'I Like to Feel the Pain Myself': Matt Rhule Hasn't Forgotten Nebraska's 49-Point Loss to Indiana in 2024

In Week 6, there's a gigantic enemy at the gates.

Matt Rhule, the Nebraska football program, and its entire fanbase know it. Still, the Cornhuskers are 5-0 (2-0 Big Ten) for a reason, and it isn't an accident. Instead, it has everything to do with how far this program has come in the four years since Rhule was hired as NU's head coach.

As the man in charge met with the media Monday, he took time to reminisce about a 49-point loss to Indiana in Bloomington in 2024, revisiting what went wrong on that October day in an attempt to avoid making the same mistakes again. As Rhule prepares his team for its toughest test yet, here's what the Huskers' head coach had to say.

BIG NOON KICKOFF IS COMING TO NEBRASKA ‼️

The BNK Crew gets you ready for @IndianaFootball vs @HuskerFootball next Saturday pic.twitter.com/0irNmmH6wA
— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) October 3, 2026

“I hope it has grown,” Rhule said when asked how his program has changed since its last meeting with the Hoosiers. “I think we were ranked in one of the polls at that point, right? So, I guess maybe not that far, but I think we’ve grown. We’re just a better football team. I hate looking back, but I guess I should.”

“I went back and watched it this week,” he continued when discussing NU’s 56-7 loss to Indiana. “So, I always look back. I like to feel the pain myself and relive the pain… It was, I think, just poorly done by us as coaches. You know, not giving our guys the best chance. And then kind of maybe panicking a little bit.”

NU's five turnovers didn't help, nor did allowing 495 total yards. However, in 2026, the Huskers are averaging more than 475 yards and 43.6 points per game, while allowing just 265.8 yards and 14.2 points per game defensively. They're also plus-six in the turnover margin thus far. This fall, the Hoosiers are facing an older, more potent Husker team than they did two seasons ago.

Indiana Head Coach Curt Cignetti smiles as he is interviewed on the podium after winning the National Championship. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

For as much change as Rhule has overseen, Indiana's Curt Cignetti has seen even more. The Hoosiers went 3-9 the year before hiring him as their head coach. Since then, they've gone 32-2.

In roughly 2½ years, Indiana went from a Big Ten afterthought to one of the most successful programs in college football, and it's bringing that new-look winning pedigree into Memorial Stadium for Saturday's game. When asked what's allowed the Hoosiers to maintain that success this fall, Rhule didn't hold back.

“Great defense,” he said. “Fantastic defensive line. Great pass rush; great linebackers, (they’re) excellent on the back end. And, offensively, I think they’re the most efficient offense in the country right now.”

“(Charlie) Becker and (Nick) March continue to make plays at an unbelievably high level,” he continued when talking about the Hoosiers' offense. “The run game is excellent, and (Josh) Hoover is an excellent quarterback.”

Indiana University Offensive Coordinator Mike Shanahan instructs players during fall practice. | USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect

As productive as the Hoosiers have been on the field, Rhule knows it couldn't happen without high-level coaching. He credited Cignetti's staff and Indiana's athletic department for providing the program with the resources needed to win.

“They have a system, and they have great players,” he said. “They’ve made a real commitment at Indiana to football. They have the resources to have great players; keep great players… I don’t know if people talk enough about the job that Indiana, the athletic director Scott Dolson, those guys, have done to really commit to double down on what they’re doing.”

Anthony Colandrea passes against the Maryland Terrapins. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Hoosiers have been in the limelight since 2024, though NU's head coach has generated buzz in Lincoln as well. The Big Red have clinched bowl eligibility in back-to-back years and are already just one one win away from doing so for the third straight season. A big reason why in 2026 has been the play of transfer quarterback Anthony Colandrea, who's totaled 1,391 all-purpose yards and 15 touchdowns through five weeks.

While Rhule described Indiana's defense as a unit without many holes, he believes the Huskers' dual-threat signal-caller can make a difference Saturday.

“We’re going to make people defend our quarterback,” Rhule said. “It opens up the passing game. I mean, quarterback draw with an RPO, zone reads, we’re going to do all of that, right? 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 got to let him play.”

Jamal Rule runs for a touchdown against the Bowling Green Falcons. | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

As productive as Colandrea has been, Rhule knows the Big Red will need to help him out on the ground. Though junior running back Mekhi Nelson was available against Maryland last week, freshman ball carrier Jamal Rule was not.

Though the freshman suggested he was good to go, Nebraska elected to keep him on the sideline Saturday. Rhule said the staff believed it was best to give him another week to get healthy before taking on the Hoosiers.

“He was a game-time decision, and he said he felt good to go,” Rhule said. “He was going to go as needed… Same thing with Mekhi. Mekhi was running through a hole on Wednesday and tripped over someone's foot. His foot caught someone’s foot, and he rolled his ankle.”

“Mekhi texted me that night and was like, ‘You know I'm going to play; you know who I am,” the head coach continued. “They were both kind of gimpy on Thursday and gimpy on Friday, so I wasn’t sure… It just felt like with him (Rule) it was worth another week. So, we’ll see how he is tomorrow, if he has a chance this week or not.”

Big Noon Showdown.

🗓️ 10.10.26
⏰ 11:00 AM CT
🏟️ Memorial Stadium vs Indiana
📺 @CFBONFOX pic.twitter.com/VvtLWDISqH
— Nebraska Football (@HuskerFootball) October 5, 2026

Saturday marks the Huskers' first contest against a ranked team in 2026. They were viewed as a 7½-point underdog as of Monday afternoon.

Whether or not their leading rusher sees the field, Nebraska will host the defending national champions Saturday in Memorial Stadium. Kickoff is set for 11 a.m. CDT with a FOX telecast.

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