kicker Tristan Alvano and left tackle Turner Corcoran as out — neither are surprises as they heal from multi-week injuries. Indiana is full go with the exception of two rotational defensive linemen and a part-time kicker.

NU cornerback Tommi Hill is off the availability report and — pending a last-second painful setback to his plantar fascia injury during warmups — will return to action following his early departure against Illinois and subsequent two games sidelined.

A Nebraska win would be its first against a Top 25 opponent on the road and break an 0-25 overall mark dating back to 2016. A victory would qualify the Huskers for their first bowl game in eight years. Indiana — close to a 50-50 proposition to qualify for the College Football Playoff by some outlets — attempts to move to 7-0 under first-year coach Curt Cignetti, who has remade the perennial Big Ten pushover in one offseason.

Two programs trying to take a big step forward.