Takeaway-Minded Indiana Defense Forces Mistakes By Nebraska Quarterback Dylan Raiola

Nebraska freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola had thrown three interceptions all season, but he matched that total in Saturday’s 56-7 loss at Indiana.

Indiana cornerback Jamier Johnson (9) celebrates his interception of Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – If Nebraska had any shot at a comeback, it had to happen soon.

Trailing 28-7 with 7:47 left in the third quarter, the Cornhuskers went for it on 4th and 8 at the Indiana 13-yard line. Quarterback Dylan Raiola looked for tight end Thomas Fidone II at the three-yard line, but Indiana safety Shawn Asbury II thought Raiola was staring down his intended target, jumped the route and intercepted the true freshman’s pass. 

Asbury thought he broke free of the entire Nebraska defense for a pick-six after stiff-arming a Cornhusker, but he was brought down at the 19-yard line. Three plays later, Indiana quarterback Tayven Jackson – who replaced an injured Kurtis Rourke – threw a two-yard touchdown pass to Miles Cross to put Indiana ahead, 35-7 with 6:27 left in the third quarter. 

Despite their wide margin of victory, 56-7, the Hoosiers agreed it was a game-changing moment.

“Shawn Asbury's play was probably the big play in the game,” Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said. “There was a lot of big plays in that game, but that was a real momentum-turning play.”

“It was a big momentum shifter,” Indiana cornerback D’Angelo Ponds said. “They were driving in the red zone. It was a clutch pick, definitely shifted momentum for us.”

Indiana's Shawn Asbruy II (1) returns an interception against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Going into the game, Cignetti knew Indiana had a challenge against Raiola, who he called a “mega-talented young quarterback.” 

Raiola entered the game having completed 66.9% of his passes for 1,358 yards, nine touchdowns and three interceptions. He committed to Nebraska out of Buford, Ga., as a five-star recruit and the No. 2 quarterback in the class of 2024, according to 247Sports.

But Indiana made him look pedestrian at best. He faced frequent pressure by the Indiana defensive front, including two sacks and two quarterback hurries. Indiana linebacker Jailin Walker said forcing turnovers was part of defensive coordinator Bryant Haines’ game plan, and that the only way Indiana would lose was if it beat itself.

So the Hoosiers stayed in-tune with the game plan’s details, and it worked. Raiola finished the game having completed 28 of 44 passes for 234 yards, zero touchdowns and three interceptions, which matched his season total through six games. 

“They threw the ball a lot more than they had,” Cignetti said. “Then they got behind, they had to throw the ball more. So he's under pressure. Then he's in some tough down and distance situations. Maybe he's forcing the ball. He's young. Very talented guy, but he's young. We made some nice plays out there.”

Raiola’s mistakes piled up in the third quarter as his second interception came on the very next possession. He was pressured by Indiana safety Terry Jones Jr. and defensive lineman James Carpenter on 3rd and 4, and miscommunication with his receiver led to an interception by Indiana cornerback Jamier Johnson.

Fellow cornerback D’Angelo Ponds said the defensive line’s pressure on Raiola made things easy for the secondary on Saturday because it forced uncomfortable, off-platform throws. Indiana defensive lineman Mikail Kamara forced Raiola's third turnover of the day on a strip sack with 10:34 left in the game.

“We’ve seen that once he gets pressure on him, he makes mistakes with him being so young,” Ponds said. “So yeah, definitely seen him get rattled a little bit after we started hitting him.”

Indiana linebacker Jailin Walker (2) pressures Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola (15) at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The outcome had been decided by the 6:17 mark of the fourth quarter, with Indiana leading 49-7, but Indiana continued to apply pressure. Walker said Cignetti demands that the defense plays with the same next-play mentality whether they’re up 14 points, 100 points or trailing.

Indiana defensive lineman Marcus Burris Jr. rushed off the edge and jumped to deflect Raiola’s pass, which was intercepted by freshman linebacker Rolijah Hardy for the Hoosiers' fifth takeaway.

“Coach Cignetti said once we put the foot on the gas, they’d start to get rattled and frustrated,” Walker said. “So we knew once we got them in that element, then it was time to put the foot really on the gas.”

“His messaging is all gas, no brakes. No warm fuzzies, as he calls it, no warm fuzzies,” Ponds said. “And I love it that way. That’s the way it’s supposed to be.”

In addition to its turnover-forcing ways in the pass game, Indiana’s defense was stingy against the run. Nebraska ran the ball 29 times but mustered just 70 yards, good for 2.4 yards per carry. But like Cignetti’s mentality, Ponds isn’t satisfied. 

“I feel like we played alright today,” Ponds said. “But we could have played better.”

Indiana's Mikail Kamara (6) celebrates a fumble recovery against Nebraska at Memorial Stadium. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Asbury thinks this win shows that Indiana can compete with anyone in the country. During its 7-0 start, Indiana has set several program records, most recently tying the program’s largest margin of victory in a conference game with its 56-7 win over Nebraska. 

Indiana is beginning to garner national praise. But Walker said Indiana isn’t looking at the history; they’re focused on the next game against Washington. 

“That’s just rat poison, so you really gotta stay off social media because they’re not on the field when we play,” Walker said. “... Whatever coach Cig says, that’s what we listen to. So we ain’t really listening to the rat poison.”

Related stories on Indiana football

• INDIANA MANHANDLES NEBRASKA: Nebraska entered Saturday’s game at Indiana with one of the nation’s top defenses, but the Hoosiers – in both the run and pass game – exploited every aspect of the Cornhuskers’ defense in a 56-7 win. CLICK HERE

• KURTIS ROURKE INJURY UPDATE: After suffering a thumb injury in the first half of Saturday's 56-7 win over Nebraska, Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke is not expected to play next week against Washington. CLICK HERE

• TODD'S TAKE: This pregame focus was on the hype off the field. That was fun, but Indiana’s football team showed everyone who the big stars really are. CLICK HERE

• WATCH ELLISON'S TOUCHDOWN: Indiana's offense was rolling in the first half. Running back Justice Ellison put the Hoosiers ahead 28-7 just before halftime with this 31-yard touchdown. CLICK HERE

• WHAT CIGNETTI SAID: Everything Indiana coach Curt Cignetti said after Indiana's 56-7 win over Nebraska on Saturday. CLICK HERE.

• LIVE BLOG: Read about Indiana's 56-7 victory over Nebraska as it happened. CLICK HERE.