Nebraska · Big TenNebraska faces Indiana with 30-game skid at stake
The 5-0 Huskers host defending national champion Indiana on Oct. 10 before games against Oregon and Washington.
OCT 8, 2026
Nebraska losses to ranked opponents
Nebraska record entering the matchup
Indiana record entering the matchup
01 · The NewsNebraska’s 30-Game Test
Nebraska’s 30-game losing streak against ranked opponents will be tested Saturday, Oct. 10, when undefeated defending national champion Indiana visits Lincoln for a matchup of 5-0 teams.
The game kicks off at noon ET. Indiana followed a 16-0 national championship season by winning its first five games of 2026, and it opened the season ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25 and No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches Poll. Nebraska is 5-0 after wins over Ohio, Bowling Green, North Dakota, Michigan State and Maryland.
Nebraska closed its first five games with a 48-23 win over Maryland on Oct. 3. Indiana handled its latest test the same day, beating Rutgers 47-15 on the road. The Hoosiers had needed a 29-23 win over Northwestern on Sept. 25, their closest game of the season.
The matchup also tests a preseason projection from Josh Pate, whose bracket placed Indiana as the No. 12 seed in the College Football Playoff. The defending champion’s visit gives Nebraska its strongest chance to measure this start against a team already carrying national expectations.
Indiana’s next major test comes Oct. 17, when it hosts Ohio State. For Nebraska, the immediate task is more direct: beat the champion in Lincoln and make 5-0 mean something beyond September wins.
02 · The StakesWhat’s at Stake
A Nebraska victory would end the Huskers’ 30-game skid against ranked opponents and give their unbeaten start the clearest proof yet that they belong in the Big Ten race. A loss would leave that question unresolved before Nebraska visits Oregon on Oct. 17 and hosts Washington on Oct. 31.
03 · The Detail Beneath the HeadlineWhat Most People Are Missing
Nebraska has reached 5-0 with a plus-147 scoring margin, and every victory has come by at least 18 points. Indiana’s margin is plus-167, built from four wins by at least 32 points and the six-point Northwestern game. The matching records therefore conceal different paths: Nebraska has been steadier, while Indiana has produced bigger blowouts and the closest game either team has played.
The Huskers are already two victories shy of matching their entire 7-6 finish in 2025. Indiana, Oregon and Washington are the three remaining listed opponents through Oct. 31, so that stretch will show how much of the year-over-year gain survives the schedule change.
04 · The Open QuestionsQuestions to Be Answered
How much better is Nebraska than last season?
The Huskers can match their seven-win total from 2025 by taking two of the games against Indiana, Oregon and Washington through Oct. 31. Results and scoring margins across that stretch will provide the clearest answer, starting with whether Nebraska’s run of five wins by at least 18 points holds up against the defending champion.
05 · The Watch ListWhat We're Watching
Can Nebraska end the skid?
A Nebraska victory would end the Huskers’ 30-game skid against ranked opponents.
Which team controls the matchup?
Both teams enter 5-0, while Indiana is the defending national champion and opened the season ranked No. 7 in the AP Top 25 and No. 5 in the AFCA Coaches Poll.