Coming off a bye week, the Huskers will try to win their third game in a row as they travel to Indiana on Saturday. The Hoosiers might be the biggest surprise of the Big Ten so far this season, as they currently sit at 6-0 and are ranked #16 in the AP poll and #18 in the coaches poll. At one of the losing-est programs in the history of college football, first year head coach Curt Cignetti has infused Indiana football with a belief and an energy that has arguably never been seen before in Bloomington. This will be Nebraska’s biggest challenge of the season so far.
I talked to Sammy Jacobs, owner/operator of Hoosier Huddle, a website and podcast dedicated solely to Indiana football coverage, to get the Indiana perspective on the upcoming game.
Interview with Sammy Jacobs, Owner/Operator of the Hoosier Huddle
Indiana is 6-0 for the first time since 1967. They’re in the top 20 in both polls. First year head coach Curt Cignetti has a history of winning, but did Hoosier fans expect things to turn around so quickly?
Curt Cignetti called his shot and so far it’s looking really good. I think IU fans expected a turnaround quickly, but 6-0 is exceeding expectations. I will say this, 6-0 was something IU fans talked about openly all offseason.
It’s one thing to be confident (which Coach Cignetti is). It’s one thing to bring in 31 transfer players (which he did). It’s quite another to have it work so well and so immediately. What’s been Cignetti’s secret sauce?
I believe that him bringing in many transfers and most of his staff from James Madison has helped set the tone for the culture he wants. The tone was set in winter conditioning and gets reinforced with every win. This team knows their identity and trusts it.
There’s been chatter about Indiana being in the mix for the college football playoff. What are the expectations among the fan base for the remainder of the season?
The fan base has upped their expectations after a 6-0 start. Personally, I believe a playoff spot is still an extreme long shot. IU will have to go 11-1 and overcome the CFP politics to make it. The fans expect at least three more wins.
It’s not just that the Hoosiers have been winning but how they’ve been winning. They’ve won every game by double digits, averaging more than 47 points per game. The offensive attack appears to be a pretty balanced approach, with transfer quarterback Kurtis Rourke completing nearly 74% of his passes. How would you describe the IU offense?
It’s very multiple and anyone can be the guy to step up at any moment. If I had to describe it in one word, selfless.
What can the Nebraska defense do to slow down this attack?
Nebraska has to put pressure on Rourke early. Northwestern kind of did this in the first half and they held IU to 17 points. The danger is, that if the defense blitzes and does not get home, Rourke will pick it apart.
On the other side of the ball, the defense has been outstanding as well: 11th nationally in scoring defense, 6th in rushing defense, 21st in passing defense, 6th in total defense. What’s been the key to their success?
The success of the defense has been the havoc created by the front seven. Makail Kamara has
been outstanding at getting into the backfield and linebackers Aiden Fisher and Jailin Walker
have been really good at cleaning up anything that gets by the defensive line. IU has been a really good tackling team so far this season as well. They don’t allow many yards after the catch and have limited opponents’ big plays and make them use more plays to drive down field. Their third down defense has been excellent.
Who are some key contributors Husker fans should be aware of?
IU has many key players on each side of the ball. On offense, outside of Rourke, NU fans should know the names Elijah Sarratt (WR), Zack Horton (TE), Justice Ellison (RB), Omar Cooper (WR), Ke’Shawn Williams (WR) and Myles Price (WR). On defense, we have mentioned Fisher, Walker and Kamara. NU fans should also know D’Angelo Ponds (CB), Lanell Carr (Edge), C.J. West (DT), James Carpenter (DT) and Amare Ferrell (Rover).
Is there anything Indiana has done poorly so far this season?
Not really, you don’t get to 6-0 and blow everyone out with something that is consistently poor.
However, IU has struggled with some tackling in the last couple games and the Hoosiers have
been using a third-string kickoff specialist which has led to some longer returns.
Nebraska and Indiana have played just three times since the Huskers joined the Big Ten in 2011. How do IU fans view the Huskers? Is this considered a big game in the Hoosier Common Fans’ eyes?
This is a HUGE game. Not only is it homecoming (IU schedules it the same week every year),
you have a brand name coming into Memorial Stadium with Fox’s Big Noon pregame show
coming to campus. IU is 6-0 and excitement is palpable on campus and around the state.
What have you seen from Nebraska and does it make you feel better or worse about Indiana’s chances against them?
I think IU will have the special teams edge. That is usually a big factor in winning close games.
Indiana wins if ______.
They can get out to a lead and play their brand of football. IU has used big scoring runs to pull away from opponents in the second half this year.
Nebraska wins if ______.
They put pressure on Kurtis Rourke and force some turnovers. However, they need to take advantage of the turnovers. Maryland had four turnovers and did not get a first down while netting negative eight yards on the possession after.
Final score prediction?
Indiana 34, Nebraska 27
Author’s note: Thanks to Sammy Jacobs, owner/operator of Hoosier Huddle, for sharing his expertise with the Common Fans. Both the Common Fan Podcast (Nebraska) and the Hoosier Huddle (Indiana) are members of The College Huddle, the largest fan-led online college sports podcast community, made up of one podcast from each fan base represented.
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