‘They’re the No. 1 team in the country’: Dana Holgorsen, Rob Aurich, players speak to media ahead of hosting No. 7 Indiana

LINCOLN, Neb. (KLKN) — Nebraska is 5-0 for the first time since 2016. In order to stay unbeaten, the Huskers will have to take down defending national champion and No. 7 Indiana, which has won 21-consecutive games dating back to the start of the 2025 season.

On Tuesday, offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen, defensive coordinator Rob Aurich and players spoke at the Hawks Championship Center with media to recap Nebraska’s 48-23 win over Maryland, and look ahead to the Hoosiers.

“They’re the best team in the the country,” Holgorsen said. “They’ve got a great system, they’ve got great continuity. You know, these coaches have been together for a long time. My perspective—and I would say it’s pretty much a national perspective—is, you know, their defense has as much respect as their offense does. You don’t win 21-straight games in a row if you don’t.”

Indiana’s defense ranks fifth nationally and first in the Big Ten in scoring, limiting opponents to just 10.8 points per game thus far. The Hoosiers have also recorded 15 total sacks. Offensive linemen Gunnar Gottula and Justin Evans said protection of QB Anthony Colandrea will be vital in Saturday’s game.

“They play really hard. They have great technique,” Gottula said. “I think at the end of the day, it’s just going to come down to us, you know, just focusing on how hard we can play. Try to out-strain them.”

“Every week and every game, our goal every week is to protect the quarterback,” Evans said. “And that’s not going to change no matter who we play.”

The Hoosiers offense features a pair of running backs who both average over 100 yards per game on the ground in Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr. Additionally, Indiana has only turned the ball over once this season (one lost fumble). Nebraska has forced five turnovers in the past two games. Aurich said his guys need to run to the ball in order to try and win the turnover battle.

“Play style, speed and physicality,” Aurich said on what it will take to win the turnover battle. “I thought two weeks ago we ran to the ball harder than what we did last week. I was disappointed in that. I want people to talk about our defense as the hardest playing group in the country.”

“Obviously we want to come in and stop the run,” DL Williams Nwaneri said. “That’s really the main point. You know, try to kill their engine.”

Nebraska hosts No. 7 Indiana Saturday at 11 a.m., the game will be televised on FOX.