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Nebraska Football Trailing 28-7 at No. 16 Indiana

The Huskers have not led in Bloomington through two quarters. No. 16 Indiana leads 28-7 at halftime.

Kaleb Henry

Indiana's Justice Ellison (6) runs during the Indiana versus Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024.
Indiana's Justice Ellison (6) runs during the Indiana versus Nebraska football game at Memorial Stadium on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2024. / Rich Janzaruk/Herald-Times / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
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If Nebraska hopes to get its first win over a ranked opponent since 2016, a big second half will be needed.

No. 16 Indiana leads 28-7 at halftime. The Hoosiers scored on the opening drive and never let up.

IU did not punt a single time in the opening two quarters. The Hoosiers were stopped on a fourth down deep in Nebraska territory, marking one of the few wins for the Blackshirts over the first 30 minutes.

After not giving up a rushing touchdown through six games, Indiana ran for a trio of scores in the first half on Nebraska.

Nebraska's first touch of the football set the tone for an anxiety riddled first half. Traily 7-0, Jacory Barney Jr. caught the Hoosier kickoff at the 1-yard line and walked out of bounds, setting up the Big Red 99 yards from paydirt. Seven plays later, new Blackshirt Brian Buschini launched his first punt of the day. Indiana returned it 20 yards into Nebraska territory.

The lone touchdown for the Huskers came on a Barney run in the second quarter, with tight end Thomas Fidone leading the way on the outside.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola finished the half 14-for-21 passing for 104 yards. NU notched just 29 yards on the ground.

Indiana quarterback Kurtis Rourke is 17-for-20 passing 189 yards and one touchdown. The Hoosiers racked up 154 rushing yards, led by Justice Ellison with 90 yards and two scores.

The Huskers will have the ball to open the second half.

Nebraska Athletics Notes

  • Tight end Thomas Fidone II caught four passes for 40 yards in the first half, tying his career high in receptions. The 40 receiving yards are just six yards shy of his career high in receiving yards.
  • Freshman wideout Jacory Barney Jr. scored on a seven-yard rushing TD in the second quarter, marking his third rushing touchdown of the season.
  • The first quarter TD run by Indiana was the first rushing TD allowed by Nebraska this season. The Huskers were the last team in the FBS ranks to allow a rushing touchdown in 2024. It is just the third time in the past 14 games Nebraska has allowed a rushing touchdown.
  • Malcolm Hartzog Jr. intercepted a pass to end the first half, marking his team-leading third interception of the season.
  • Freshman linebacker Vincent Shavers Jr. and junior fullback Barret Liebentritt made their first career starts in today’s game. 
  • Nebraska’s game captains were QB Heinrich Haarberg, OG Henry Lutovsky, CB Tommi Hill and DL Ty Robinson.

MORE: Nebraska Football Wearing All Whites at No. 16 Indiana

MORE: Football Availability Report: Nebraska at No. 16 Indiana

MORE: Big Ten Football Week 8 Capsules

MORE: McMaster's Keys to the Game: Nebraska Football at No. 16 Indiana

MORE: Big Ten Game of the Week: No. 16 Indiana vs. Nebraska

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Kaleb Henry
KALEB HENRY

Kaleb Henry is an award-winning sports reporter, covering collegiate athletics since 2014 via radio, podcasting, and digital journalism. His experience with Big Ten Conference teams goes back more than a decade, including time covering programs such as the Nebraska Cornhuskers, Oregon Ducks, and USC Trojans. He has contributed to Sports Illustrated since 2021. Kaleb has won multiple awards for his sports coverage from the Nebraska Broadcasters Association and Midwest Broadcast Journalists Association. Prior to working in sports journalism, Kaleb was a Division I athlete on the Southern Illinois University-Edwardsville Track and Field team where he discussed NCAA legislation as SIUE's representative to the Ohio Valley Conference Student-Athlete Advisory Committee. 

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