The Nebraska Cornhuskers were sitting pretty at a 3-0 start, looking like they were on their way to an 8-0 record. But a brutal run of late-game collapses has them at 5-3, and now they face a red-hot Illinois team that’s also 5-3 on Friday night. This isn’t just another game, folks, this is crunch time for a team that feels like it’s falling apart.
Nebraska’s Collapse Is Getting Hard to Watch
How do you go from looking like an 8-0 squad to 5-3 in a few weeks? Just ask Nebraska. They absolutely controlled their game against Indiana, but still lost 20-17 after blowing it in the fourth quarter. Then came Oregon, another heartbreaker, a 17-14 loss that felt just as bad. And the Washington game? Forget about it. They gave up *two touchdowns in under 30 seconds* with less than two minutes left on the clock, losing 17-10. You just can’t make this stuff up. It’s tough to watch because their defense has been playing lights out all year. Seriously, the defense is excellent. But here’s the kicker: the offense just isn’t getting it done. Anthony Colandrea is an elite dual-threat quarterback, no doubt, but that raw talent hasn’t translated into enough points when it matters most. They’re struggling to finish games, and that’s a problem when you’re fighting for every win.
Illinois Is Rolling on a Three-Game Heater
On the flip side, Illinois is coming in with some serious momentum, riding a three-game winning streak. They’re also 5-3 overall, but a solid 3-2 in Big Ten play, showing they know how to get it done in conference. After dropping games to Ohio State and Purdue, they woke up and knocked off Michigan State, Oregon, and Maryland. Yeah, the Michigan State win took overtime, and they only beat a “lackluster” Maryland squad with an interim coach 20-17, but a win is a win, right? These guys are finding ways to close games out, which is exactly what Nebraska *isn’t* doing. Illinois is 4-4 against the spread this season, and the Cornhuskers are a bit better at 6-2 ATS, but betting trends can only tell you so much when a team is collapsing late in games like Nebraska. Both teams have leaned slightly to the Over this season, with Illinois at 5-3 and Nebraska at 4-4.
The Stakes Are High and the Model Has a Pick
So, what’s going to happen on Friday? Nebraska is a 4-point road favorite, which feels wild considering their recent form. The Over/Under is sitting at 50.5 points, and kickoff is set for 8 p.m. ET. The SportsLine Projection Model, which has a pretty good record on college football picks this season at 80-77, is actually liking the *Over* on 50.5 points. Despite all those recent low-scoring games and Nebraska’s offensive struggles, the model thinks these teams are going to light up the scoreboard. This game is huge for both teams. With identical 5-3 records, this is about getting on track, keeping that winning streak alive for Illinois, or finally breaking the late-game curse for Nebraska. You know we’ll be watching to see if Nebraska can finally put together a full game or if Illinois keeps their hot streak going.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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