If you squinted a little, it looked just like Nebraska’s glory days.
Husker quarterback Anthony Colandrea weaved his way through Indiana’s defense for a 39-yard touchdown run in the fourth quarter to put Nebraska up 17-6 over the unbeaten defending national champions with 12 minutes remaining.
The play was reminiscent of what old-school fans saw from the Huskers of the 1990s and early 2000s. Back then, quarterbacks Tommie Frazier, Scott Frost and Eric Crouch often broke off big runs at critical moments as the Huskers routinely claimed big wins to stay in the national title picture.
There hasn’t been much of that since, so watching Colandrea break that run was a welcome sight for an Omaha native who celebrated Nebraska’s 1994 national championship on Dodge Street in zero-degree cold.
It almost felt safe to believe the Huskers were … back. All my friends back home were going to be partying like it was, well … 1995. Or 1997, when the Huskers won their third and final championship of that magical decade.
Another touchdown for @HuskerFootball to take a double-digit lead over the defending champs! Anthony Colandrea takes it himself https://t.co/WCP9KYK4bg
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 10, 2026
All that was left was for the defense — the Blackshirts — to catch just a little bit of that old magic and hold on.
Reality can be a cruel buzzkill. Two long touchdown receptions by Nick Marsh later, Indiana had a 20-17 win and Nebraska had another almost moment. Nick Marsh, who caught the touchdown passes, played the role of Oklahoma’s Keith Jackson from back in the ’80s. Different shade of red, different era, same result.
Nebraska has struggled for so long to reach its previous standard, and yet its fans have remained loyal. I spoke to a Dallas Cowboys fan the other day and realized the situations were eerily similar. They are two legendary teams that often tease returns to their former greatness, only to fall short.
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Fortunately, all was not lost. The performance against Indiana did not look like a fluke. Nebraska legitimately competed.
The Huskers can still take a big step Saturday at reeling Oregon. And if Matt Rhule’s squad keeps things going, a true return to glory might not be all that far off. Their loyal fans deserve it.
The Huskers didn’t beat Indiana, but they did the next-best thing. They made it safe for their fanbase to dream big again.
