Nebraska’s slide kept rolling Friday night in Champaign, and this one stung in a different way.
The Huskers fell to Illinois 24-13, their fourth straight loss, and unlike the previous three, this one was not decided by a single score. Still, Nebraska had chances to make it a very different game. A missed field goal here, a failed fourth down there, and a few big Illinois plays in between helped turn a winnable night into another long walk off the field.
John Hohl, who took over kicking duties after Kyle Cunanan missed a 36-yarder in last week’s 17-10 loss to Washington, missed two first-half field goals. He was wide on attempts from 45 and 54 yards, with the longer try coming with 11 seconds left in the half and leaving the score tied at 7.
Illinois seized control right after halftime. The Illini opened the third quarter with a 75-yard, 13-play drive that ended in a touchdown and the lead.
The biggest moment came on fourth-and-12 at the Nebraska 32, when Illinois lined up as if it were going to kick a field goal. Instead, holder Lars Rau picked up the ball and ran 29 yards to the Husker 3.
Three plays later, Katin Houser found Jordan Anderson on a 5-yard touchdown pass.
Nebraska’s only third-quarter possession covered 50 yards in 11 plays before stalling at the Illinois 25. On fourth-and-1, Anthony Colandrea’s pass to Jacory Barney Jr. fell incomplete.
Illinois answered with another scoring drive, this one eight plays and 74 yards, finishing in the fourth quarter on Houser’s 6-yard touchdown throw to Collin Dixon. Dixon was a problem all night, finishing with eight catches for 129 yards and both Illinois touchdowns. Those were his 11th and 12th touchdown receptions of the season.
For the first time this year, Nebraska entered the fourth quarter trailing by double digits, down 21-7. The Huskers finally punched back with a 91-yard drive in just 2:48, capped by Colandrea’s 51-yard touchdown pass to Barney. That cut the deficit to one score and gave Nebraska life.
Then came the decision that changed the math. Instead of kicking the extra point, Nebraska went for two, and Colandrea’s pass failed. That meant any future touchdown would still leave the Huskers needing another two-point try just to tie.
Illinois didn’t let the door stay open long. The Illini took the ensuing kickoff and marched 76 yards in 10 plays, using 2:48 to add a 21-yard field goal and push the lead back out.
Nebraska still had 8:33 left, but the offense couldn’t cash in. The Huskers drove to the Illinois 25 before another fourth-and-1 ended with an incomplete Colandrea pass.
“In the critical moments, I have to play better,” Colandrea said.
Colandrea and Dawson Merritt were the only Huskers, besides Matt Rhule, to speak in the formal postgame setting. There wasn’t much any of them could say to make the loss easier to process after a 5-0 start had set such high expectations.
Rhule spoke for about 10 minutes and kept coming back to the same point: Nebraska had moved the ball, but that wasn’t enough. “It was a good football game for a long time,” he said.
The Huskers finished with 426 yards of offense, but the scoreboard told the real story. Penalties hurt again, too. Nebraska was flagged 11 times for 82 yards, while Illinois had six penalties for 55 yards.
Rhule had already made one major adjustment after the Washington loss, moving offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen from the field to the press box. What comes next before Nebraska heads to Piscataway, N.J., to face Rutgers is still unclear. But after another loss, another round of changes feels inevitable.
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Nebraskas Fourth Straight Loss Exposed Two Bigger Problems
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Archie Wilson Just Became An Unlikely Nebraska Bright Spot
A season that had already put Nebraskas special teams under a microscope got a lift this week when Archie Wilson landed on the Ray Guy Award Midseason Watch List. The honor, which goes to the nations top punter, is a notable turnaround for a player who had been under fire earlier in the year and has now worked his way back into the conversation with his leg.
Wilsons latest recognition came after a strong showing that earned him Ray Guy Punter of the Week, highlighted by a 49.8 net-yard average, four punts inside the Washington 20-yard line and no returns. For a Nebraska team looking for steadier footing in all phases, Wilson has suddenly become one of the more encouraging developments on the roster. [Read more 🡒]