Report card from Nebraska's heartbreaking loss to Indiana

Nebraska football suffered its first loss of the season this past Saturday, allowing 14 unanswered points to then-No. 7 Indiana in the fourth quarter to fall 20-17. Though the fourth-quarter collapse reminded many of the Huskers' losses during the Scott Frost era, Nebraska hasn't dropped a game that way in a while.

The Huskers put up a heck of a fight with the Hoosiers, though, keeping the offense in check and finding some holes in the defense. However, the fourth-quarter mishaps were just one of many issues Nebraska faced that day. These issues have been present throughout the season and will likely only dwindle by the end of the 12th game.

Here’s Nebraska’s report card from its heartbreaking loss to Indiana.

Quarterback: B-

Anthony Colandrea battled for Nebraska from start to finish, pulling off big plays and even scoring a massive touchdown in the fourth. Indiana didn't give him much breathing room, which only added to the grit he showed. However, he didn’t play a flawless game.

He finished with one interception, but almost threw a few more, were it not for a penalty, a drop and the sun. He also battled the wind, which put a few passes just out of reach for receivers. This included hitting Kwazi Gilmer just outside the end zone in the second quarter, which then resulted in no points on the drive. He also got flustered in the pocket at times, throwing the ball away or taking a sack. Plus, a partially mishandled snap led to a big loss as well.

Colandrea put a lot on his back in this game, which at times led to the mishaps mentioned. But other times, he made the big plays mentioned as well. Despite throwing 18 incompletions, Colandrea did hit the target 25 times and finished the day with 263 passing yards. He also ran for 47 yards and a touchdown on 17 attempts, despite taking five sacks. 

Now, not every defense on the schedule will be as absolute as Indiana. But teams like Oregon, Ohio State and Iowa will all pose just as big a threat as the Hoosiers. For Colandrea, he needs to settle in against the mayhem at times so he can make the big plays and avoid bad spots.

Running Backs: B-

The running back room snapped the streak of letting Colandrea finish as the top rusher. However, it was by six yards and largely thanks to the five sacks. Colandrea lost 27 yards on five sacks, meaning he technically finished with 74 yards instead of 47. The running back room, meanwhile, totaled 20 carries for 71 yards. 

But even with a limited run game, the group did alright for a third straight week, especially against an Indiana team that has suffocated rushers this season. Jamal Rule returned and rushed for 53 yards on 15 carries. Mekhi Nelson also added 54 yards for the Huskers. He caught a 36-yard pass and added 18 rushing yards on four carries. 

This group also fought for yardage at times and showed it wasn't backing down against the Hoosiers. But even with that competitiveness, the running back room still hasn't dominated in a Big Ten game yet. Granted, that problem isn't entirely on the running backs. If Rule, Nelson and even Mozee continue to bring the fight against teams, they'll find a way to break through.

Wide Receivers: B-

Despite Colandrea finishing below 60 percent in completions, almost every reception was big. Another big part of the game was Colandrea spreading the ball around. Gilmer was the top receiver by a mile over the past few weeks for Nebraska. Against Indiana, he was limited to three catches for 31 yards.

The rest of the corps, however, finished with 21 catches for 196 yards. Jacory Barney Jr. returned in full force, catching nine for 108 yards and making a few big snags. Luke Lindenmeyer caught seven for 45 yards, helping the Huskers get some much-needed first downs. Nyziah Hunter finally found paydirt after being relatively quiet this season. He finished with five catches for 43 yards and ran a touchdown in from 10 yards out. 

That's a good sign offensively, given how heavily Nebraska relied on Gilmer in its first two Big Ten games. Now the group needs to continue helping Colandrea spread the ball around and keep opposing defenses on its toes. Plus, the outside blocking led to a few big scores as well. However, other areas still need to be addressed.

A few drops and penalties did cause drives to stall or slow down on Saturday. Again, Indiana didn't make anything easy. But drops cannot happen, especially when games are decided by one score. There were also a few missed blocks that blew up outside-run plays, sweeps and even plays in the pocket. The receivers played well, given the defense they faced. Now, the goal is to continue heading in the right direction because tough defenses aren't going away anytime soon.

Offensive Line: C

The pipeline stood toe-to-toe against the defending national champion. But even with that in mind, this group still struggled mightily, especially in the second half. In the first half, the group fought and made sure Nebraska could milk the clock and keep Indiana's offense off the field.

