Dude, you gotta be kidding me. Nebraska was *right there*, 12 minutes away from finally snapping that brutal 30-game losing streak against top-25 opponents, with No. 7 Indiana, the defending champions no less, on the ropes. Then it all just evaporated, again, as the Hoosiers rallied for 14 points in under five minutes to snatch a 20-17 win. That gut punch pushed the Huskers’ agonizing drought against ranked teams to 31 straight games.
Fourth Quarter Meltdown: How History Repeated Itself (Again)
Honestly, you could just feel Matt Rhule on the cusp of his first real signature win in Lincoln. This wasn’t just any game, this would’ve been the program’s biggest win since taking down Oklahoma way back in 2001, when the Sooners were also reigning national champs. That’s how long it’s been since Nebraska pulled off a major victory, man. An entire generation of Husker fans has grown up without seeing one.
They were so close, tantalizingly close, but familiar mistakes piled up. Late in the first half, the Huskers ate up 6:42 with a massive 16-play, 52-yard drive, only to stall out right at the red zone’s edge. Kicker Kyle Cunanan missed his 40-yard attempt, and yeah, that miss was ultimately the difference on the scoreboard. But it wasn’t just that. Immediately after taking a 17-6 lead, the defense totally blew it, letting Hoosiers receiver Nick Marsh get wide open behind them for a 75-yard touchdown. Moments later, on a critical fourth down play, Marsh popped up again, left wide open for what turned out to be the game-winning touchdown. Meanwhile, the offense just froze up after that 11-point lead, literally mustering only 60 yards on 19 plays before their final possession. Talk about ice cold.
A Decade Plus of Drought: When Will The Huskers Ever Get That Win?
So yeah, the losing streak against top-25 opponents hit 31 games. They haven’t beaten a top-seven team since way back in 2015 against Michigan State. We’re talking over a decade since they last beat *any* ranked opponent, which was September 17, 2016, a 35-32 thriller against No. 22 Oregon, with Tommy Armstrong Jr. being the hero. This brutal winless streak has now spanned across four different coaches, going all the way back to the end of the Mike Riley era. You gotta wonder when they’re ever gonna get that monkey off their back.
Man, this one stings, big time. Nebraska had the chance to change the narrative, give Matt Rhule that signature moment, and they just… couldn’t close it out. Those opportunities don’t come around often, and the Huskers just keep proving they can’t finish ’em when they do. The wait for a real, season-defining win? It just keeps dragging on.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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