Nebraska Football Opponent Preview: Illinois

Date: Friday, September 20th, 2024

Location: Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, NE

Time: 7 p.m.

TV Broadcast Info: TV – FOX (Tim Brando, Devin Gardner, Josh Sims)

Radio Info: Husker Radio Network with Greg Sharpe, Damon Benning and Jessica Cody. A list of affiliates can be found at Huskers.com/Listen.

Illinois – Nebraska History: Friday’s meeting between Nebraska and Illinois will be the 22nd all-time matchup between the schools and the 12th consecutive season the teams have met on the gridiron. Nebraska has a 14-6-1 edge in the all-time series, including a 7-4 advantage since Nebraska joined the Big Ten.

Preview: Illinois enters Friday night’s game ranked #24 in the AP Poll. They have a 3-0 record, with a 30-9 victory over Central Michigan last Saturday in Champaign. They also have a 45-0 win over Eastern Illinois and 23-17 win over then #19 Kansas. This will be the first game Illinois has played away from Champaign this season.

The Illini come into this contest averaging 32.7 points per game this season. Offensively, Illinois features a balanced attack, rushing for 153.3 yards per game, while producing 225.3 passing yards per contest. The leading rusher for Illinois is Sophomore Kaden Feagin, who leads the team with 176 yards on 42 carries and 3 touchdowns. Junior Quarterback Luke Altmyer is completing 69.2% of his passes on the season, throwing for 6 touchdowns and 0 interceptions. Senior Pat Bryant leads the receiving corps with 235 yards on 15 receptions and 4 touchdowns.

Photo by Justin Casterline/Getty Images

The Illini have relied on an opportunistic defense through three games, producing nine takeaways and a +8 turnover margin, which ranks second in the nation. Coach Bret Bielema’s team allows just 277.3 yards (125.7 rushing and 151.6 passing) and 8.7 points per game. Sophomore Defensive Back Matthew Bailey leads the team with 17 tackles. Junior Cornerback Xavier Scott has 3 interceptions and a forced fumble to lead the team, while Junior Defensive Back Miles Scott has 2 interceptions and a forced fumble. Illinois has only 5 sacks through three games this season.

This team was not very disciplined last year and certainly wasn’t as good in creating turnovers. Illinois can certainly hurt you on the ground, as Altmyer has a propensity of taking off if he needs a couple of yards. Otherwise, the Blackshirts know they have their work cut out for them. Force Altmyer to throw more and I think Nebraska will be fine. Offensively, Raiola will have to stay away from Xavier Scott, much like he did with Travis Hunter. Be smart with throws across the middle and establish the run. Keep Illinois off the field and Nebraska should win.