Two truths and a lie after Nebraska football gets dominated by Indiana

First one of these I’ve had to do where it doesn’t feel like there’s anything positive to say about the Nebraska football team after a game. That was an incredibly gross game that was equal parts upsetting and confusing.

I, like many, believed that Indiana was the better team coming into today. I thought the Huskers offense wasn’t consistent enough to hang with the Hoosiers’ powerful attack. But I didn’t think IU is 49 points better.

I still don’t think Nebraska football is that bad. They played as poorly as possible, but I think Indiana wins that game nine times out of ten. The Huskers just aren’t suited to take on that kind of offense yet.

Yes, there are some legitimately good players like Ty Robinson on that defensive front, but they get shoved around a bit by big offensive lines. Keep in mind, while the Huskers shut down Rutgers’ rushing offense after the first quarter, that was more because the Scarlet Knights oddly went away from it.

Now it’s time for Tony White to recognize that and adapt. Maybe more run blitzes. Maybe just moving linebackers closer to the line on more plays. Something’s got to change. Just too many holes being made on the offensive line that don’t get picked up until the runner is 2 or 3 yards downfield.

That this is Year 2 of “why can’t our receivers get separation” when it’s basically a whole new group is concerning. It’s also concerning that there are plays where it’s pretty clear the receivers just give up on the play. And the block in the back penalties are becoming infuriating.

Quarterback Dylan Raiola is struggling mightily right now. He’s looking like a freshman. But it doesn’t help that he’s not getting much from his receivers. One would have hoped that the Huskers would have found a way to get more separation during the bye week but Nebraska football was without answers.

I saw this take a lot on Saturday. While there hasn’t been the kind of growth we hoped we would, this was never a team that was going to be in the playoffs. It was almost certainly not going to be 9-3.

The Nebraska football team is still off to its best start since 2016. It’s the second time since 2014 that the team has had 5 wins this early in the season for two straight years. The next step is getting to a bowl. That likely doesn’t happen next week against Ohio State but NU has four more chances after that. Including against 2-5 UCLA.

A bowl game was what should have been expected this season. That is still very much in play. This loss was bad, it does not mean there has been no progress, despite that being the prevailing take on social media.