Nebraska football falls to Illinois in overtime

Illinois couldn’t help but crash the Nebraska party.

On a night when Nebraska celebrated its rich past, honoring a historic 400-game sellout streak, the Huskers couldn’t mark the occasion with a win.

No. 22 Nebraska crumbled late and fell 31-24 to No. 24 Illinois in overtime on Friday night at Memorial Stadium.

The loss marked the Huskers’ 24th straight to a ranked opponent, a streak which dates back to the 2016 season — and Friday’s defeat was just as painful as the 23 others.

A 60-minute battle gave way to an overtime period in which Nebraska (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) never looked comfortable. It took Illinois (4-0, 1-0) all of two plays to find its way into the end zone on a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luke Altmyer.

Needing a touchdown of its own, Nebraska only went one way: backward. A false start, a sack and an intentional grounding penalty set up a whopping third-and-42 for quarterback Dylan Raiola. After a short pass, the Huskers’ final chance at the end zone ended with Raiola laying on the turf and Illinois players flexing and celebrating on the Nebraska logo at midfield.

“We were going to take a shot the first play and then we false-started. Even on the last one, we missed a blitz pickup,” head coach Matt Rhule said. “The moment showed up and we didn’t make the plays you have to make to win those games.”

It was a chilling end to an evening that had begun with sunny optimism springing from Nebraska’s undefeated start.

Raiola, who’d powered a resurgent Husker offense over the season’s first three weeks, turned in another strong performance. The freshman quarterback completed 24 of 35 passes for 297 yards and three touchdowns, two of which went to senior wide receiver Isaiah Neyor.

A 6-yard touchdown grab for Neyor was followed by a near-miss in the corner of the end zone on a play where Illinois’ Torrie Cox came away with an interception instead.

Then an 11-yard connection between Raiola and Neyor later in the first half involved the wide receiver dragging his toes across the turf for a highlight catch which capped a nine-play, 70-yard touchdown drive.

“I wish we could’ve got him a couple more throws to go make plays,” Raiola said of Neyor.

After taking a 17-10 lead into halftime, it was an up-and-down second half for the Husker offense.

A quick punt meant that by the time Illinois had run 20 plays in the third quarter, NU had run just four — though a long touchdown drive ending in a touch pass from Raiola to Janiran Bonner regained a seven-point Nebraska lead.

The Huskers wouldn’t score again as their final 17 offensive plays netted a total of minus-4 yards.

Yet, it wasn’t the offense that Rhule felt had let the team down.

“I don’t think the offense was much of an issue,” Rhule said. “… The defense took the ball away twice but couldn’t get off the field. I thought we had a really hot offense there for a while and would’ve loved to have gotten them the ball a little bit more.”

Indeed, it will be the Nebraska defense that has an intense week of film study on the horizon. The Huskers did force two turnovers on fumbles jarred loose by linebacker John Bullock and cornerback Ceyair Wright.

However, of Illinois’ final five possessions, three ended in touchdowns. Altmyer threw four passing scores, including the game-winner in overtime which followed a 21-yard gain from running back Kaden Feagin.

“It hurts because we really just kind of beat ourselves,” Ty Robinson said of the Nebraska defense’s performance.

The Huskers were not helped by an undisciplined night of football that resulted in nine penalties and 89 yards of penalty yardage. Not all of the calls were obvious — Rhule spent much of the night in the ear of the official closest to him on the sideline — but the head coach said afterward he wouldn’t comment on the penalties until he reviewed the film.

“We hurt ourselves,” Rhule said, adding that Illinois appeared to be “the more physical team.”

Nebraska also lost starting cornerback Tommi Hill and left tackle Turner Corcoran to injuries during the game while defensive lineman Jimari Butler was able to return to the field after briefly needing treatment. NU was also without its usual starting kicker, Tristan Alvano, leaving redshirt freshman John Hohl to take over the kicking duties instead.

Hohl made a 21-yard field goal early in the game, but when he lined up a 39-yard try that would’ve put Nebraska ahead with three minutes to play, it sailed wide. Hohl’s services nearly weren’t needed. Raiola had a streaking Luke Lindenmeyer open in the end zone for a go-ahead touchdown, but his pass sailed out of reach from the diving grasp of the tight end.

“That’s a makeable field goal; I felt like we would make that field goal,” Rhule said. “When I looked at it, the laces weren’t turned out, he had to kick the laces and it just wasn’t made.”

Nebraska honored its 400th consecutive sellout with a special ceremony between the first and second quarters. Highlights from decades prior superimposed with commentary from legendary college football announcer Keith Jackson played on the stadium’s videoboards before fans took part in a card stunt.

Those sitting in East stadium held up cards that read “400th sellout 1962-2024” and when flipped, “No place like Nebraska.”

And when it was all said and done, the night ended with Nebraska still having won 324 of the games played during its 400-game sellout streak.

Next up for the Huskers is a road date at Purdue. Before then, Raiola said that NU would “let this one hurt for a day or two.”

The loss will remain in the record books for much longer than that, though.

“The narrative has been, ‘Hey they’re going to win all these games,’ and my narrative’s just been to go 1-0 every week and lock in,” Rhule said. “We have a lot to learn from this game, but I’m sure our guys will bounce back.”