With college football season starting to creep up, we’re running down Indiana’s schedule to preview all 12 opponents for 2024.
The Hoosiers start the second half of the season with a key game against Nebraska in Bloomington. The Cornhuskers are looking to get things going in Matt Rhule’s second year in Lincoln, just as Indiana is in Curt Cignetti’s first year. Nebraska is aiming for its first bowl game appearance and its first winning season since 2016.
Returning production, offense: 72 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (32nd in the country)
Offensive outlook: Rhule’s biggest win since taking over in Lincoln was getting Dylan Raiola, ranked the No. 7 overall player in the class of 2024 and the No. 2 quarterback in the class, to flip from Georgia to Nebraska. The Cornhuskers will likely turn to the five-star to run the offense right away and they’re hoping he can take them to the next level. Per 247Sports, he threw just one interception in 250 pass attempts in his final season at Buford (Ga.) High, and he possesses a big arm that can transform an offense.
Nebraska will need Railoa to live up to the hype. The Cornhuskers had one of the worst passing offenses in the country last year, with just 135.9 yards per game to rank 129th out of 133. They also bolstered their receiving corps in the transfer portal to help turn things around. UNL added Wake Forest leading receiver Jahmal Banks (59 receptions, 653 yards, four touchdowns) and former Texas and Wyoming receiver Isaiah Neyor, who earned second-team All-Mountain West Honors in 2021 with 878 yards on 44 receptions with 12 touchdowns.
The Huskers’ rushing offense was stronger last year, ranking 39th in the nation with 176.8 yards per game. And they have three of their four leading rushers from last year back this season, in redshirt junior quarterback Heinrich Haarberg (120 carries, 477 yards, five touchdowns), sophomore running back Emmett Johnson (90 carries, 411 yards, two touchdowns), and redshirt junior running back Gabe Ervin Jr. (38 carries, 196 yards, one touchdown). Haarberg is unlikely to be that heavy a factor in the run game this year with a revamped offense.
Nebraska’s offensive line had the 49th-best run-blocking grade in PFF last season and the 75th-best passing grade in the country. And the Huskers have nearly the entire offensive line back from last year.
Returning production, defense: 64 percent (per Bill Connelly/ESPN) (50th in the country)
Defensive outlook: Nebraska leaned on a strong defense in 2023, ranking 11th in the country and fifth in the Big Ten in total defense with 303.5 yards per game allowed. The Cornhuskers run defense was especially stout, as they ranked ninth in the nation and third in the Big Ten at 92.9 yards per game allowed.
Senior Isaac Gifford led the Huskers in tackles last season at their hybrid linebacker/defensive back spot, and he’s back this year. UNL’s third and fourth-leading tacklers from 2023, linebackers Javin Wright and John Bullock, both also return in 2024. Redshirt junior defensive end Jimari Butler is back as well after leading Nebraska with 8.5 tackles for loss and 5.5 sacks last year. He, redshirt senior defensive end Ty Robinson, and senior nose tackle Nash Hutmacher form an experienced front three.
Nebraska’s pass defense was solid, but not as strong as the run defense last season. The team has cornerback Tommi Hill back after he led the team with four interceptions last season. Hill also earned high grades from PFF, ranking 29th in the nation among cornerbacks overall, and he ranked 17th in coverage.
Special teams outlook: Nebraska had only 14 kickoff returns as a team all season last year, but Hill averaged a solid 24 yards over his six returns and could feasibly be the primary kick returner again. Main punt returner Billy Kemp IV is gone, and sophomore defensive back Ethan Nation may be poised to take over. Sophomore kicker Tristan Alvano will look to bounce back from a tough debut season, when he converted a Big Ten-worst 60 percent of his field-goal attempts. He went 27 for 27 on extra points. Senior punter Brian Buschini also returns after he finished 10th in the conference with 40.7 yards per punt last season.
Overall Outlook: Rhule’s team certainly has the potential to end Nebraska’s drought this year. Much will depend on how quickly Raiola adapts to college football, but players of that caliber can often figure it out quickly. Nebraska has a lot of key pieces back around him and strengthened the roster in some other needed areas. It would be a disappointing season in Lincoln if the Huskers don’t get to a bowl game, and if things break right, they could be one of the better teams in the Big Ten. This could be a measuring-stick type of game for Cignetti’s Hoosiers.
Previous opponent outlooks:
Florida International
Western Illinois
UCLA
Charlotte
Maryland
Northwestern
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