Illinois absolutely shut down Nebraska’s College Football Playoff dreams Friday night, taking a 24-13 victory at Memorial Stadium. For the Cornhuskers, it was their fourth straight loss, including three by a total of only 13 points, making it a brutal 28th one-score loss since 2021. That’s an FBS high that should make any fan sick to their stomach. What a swing, especially since a month ago Nebraska was flying high at 5-0 and dreaming big about the College Football Playoff.
Illini’s Stunning Turnaround and Special Style
Talk about a team finding its stride! The Fighting Illini were sitting at a rough 2-3 earlier this season, even parting ways with their defensive coordinator. But after beating Nebraska, they have now reeled off four straight wins, and suddenly they are looking at a long-shot CFP bid. It’s a proper parachute landing after a season that looked like it was going to crash. Illinois wasn’t just winning, though, they were winning in style. Head coach Bret Bielema and his wife, Jen, sprung for special navy blue helmets featuring a cursive “Illini” script for this national spotlight game. Bielema even admitted, “They’re not cheap. I didn’t tell my wife what it was gonna cost.” You gotta love that. Captain Matthew Bailey, the team’s leading tackler, emerged last from the tunnel during pregame intros, ready to set the tone, and his hard-hitting play throughout the night backed it up.
Key Plays and Cornhuskers’ Continued Struggles
The game kicked off with the U.S. Air Force Academy’s Wings of Blue parachute team thrilling the crowd, an impressive start to a game that saw big swings. Nebraska actually got on the board first, with running back Mekhi Nelson breaking free for a 15-yard touchdown run early in the second quarter. Offensive lineman Paul Mubenga even gave Nelson a celebratory lift. But Illinois answered right back just before halftime with a touchdown catch from receiver Collin Dixon. Dixon had an absolutely massive night, pulling in eight passes for 129 yards and two touchdowns, setting a new Illinois record for single-season TD receptions. Seriously, that deserves a bow. Then, on the first possession of the second half, the Illini pulled off a wild field-goal fake called “Charlie Brown,” with punter/holder Lars Rau taking off for a 29-yard sprint to the Nebraska 3-yard line. Three plays later, Illinois scored, taking a 14-7 lead they would not give up. For Nebraska, it was another tough night where getting points was a massive problem. They have not scored more than 17 points in *any* of their four straight losses. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea threw for 284 yards and ran for 27 more, and coach Matt Rhule’s squad even topped Illinois in total yards, first downs, and time of possession. But ultimately, none of that mattered for the scoreboard, which, by the way, is the largest in college football at Gies Memorial Stadium, measuring a massive 69 feet high by 250 feet wide.
The Cornhuskers’ dreams of a playoff run are definitively crashed to earth. Illinois, on the other hand, keeps its unlikely dream alive. After this primetime upset, Illinois will be riding high, looking to keep their winning streak going and push their long-shot CFP bid even further.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
Leave a Reply