Coming off a bye week the Huskies will need to be on their A-game as they are being thrown right back into the Big 10 fire. They are back on the road, this time in Bloomington, Indiana where they will face the #13 Indiana Hoosiers. The Hoosiers are yet to loose a game this season and with College Gameday in town this is a chance for the Huskies to recapture some momentum on the season.

But what do they need to do to end the cinderella run of this Indiana team? Let’s talk about it.

Create Pressure: There aren’t a lot of offenses in college football that have looked as good as Indiana to this point. The Hoosiers are first in points per game and fourth in yards. But the Huskies have the best passing defense in college football right now. And the Hoosiers are missing their starting quarterback in Kurtis Rourke.

Backup Tayven Jackson struggled last year and has seen minimal field time this season for the Hoosiers. With Jackson’s interception history being a real issue, the Huskies should be looking for big days from the defensive front, and some lock down coverage from the secondary.

Players like Isaiah Ward and Sebastian Valdez have a chance to make the pocket seem very small for IU. If the Huskies can get pressure against a very good Indiana front, it creates a lot of opportunities on the back end for play makers like Thaddeus Dixon and Alphonso Tupatala to change the game.

Survive A Shoot-Out: This is the number one scoring offense in college football. And while they may be starting a backup QB today the Hoosiers are still going to put points on the board. They can throw the ball, they can run the ball, and the Huskies have to answer.

Will Rogers has looked excellent moving the ball all year and he will have top keep it up today. Indiana has been one of the better defenses in the NCAA against the run this year and while the Huskies like to get Jonah Coleman the ball he is not going to be able to do this alone.

Giles Jackson and Denzel Boston have made plays in almost every game so far, and they will be needed today. If the Huskies want to put up points with the best of them its going to take a step up from a Jeremiah Hunter or Keleki Latu to take this offense to the next level.

Start Hot: This will be important both for the benefit of the Huskies and to hurt the Hoosiers. Indiana hasn’t trailed at any point this season and they also haven’t given up a first quarter point yet.

But the Huskies can use this to their advantage. Jedd Fish spoke about it earlier this week, seeing it as an opportunity. The Indiana players haven’t had to play in a close game and the coaches haven’t faced any “play caller anxiety” from trailing in a game.

Any early assault from the Huskies not only will keep them in this game, but will force Indiana to play a new style of football and approach the game in a way they haven’t had to all year.

Coming off of that tough loss to Iowa the Huskies have a golden opportunity to make this season their own again coming off a week off. With national media following this game and a good Indiana team in front of them this is the time for the Huskies to play like they can and continue their hunt for a prestigious bowl appearance.