CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — The Illinois Fighting Illini earned bowl eligibility for a third consecutive year on Friday night, defeating the Nebraska Cornhuskers 24-13 at Memorial Stadium to hand the visitors their fourth straight defeat.
Illinois quarterback Katin Houser tossed three touchdown passes, two of which were caught by wide receiver Collin Dixon, according to The News-Gazette. The victory pushed the Fighting Illini to 6-3 overall, extending their winning streak to four games, while Nebraska dropped to 5-4 overall and 2-4 in Big Ten competition after starting the campaign 5-0.
Special teams trick sparks second half
Nebraska and Illinois entered halftime tied at 7-7 after Husker running back Mekhi Nelson scored on a 15-yard sweep to finish off a 98-yard drive, while kicker John Hohl missed two first-half field-goal tries from 45 and 54 yards, SB Nation reported.
The game turned on the opening possession of the second half. Facing a fourth-and-12 from Nebraska’s 32-yard line, Illinois bypassed a 50-yard field goal try and executed a fake, picking up 29 yards to extend the drive, Sports Illustrated reported. Three plays later, the Illini found the end zone to take a 14-7 lead, opening up a run where Illinois scored on four of five possessions spanning the second through fourth quarters.
Nebraska’s defense entered the contest ranked eighth nationally in total yards allowed, but surrendered touchdown drives measuring 73, 75, and 74 yards alongside a 76-yard drive that yielded a field goal, according to Sports Illustrated and SB Nation.
Missed chances derail Cornhuskers
Nebraska outgained Illinois 426 yards to 376 yards and held a 25-19 advantage in first downs, but discipline and execution issues proved costly. The Cornhuskers committed 11 penalties for 82 yards and failed to convert on two fourth-down attempts in Illinois territory during the second half, SB Nation reported.
Quarterback Anthony Colandrea avoided throwing an interception for the first time in five games and delivered a 51-yard touchdown pass to Jacory Barney Jr., but Nebraska could not close the gap after a failed two-point conversion attempt left them trailing, Sports Illustrated reported.
“I think about as we’re building things here at Illinois now we’re three seasons in a row that we’ll have postseason play, which is absolutely awesome and really hard,” Illinois head coach Bret Bielema said following the game, as quoted by The News-Gazette. “To be in this job where we’re at right now, 6-3 and we beat another 5-3 team.”
Looking ahead
The win marked the first time Illinois has earned bowl eligibility in three consecutive campaigns since John Mackovic coached the program in the early 1990s, The News-Gazette reported.
Illinois heads west next Friday night to face fifth-ranked UCLA at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, California. Nebraska travels to New Jersey next weekend to play Rutgers as head coach Matt Rhule’s squad searches for a sixth win to secure its own postseason bid.
