Illinois Breaks Two-Decade Drought With Upset At No. 22 Nebraska

The Illini keep shocking the college football world.

Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers head coach Matt Rhule and Illinois Fighting Illini head coach Bret Bielema talk before a game at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dylan Widger-Imagn Images / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

In a rare case of Friday night fever, No. 24 Illinois (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) got the last laugh  with a 31-24 overtime win in Lincoln, Neb.

Over 90,000 packed Memorial Stadium for what was supposed to be a celebration of a storied No. 22 Nebraska (3-1, 0-1 Big Ten) team finally turning the corner under second-year coach Matt Rhule and getting reassurance Dylan Raiola is the quarterback of the future in Lincoln.

The Illini had other ideas. 

For the first time since 2001, they won a ranked-versus-ranked matchup. Again, for the second time in as many weeks, they overcame a high-powered offense but counterpunched with a four-touchdown outing from Luke Altmyer, with two of them, including the eventual game-winner, to Pat Bryant.

Illinois added five sacks in the win, including forcing a missed field goal to send the game to overtime.

Bret Bielema said postgame he was proud of the way his team fought through the trenches to earn the win, re-emphasizing its ability to go as far as they want to.

“I can't say enough about these guys, the attitude they work with, the perseverance, the gratitude,” Bielema said. “All they've done is make next week even bigger.”

Illinois’ next game is arguably its toughest thus far, as it rematches No. 10 Penn State in State College next Saturday at a time to be determined. Bielema is 1-1 against the Nittany Lions in his tenure, as his last trip saw him pull off a nine-overtime upset, 20-18, in 2021.

Zain Bando is a contributor to Illinois Fighting Illini On SI. He can be reached at zainbando99@gmail.com or follow him on X @zainbando99