From 'Lanterns' to Lincoln: Matt Rhule, unbeaten Huskers get their close-up against Hoosiers

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From 'Lanterns' to Lincoln: Matt Rhule, unbeaten Huskers get their close-up against Hoosiers originally appeared on The Sporting News.
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Nebraska coach Matt Rhule delivered a one-liner on the button when asked about his cameo in the HBO series "Lanterns." 

"I don't know that I'll be taking my talents to Broadway any time soon," Rhule said at his press conference Monday. 

Rhule, who has Nebraska at 5-0 heading into a Big Noon Kickoff matchup against No. 7 Indiana on Saturday, has found creative ways to keep the Huskers brand in the limelight the last four years. Rhule's self-deprecation continued when describing the experience, which was filmed in the summer of 2025.

"My daughters were probably more fired up than I was," Rhule said. "They were very concerned I would not get my line right." 

Rhule has been handed a familiar script this weekend ahead of the matchup with the Hoosiers. Nebraska is trying to break a 31-game losing streak against AP Top 25 opponents. The twist is it's the Hoosiers – a program that won the national championship in coach Curt Cignetti's second season. In their last matchup, the Huskers had five turnovers in a 56-7 loss on Oct. 19, 2024.

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What Nebraska learned from last matchup with Indiana 

If anyone told you that would be the state of the program in the 2020s back in the 1990s, or even the 2010s, it would have been laughable. The Hoosiers a national champion? Nebraska losing 31 straight games to ranked teams? Rhule was highly complimentary of the Hoosiers, especially defensive coordinator Bryant Haines – who he met at the Broyles Award ceremony. 

"They have a system and they have great players," Rhule said. "They have made a real commitment at Indiana to football. They have the resources to have great players and keep great players." 

Rhule's lines were scattered when recalling the memories from that 2024 loss. 

"We got in that game –  I hate looking back," Rhule said. "I guess I should. I went back and watched it this week. I always look back. I like to feel the pain myself and relive the pain."

Yet there is reason to believe the Huskers can decrease the margins with the Hoosiers this time. Nebraska and Indiana do the same things well. The Huskers are 17th in rushing offfense (231.0 ypg); which isn't that far behind the Hoosiers (252.6 ypg.). Nebraska is second in the FBS in third-down defense (21.3%). Indiana (26.9%) is 14th. 

What about the turnovers? 

"We're No. 4 in the nation in not turning the ball over since the start of last year," Rhule said before the other half. "But Indiana's first." 

Nebraska, however, has a plus-six turnover ratio, which is ahead of Indiana at plus-two. 

MORE: College Football Playoff forecast ahead of Week 6

Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska QB keys 5-0 start 

UNLV transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea continues to be effective as the replacement for Dylan Raiola, who transferred to Oregon this offseason. 

Colandrea averages 278.2 yards of total offense, and in two Big Ten games he totaled 20 carries for 182 yards – an average of 9.1 yards per carry – as a third option with Jamal Rule (333 yards, 5 TDs) and Mekhi Nelson (266 yards, 4 TDs). Huskers fans know that formula well. 

"We look at Anthony as part of the run game," Rhule said. "Just like Eric Crouch and Tommie (Frazier)— not to say we're in that league;  those are great teams and Scott (Frost) — they were part of the run game here. We're going to make people defend our quarterback. It opens up the passing game. 

Colandrea has 1,142 passing yards with 13 TDs and two interceptions – a productive start with offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen. 

"Quarterback-draw with a RPO, zone reads," Rhule said. "We're going to do all of that. They did it with Tim Tebow. They did it with Cam Newton. We have Anthony. We certainly don't want him to get hurt, but we've gotta let him play." 

Combine that with a defense that ranks 11th in the FBS with 26 sacks, with six different players have at least two sacks, and perhaps the false alarms of past fast starts are a thing of the past. 

Is the play in Lincoln different this time?

Can Nebraska break its losing streak to ranked opponents? 

So, here it is. Another huge stage for Nebraska. The Huskers are 0-9 against ranked opponents under Rhule, including a 0-6 record at home. Yet one-score losses to Michigan and USC at Memorial Stadium last season showed the Huskers are getting closer. 

Nebraska vs. AP Top 25 under Matt Rhule 

The Big Noon Kickoff stage will show the usuals. The sellout streak and a revved up atmosphere from one of the best fan-bases in the Big Ten. That has not changed. 

"I think our student section — I think I talk about them all the time. I think they're fantastic." Rhule said. "I understand everyone else is going to make this game about the other team, but a lot of our crowd comes for us." 

Rhule has maintained that in four years. He said recruits were texting him after the cameo in "Lanterns." The brand has not diminished under his watch, but a victory in this spot would vault the Huskers into the Big Ten championship and College Football Playoff conversation. There are still matchups on the schedule against No. 13 Oregon (Oct. 17), No. 5 Ohio State (Nov. 21) and No. 20 Iowa (Nov. 28). 

A chance to prove it against the Hoosiers comes first. 

"We're not a perfect team, so we're going to have to be gritty," Rhule said. "We're not going to run people over, but that grit and that mentality and toughness, hopefully it will show itself Saturday against a really gritty, tough team that doesn't beat themselves."

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