‘Lost 31 Straight Games,’ ‘Matt Rhule Just Panicked’ — CFB World Reacts as Nebraska Lets Fourth-Quarter Lead Vanish to Unbeaten Indiana

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Nebraska led No. 7 Indiana by 11 points with 12 minutes left Saturday before Hoosiers quarterback Josh Hoover threw two touchdown passes to receiver Nick Marsh for a 20-17 win in Lincoln.

The loss stretched Nebraska’s skid against ranked opponents to 31 games, according to CBS Sports, though some outlets count one more. The Huskers have not beaten a ranked team since a 35-32 win over No. 22 Oregon on Sept. 17, 2016.

Nick Marsh Scores Twice as Indiana Rallies Past Nebraska

Much of the box score favored Nebraska. The Huskers finished with 25 first downs to Indiana’s 13, kept the ball for more than 39 minutes, and held the Hoosiers to 1-of-10 on third down.

Nebraska quarterback Anthony Colandrea broke a 39-yard touchdown run early in the fourth quarter for a 17-6 lead. His PFN Impact grade from Pro Football Network is 88.5 this season, tied for 10th of 165 graded and qualified FBS quarterbacks.

It took Indiana one snap to answer. Hoover hit Marsh over the middle, and Marsh outran Nebraska’s secondary for a 75-yard touchdown.

After a Nebraska punt, the Hoosiers faced fourth-and-1 at the Nebraska 44. The Huskers played the run, and Marsh ran free for a 44-yard touchdown that put Indiana ahead 20-17 with just over seven minutes left.

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Nebraska coach Matt Rhule said afterward that he should have called a timeout on that fourth down. His defense believed Indiana was in one personnel grouping when it was in another, he said, and the Hoosiers hurried to the line to run the play.

Held to six points through three quarters, Indiana scored 14 in the fourth. Hoover, whose PFN Impact grade of 90.4 this season ranks fourth of 165 graded and qualified FBS quarterbacks, finished 12-of-22 for 263 yards, and Marsh caught six passes for 187.

“Indiana got to the fourth quarter and remembered they were Indiana,” Stewart Mandel, who covers college football for The Athletic, wrote. “In all phases. Unfortunately so did Nebraska.”

Nebraska still had chances. Trailing by three with under five minutes left, the Huskers went for it on fourth down and turned it over on downs. Their next drive started at their own 5 and ended with Indiana defensive lineman Tobi Osunsanmi sacking Colandrea on fourth down, and a final possession with 13 seconds left went nowhere.

“Matt Rhule just panicked,” one fan wrote after the turnover on downs. “No reason to go on 4th down there.”

Matt Rhule Falls to 0-10 Against Ranked Teams at Nebraska

Rhule said he was angry Nebraska didn’t win the game, but that he wasn’t embarrassed, and he likened the matchup to a prize fight. The loss dropped him to 0-10 against ranked opponents in four seasons at Nebraska.

A win would have been the program’s biggest since it beat defending national champion Oklahoma in 2001, CBS Sports wrote. Instead, the Huskers added another close loss to a list that includes 30-27 and 21-17 defeats against Michigan and USC last season.

On Saturday, a 16-play drive late in the first half ended with kicker Kyle Cunanan missing a 40-yard field goal. After going up 17-6, Nebraska managed 60 yards on 19 plays before its final possession. Indiana sacked Colandrea five times.

“Nebraska now has lost 31 straight games against ranked teams, going back to 2016,” Chris Vannini, a senior writer and national college football reporter for The Athletic, wrote.

Nebraska’s defense held Indiana to 65 rushing yards on 22 carries, with running backs Lee Beebe Jr. and Turbo Richard finishing with 31 and 10 yards. The Hoosiers’ two touchdowns both came through the air.

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“Huskers played D played more than well enough for us to win which makes it disappointing but Matt Rhule deff has us going in right direction so I’m good” one Nebraska fan wrote.

Looking Ahead in Week 7 to Oregon

Nebraska travels to Oregon for next Saturday’s Week 7 game at Autzen Stadium in Eugene. PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter gives the Huskers a 19.3% chance to win.

PFN’s College Football Playoff Meter puts Nebraska’s chance to make the playoff at 4.7% with a win in Eugene and 0.2% with a loss. The Huskers also host Ohio State on Nov. 21 and visit Iowa on Nov. 27.

Indiana, meanwhile, hosts Ohio State next Saturday.

This article originally appeared on Pro Football Network.

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