Nebraska and Illinois meet Friday night in Champaign with the same simple prize on the line: bowl eligibility. For the Huskers, though, this one carries a little extra weight after three straight losses in which they led in the fourth quarter and still walked off the field beaten.
That’s the backdrop for a game that kicks at 7 o’clock CT on FOX at Gies Memorial Stadium. Nebraska comes in at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten, while Illinois is also 5-3, with a 3-2 conference mark. FanDuel has Nebraska as a 4.5-point favorite, but the Huskers’ recent late-game failures have turned every close finish into a test of nerve.
Matt Rhule addressed that Monday, and his message was blunt.
“Doing too much is killing us,” Huskers coach Matt Rhule said at his Monday news conference.
“That’s really my message to them: You get to these moments, and the water is rocky, the ocean is rocky. Steady in the boat, man. Don’t take a rocking boat and rocking sea and rock it even more.
“You can’t control what’s outside the boat, but your focus should just be on being steady on the boat, going back to work this week.”
That steady approach is exactly what Nebraska has lacked in crunch time. The Huskers have been close to a much better record - maybe a half-dozen timely plays from sitting at 8-0 - but the late-game breakdowns have piled up, and the latest one stung at home against Washington. Nebraska led 17-10 before the Huskies scored two touchdowns in the final 90 seconds.
The fourth quarter has been the story of the season. Nebraska has allowed 54 points across its three losses, which works out to 18 per game.
But 39 of those points came in the fourth quarter alone, an average of 13 per game in the final period. That’s the part of the game the Huskers have not solved.
The offense has its own part in the problem. In those three losses, Nebraska has averaged just 13.6 points per game, not nearly enough to protect leads or survive when the defense finally bends.
Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen is supposed to bring the answers, and November is the time to show them. Nebraska has four regular-season games left - Illinois, Rutgers, Ohio State and Iowa - and the season still has room to become something more.
Illinois, meanwhile, has steadied itself after a rough stretch of its own. The Illini have won three in a row, taking down Michigan State, Oregon and Maryland to get their season back on track. They’re 3-2 at home and will have the crowd behind them against a Nebraska team that is 1-1 on the road.
Quarterback Houser gives Illinois a real chance to keep that momentum going. He returned sooner than expected from a broken hand, played Saturday against Maryland after getting hurt against Michigan State on Oct. 10, and should be even better with another week of recovery. Houser has completed 140 of 216 passes, good for 64.8 percent, for 1,663 yards, 13 touchdowns and five interceptions.
There’s also a bigger picture for the Illini. A win would make them bowl eligible for the third straight year, which would be the first time that’s happened since 1988-1992. Their path after Nebraska is tough, with games at undefeated UCLA, home against Iowa and at Northwestern, so this may be their best shot to lock it up.
Nebraska is ranked 42 in The Athletic 138, while Illinois sits at 60. The Huskers’ defense has been strong enough to keep them in games, but the late lapses have made that strength feel wasted. Friday night is another chance to fix that - or another chance for the same problems to show up again.
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Illinois Gets A Big Chance With Intriguing Overseas Big Man
A promising overseas frontcourt target is set to spend time around the Illinois program this week, giving the staff a closer look at Lithuanian prospect Ignas Stombergas. The 6-foot-10 power forward-center, ranked No. 10 among European players, is visiting campus and is scheduled to take in the home game against Penn, a useful chance for both sides to get a feel for the fit.
Stombergas has built his profile with Zalgiris II in Lithuania, along with strong showings in international and club youth competition. For Illinois, the visit is about more than just checking measurements and film, since it offers a live evaluation and a chance for him to experience the atmosphere around the program before the next steps in his recruitment unfold. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Players Had The Best Reaction To Caitlin Clark Showing Up
Caitlin Clarks reach keeps stretching well beyond the WNBA, and it was on display again when she showed up for a mens college basketball game between Illinois and Penn. Her presence caught Quentin Coleman and Zavier Zens off guard, giving the Illini a courtside moment that was as much about surprise as it was about star power. For a program that has spent plenty of time in the spotlight itself, it still meant something to have one of the biggest names in basketball watching from the stands.
Clarks appearance also underscored how much her profile has grown as womens basketball continues to surge, with the WNBA setting viewership records and planning for expansion. Even as the Indiana Fever have dealt with playoff disappointment and the possibility of roster changes after early exits, Clark remains the leagues most magnetic figure, the kind of player who can turn a routine college game into a talking point far beyond the box score. [Read more 🡒]
Illinois Just Watched Nebraska Completely Unravel Late
Nebraskas slide has now reached four straight losses, and the latest one came in a 24-13 defeat to Illinois that was defined as much by the Cornhuskers mistakes as by anything the Illini did. Across offense, defense and special teams, Nebraska never found much rhythm, and the game kept tilting further away as the night wore on.
Illinois took advantage when it mattered, including on special teams, where a successful fake field goal helped swing momentum. For Nebraska, the frustration is only growing as questions around the program continue to build, with dissatisfaction around the special teams operation adding another layer to a season that keeps getting harder to steady. [Read more 🡒]