Indiana just proved Matt Rhule was right all along about Big Ten schedules

Nebraska football head coach Matt Rhule has taken a lot of heat for comments he made earlier this spring about the Huskers’ schedule moving forward and how it needed to be easier in the non-conference section because the Big Ten was such a meat grinder. However, as is usually the case in situations like this, Rhule is taking heat for saying the quiet part out loud, while other programs, such as Indiana, simply schedule the easiest non-conference schedule possible and then try to pretend it’s anything but.

As did the Huskers, Indiana announced broadcast times and dates for several of its games this fall. That included a non-conference slate that … to be kind, is not tough. It’s an interesting move for a school wanting to get back to the playoffs after a surprise visit there in 2024. Especially with all the talk about strength of schedule this offseason.

While Nebraska football fans can’t point and laugh too much considering the Hoosiers absolutely destroyed the Cornhuskers last season, it’s still one of those things that people are going to notice and criticize. Especially since there were plenty of people who didn’t believe Indiana really deserved to be in the playoffs last winter.

The games in question are a season opener on August 30 against Old Dominion, followed by a noon tilt on September 6 against Kennesaw State (a program entering its second season as an FBS program) and then a September 13 contest against FCS also-ran Indiana State. 

Unsurprisingly, the general public was less than inspired by the difficulty of the rising Big Ten power’s schedule, especially after a lot of talk from head coach Curt Cignetti about not being afraid of anyone.

It's never good when No Context College Football wordlessly posts your schedule.

Some Husker fans did defend the schedule. Maybe out of conference loyalty. Maybe just because they don't want Indiana getting drug through the mud one year after trouncing Nebraska.

The idea of not telling anyone seems like a good one.

Sometimes the best takedowns are the shortest.

In fairness to the Hoosiers, Indiana's conference schedule is relatively tough, though it can be argued the Nebraska football team has a tougher one. The Huskers won't face Indiana in 2025, unless they both make the Big Ten Championship Game.