LINCOLN, Neb. -- Josh Hoover surprised a Nebraska defense stacked to stop the run on a fourth-and-1, flipping the ball to a wide-open Nick Marsh for a 44-yard touchdown to give No. 7 Indiana its first lead in a 20-17 victory over Nebraska on Saturday.
The Hoosiers (6-0, 3-0 Big Ten) were pushed to the limit by a Cornhuskers team looking for a program-turning victory under fourth-year coach Matt Rhule. Instead, the defending national champion Hoosiers won their 22nd straight game and Nebraska lost its 31st in a row against a Top 25 opponent.
Nebraska (5-1, 2-1) looked to be on the verge of putting away the Hoosiers when quarterback Anthony Colandrea broke a 39-yard touchdown run for a 17-6 lead early in the fourth quarter.
But Hoover connected with Marsh for a 75-yard catch-and-run TD on the first play of the ensuing possession, and then Indiana got a stop to set up its winning drive.
On fourth down at the Nebraska 44, Indiana brought in an extra lineman in a tightly bunched formation. The Huskers crowded the line expecting a run. That allowed Marsh to get behind the secondary, catch Hoover's floating pass and run into the end zone with no one around him.
Nebraska was in control for most of the warm and sun-splashed afternoon at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers led 10-3 at halftime, the first time the Hoosiers trailed after two quarters since the Big Ten championship game last season.
Big Ten rushing leader Turbo Richard and Lee Beebe Jr., both averaging better than 100 yards per game, were all but shut down. Richard ran eight times for 10 yards and Beebe nine times for 31. Hoover was 12-of-22 passing for 263 yards, with Marsh catching six balls for 187 yards.
Indiana finished with season lows of 65 yards rushing and 328 total.
Colandrea was 25-of-43 for 255 yards and Jacory Barney caught nine passes for 108 yards to lead Nebraska.
