The Nebraska Cornhuskers are playing what by some measures is their biggest game in a long time on Saturday.
They’re hosting the defending national champion Indiana Hoosiers, and they do it while entering the day with an undefeated 5-0 record.
Despite that mark, though, Nebraska isn’t ranked.
It’s something that has fans discussing the polls on Saturday.
One thing is clear: If Nebraska beats Indiana, it will be ranked, and potentially quite handsomely.
Why Isn’t Nebraska Ranked?
Nebraska’s lack of ranking by the AP Poll’s Top 25 has to do with a combination of expectations and opponents.
For what it’s worth, Nebraska was sixth in the “Others Receiving Votes” category heading into the Indiana game, making them essentially the No. 31 team in the country by the AP Poll.
Nebraska’s ranking does reflect in part the fact that they didn’t begin the season with high expectations. Voters don’t always adjust their full feelings about a squad quickly when the thought all along was that a team might struggle.
The second reality is that Nebraska hasn’t yet had a chance at a statement win — nothing even close to what Saturday against IU would be.
Nebraska opened the season with a 49-21 win over Ohio.
The Cornhuskers then smoked another MAC team, Bowling Green, by a 56-7 margin.
Nebraska’s third win was 34-7 over North Dakota.
From there, the Cornhuskers went to Big Ten doormat Michigan State and won, 31-13.
Last week, they beat another floundering conference foe, Maryland, by a 48-23 score.
It gets tough in a hurry, with Nebraska hosting Indiana and then going to Oregon next week.
The voters were likely waiting to see what these games looked like. If Nebraska makes a statement, then they’re for real. If they struggle, then a ranking would’ve looked premature.
Can Nebraska Make the CFP?
While we’re here, it’s worth considering the big picture.
The Cornhuskers have set themselves up as a deep sleeper to chase after a spot in the College Football Playoff.
Of course, they’d first have to upset Indiana, and then probably Oregon, too.
They play Ohio State and Iowa later in the season, with both those teams ranked at the moment, too.
Nebraska would have to take care of business against unranked Washington, Illinois and Rutgers in the middle of their conference schedule.
Because the Cornhuskers are in the Big Ten, the committee would give them a lot of respect even with just one loss. They have a chance at some statement victories.
It’s a longshot based on what everyone has thought about this Nebraska team. But technically, nothing is stopping them, and their schedule does set up in a way that, if they keep winning, they’ll all of a sudden look very impressive.
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