The Huskers finished the game with nearly 40 minutes of possession. That doesn't happen without a scrappy offensive line buying their quarterback time in the pocket or opening holes for a running back. However, by the end of the game, the line was worn down.

Colandrea was sacked five times, four in the second half. On top of that, Nebraska's best rushing quarter came in the first, totaling 60 yards. After that, the team never put up over 30 in any of the next three quarters. That's troubling, even against one of the top teams in the country.

The line needs to hold the line from start to finish, especially with three more ranked opponents waiting. The battle always starts in the trenches, whether it's the first play of the game or the last. This line showed it can start strong this week after being shut out by Maryland and Michigan State. Now, the goal is to run a complete game.

Defensive Line: B-

The defensive line fought well against Indiana, holding its two elite running backs to a combined 41 yards on 17 carries. The group also put the pressure on Hoover at times, getting a quarterback hurry and a sack. But a few asterisks follow this group's performance.

For starters, Nebraska's offense kept Indiana off the field for most of the game, limiting the Hoosiers to only 44 total plays. Indiana also played from behind for most of the game, resulting in 17 carries. Hoover, meanwhile, also sprinted loose a few times to finish with 24 yards on five runs. Plus, only sacking him once and forcing one hurry led to him getting rid of the ball more often than not.

Nebraska's front line did enough to keep Indiana from torching them in the ground game. But the group needs to find ways into the backfield against these Big Ten teams if it wants to be disruptive.

Linebackers: B-

Like the defensive line, the linebackers did a good job containing the run, rallying to the ball, and competing against Indiana's offense. Owen Chambliss earned five tackles, one for loss, and Vincent Shavers accounted for a sack.

But again, like the trenches, the second level needed to deliver big plays if Nebraska wanted a better chance to put the game away. That's a lot to ask, though, especially against a team like Indiana. Another concern is the passing game.

Even if the second level continues to help stop the run, they need to be careful not to let any plays go right over their heads. A big play can help in that area. But for now, this group just needs to be cautious.

Defensive Backs: C-

Indiana’s two touchdowns came on big fourth-quarter passes. Allowing one is already problematic, but two is a whole other level of concerning. Though the first one literally got away from Nebraska's secondary, at least one player was covering the receiver on that touchdown.

Indiana's go-ahead score truly exposed how far this group has to go if it wants to stand tall against the best passing offenses in the Big Ten. Even though the touchdown came on a fourth-and-short, it's concerning to see two wide receivers run free with no Husker in sight.

But even before those two big touchdowns, Indiana's Josh Hoover found receivers for big gains, despite finishing 12-of-22. He totaled 263 passing yards, delivering major blows to the secondary. The damage came mainly from two receivers, Nick Marsh and Charlie Becker.

Marsh caught six passes for 187 receiving yards and scored both touchdowns. This included 107 yards coming after the catch, springing loose from Nebraska's secondary. Becker, meanwhile, caught three passes for 52 receiving yards, including 43 on one reception.

The big passing plays aren't new either. Ohio and Maryland each broke out a 60-plus-yard reception. North Dakota even got a 32-yard passing play. Michigan State, meanwhile, had four receivers put up 20-yard receptions or more. From here on out, the Huskers will likely keep slipping up in the pass every so often. But the secondary needs to make sure the big plays aren't crucial ones and aren't due to blown assignments.

Special Teams: C+

A key play that everyone points to in this game for Nebraska was the missed 40-yard field goal right before halftime. Kyle Cunanan finished 1-for-2 on the day, making a 28-yard chip shot on the opening drive before missing. 

Though the missed field goal came back to haunt the Huskers, a one-kick game means multiple mistakes elsewhere. But for Cunanan, this miss makes him 4-of-8 on the season, including 1-of-5 from 40 yards or further. Though one could argue the wind played a role in this game, Cunanan can't keep missing. 

Archie Wilson, meanwhile, delivered three major punts for the Huskers, in part due to the wind. He sent two boots beyond 50 yards and pinned Indiana inside the 20 and five-yard line. The punt team also did its part, keeping the ball in check. Only one punt got away from Wilson: his game-high 68-yard kick, carried into the endzone by the wind. 

The third phase cannot be the deciding factor every week. But at the same time, though, any big plays it either delivers or allows can add to the scales. The goal every week is to avoid adding to the wrong scale.