A national championship dark horse emerges, and it's a most unlikely school

The 2025-26 college basketball season is more than halfway through, and teams are gradually rounding into form as they build their tournament resumes. 

There have been plenty of surprises this year, especially near the top of the rankings. However, one red-hot Big Ten team has taken the nation by storm, and this squad is coming from one of the unlikeliest programs. 

Nebraska is having a historic season under its decorated head coach

The losingest program in college football history shocked the world this past Monday. Indiana football, which has long been known as a basketball school, reshaped what many thought possible with its first-ever national championship. 

Now, on the basketball side, a long-established football school is looking to follow suit. Nebraska is in the middle of an unprecedented season under head coach Fred Hoiberg. The Cornhuskers are currently 19-0 and ranked No. 7 in the country with several quality wins on their resume. 

That includes signature victories over No. 10 Michigan State and at No. 11 Illinois. It's been a balanced approach for this group so far, which led by junior forward Pryce Sandfort. The Iowa transfer is having his breakout season, averaging 17.0 points on 41.5% shooting from three-point range. 

Sandfort will have to continue this efficiency from a distance, as one of Nebraska's weaknesses has been its three-point efficiency, which currently ranks 82nd in the country. Nonetheless, this team sits at the top of the Big Ten Conference and looks more like a title contender every given day. 

It's been a gradual rebuild for Hoiberg, who previously coached at Iowa State and then the Chicago Bulls. The Lincoln native is in his seventh season with the program and was believed to be on the hot seat a few years ago. 

That narrative has changed, and now Hoiberg is looking to lead the Cornhuskers to their first-ever NCAA tournament win. But this team, which ranks in the top 40 in both offensive and defensive efficiency, can dream bigger than just that milestone. 

Indiana's national championship in football certainly should give Nebraska basketball that kind of hope.