Indiana football left its second away game at Nebraska with a 35-21 loss to the Cornhuskers. After an offensive resurgence in the second quarter, the Hoosiers struggled to convert on third down and were not able to establish a rhythm in the second half. The Indiana rushing attack was nonexistent for much of the game, and redshirt junior quarterback Connor Bazelak found himself under duress on many drop backs.
A string of turnovers from both sides made for an exciting game, and a blocked punt for Nebraska helped it extend the lead in the second quarter. Indiana came back with a big defensive play, sacking Nebraska quarterback Chubba Purdy in the end zone. The Hoosiers recovered the fumble for their second touchdown.
With the score locked at 21 heading into the half, both teams needed to make adjustments to break the tie.
In the second half, Nebraska hit on big plays, like a 71-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Casey Thompson to wide receiver Trey Palmer, ending the stalemate. Pressure and stops allowed the Cornhuskers to gain possession back in the fourth quarter and call runs to score their final touchdown and drain the clock, leading to their victory.
Indiana returns home next week on Oct. 8 to face Michigan for the Hoosiers’ homecoming game.
