Football
Illinois Football: 3 Predictions Vs Nebraska
3 Predictions for Illinois Football vs Nebraska, as the Illini look to make it 4-straight and clinch bowl eligibility.
The Illinois Football team has put themselves in a position to make November really interesting, and that opportunity continues tonight when Nebraska visits Memorial Stadium for a 7 p.m. (CT) kickoff. The Fighting Illini have won 3 straight in the Big Ten, improving to 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play entering the final stretch of the regular season. Now, Bret Bielema’s team has a chance to secure bowl eligibility with a fourth straight victory at Memorial Stadium.
However, Nebraska won’t make things easy.
Despite losing 3 consecutive games to Indiana (20-17), Oregon (17-14) and Washington (17-10), the Cornhuskers started the season 5-0 and have kept things too close for comfort in each of their recent losses. That said, Illinois will need to take advantage of Nebraska’s recent offensive turmoil and red-zone inefficiency, while interim defensive coordinator Roger Cooper’s defense continues building on recent improvements. With Katin Houser getting more comfortable following his return, there’s reason to believe the Illini can keep this momentum going.
With bowl eligibility within reach, Illinois has another great opportunity to show how much this team has grown over the past few weeks. That said, here are my 3 predictions of how I see Friday night’s matchup unfolding.
Illinois Football. Collin Dixon. No. 17. Touchdown vs. Oregon. Photo Credit. Vincent Bruington. Armchair Illini.
1. Collin Dixon Breaks an Illinois Football Single-Season Receiving Touchdown Record
Collin Dixon is 1 score away from forever etching his name into the Illinois Football record books, and I think he gets it done tonight agaisnt the Huskers.
The senior wide receiver currently has 10 touchdown receptions, tying the program’s single-season record. Of course, he reached that mark in Week 7, catching the go-ahead touchdown against Oregon to help secure Illinois’ 21-10 win. That score also tied him with Illini greats Pat Bryant, Brandon Lloyd and David Williams for the program’s single-season receiving touchdown record. To date, he’s hauled in 60 receptions for 781 yards and 10 touchdowns.
The Illini senior impressively ranks 5th nationally in receiving touchdowns and 8th in receptions. So, it’s not a stretch to say he’s one of the best receivers in college football and one of the best to ever put on an Illini uniform.
With Houser getting more comfortable back under center, I expect the connection between these two to pick back up and continue producing. Despite increased priority on getting Illinois run game going, I think he finds the end zone at least once and claims the record outright.
2. Interim DC Roger Cooper’s Defense Will Record Two Sacks vs. a Struggling Husker O-Line
Illinois hasn’t exactly been getting after opposing quarterbacks consistently this season.
Through 8 games, the Fighting Illini have recorded just 9 sacks, making their pass rush one of the least productive in the Big Ten (126th nationally). However, Nebraska’s struggling offensive line presents an opportunity for interim DC Roger Cooper’s steadily improving unit to change that.
Notably, the Cornhuskers have allowed 8 sacks during their losing streak, including 2 in last week’s heartbreaking loss to Washington. Nebraska’s front five has struggled mightily to protect the UNLV transfer QB Anthony Colandrea, creating problems for an offense that has also had difficulty establishing a consistent running game.
If the Illini can consistently pressure Colandrea, the sacks and, consequently, the turnovers should follow. The Huskers senior has thrown 5 interceptions over Nebraska’s last 3 games, including 3 against Washington last week. He’s also been sacked 16 times through 8 games (2 per game avg), with 8 coming during the 3-game losing streak.
Considering Illinois’ defensive momentum and Nebraska’s increasing struggles to protect their quarterback, I think Illinois will dial up the pressure as a priority to force Nebraska to beat them on the ground. Ultimately, I think Illinois gets to him at least twice.
3. Illinois Football Wins 24-17 and Clinches Bowl Eligibility
I think this will be a tough, competitive game, but Illinois finds a way to get the job done.
Sometimes snapping a losing streak is easier than keeping a winning streak alive, and Nebraska will certainly be motivated to stop its three-game slide. Still, Illinois has started finding some confidence on the defensive side of the ball at the right time. If the Illini can pressure Colandrea and make Nebraska’s offense uncomfortable, that should give a more reacclimated Houser an opportunity to settle in and get the offense rolling alongside an improved rushing attack. If Illinois can keep the Huskers’ defense on the field, I think Cooper’s crew can take advantage of a Huskers defense that has struggled to consistently get stops during their recent slide.
Ultimately, I see the Fighting Illini doing enough on both sides of the ball to earn a fourth straight win, improve to 6-3, and officially secure bowl eligibility.
Illinois Football. Coach Bret Bielema. Athletic Director Josh Whitman. Photo Credit. Illinois Football. Instagram. (@Illinifootball).