​From ‘Lanterns’ to Lincoln: Matt Rhule, unbeaten Huskers get their close-up against Hoosiers originally appeared on The Sporting News.
Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.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.MORE: Week 6 picks against the spread for Top 25 gamesWhat 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 replacemen