Week 5 - Indiana

 Week 5 Indiana

Night games are strategically put on every schedule to highlight the importance of that game and this past Saturday night was no different. With Nebraska’s homecoming game full of different faces in different positions (i.e. Bill Busch as Defensive Coordinator), this game was truly a make or break of what the season could end up being. 

Nebraska hadn’t won a B1G game in 364 days when they beat Northwestern in the 56-7 slaughterhouse last homecoming which was also under the lights. That game had an immediate buzz around the stadium as the Huskers had just come off back-to-back single-digit score losses (Scott Frost’s favorite) and left the Husker hopeful excited for when we might break through. However, this season has been far from the opposite. Following the stunning losses to Northwestern to start the year, stunned by Georgia Southern at home, and getting smacked around by a mediocre Oklahoma team, there was little to no excitement entering today’s game. 

Nebraska started off the game exciting, scoring a 6 at the hands of Oliver Martin receiving a 34-yard touchdown pass getting the fanbase back into the game. The Husker offense then stalled following poor decision-making, poor play-calling, and even Casey Thompson getting benched. One thing that can not be mistaken about this new group of coaches is that there is no more ignorance of mistakes. Mark Whipple made it very clear to Casey Thompson his poor decision of taking a sack on 3rd and 2 from their side of the field to then being benched the ensuing drive. Later, Chubba Purdy turned the ball over in the endzone causing the score to be knotted up at 7s which caused Casey to return the next possession and rest of the game. While the Husker offense continued to struggle to punt the ball back to Indiana, Nebraska’s new leadership of Bill Busch on defense worked some mysterious wonders this week. The Blackshirts allowed only 2 offensive scores while also allowing the special teams unit to do some damage of their own blocking a punt and returning it for a touchdown. 

While the game was tied going into the half, the stadium had a little bit more energy than when it started. Having the passionate fan base show up and show out for now their 386th consecutive sellout, is a crucial advantage for the Huskers wanting the immediate advantage against any team. Yet coming out of the half, the Huskers still looked sloppy on offense but the defense held the team together. The Blackshirts had 3 sacks, 1 INT, and 6 TFLs showing the adjustments they made in 2 weeks had been enough to keep Nebraska in a close B1G football game. It was only until the start of the 4th when Casey Thompson unloaded a 71-yard pass to Trey Palmer for the go-ahead score that the fans got fully involved. The Huskers finally fed off the energy supplied by the fans, continuing to be stout defensively and scoring the dagger 1-yard rushing touchdown from Casey Thompson, salting the game away. 

This proved to be a crucial game trying to right the ship for the Huskers this season and proved to be an emotional one too. Following the first B1G win of the season and the first for nearly a full year, the locker room was overjoyed with knocking off Indiana. Getting the first win for interim head coach Mickey Joseph and the team rallying around him and Bill Busch led to the Husker's grit in winning this game. While this is the first game of a daunting B1G schedule for the next coming weeks, it is a much-needed confidence boost for the guys inside of that locker room and a little bit rejuvenating for this beat-up fan base. While we Husker fans like to overreact on most things, we can finally say, the Huskers hold a share of the (mediocre) Big Ten West lead. 

The accountability is a difference maker that fans are starting to see more than ever with Mickey Joseph as opposed to Scott Frost. Mark Whipple getting on Casey Thompson for his mental mistake and Mickey jumping on Turner Corcoran for getting ejected for having his emotions get the best of him was something we haven’t seen from coaches since fiery Bo Pelini. While some fans may not like that, it is clear that accountability is something we have lacked in the past and the new Husker staff is set on changing that narrative that accountability does not exist at Nebraska during the games. 

Next week we have a shortened week facing Rutgers in what too is scheduled as a night game on Friday however. This will be the first true “hostile” environment the Huskers will be faced with on the road but hopefully this winning energy and momentum will carry us to back-to-back wins against Big Ten opponents. 

Until next Friday, Go Big Red.