Keys to Victory: Nebraska vs. Illinois

Huskers looking to get to 4-0 as they head into conference play.

Sep 14, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) runs against the Northern Iowa Panthers during the third quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Nebraska opens up conference play on Friday night with a matchup against Illinois under the lights at Memorial Stadium. The Huskers come in ranked #22 in both major college football polls, while the Illini are #24 in the AP poll. Friday’s game will feature the first contest between two ranked teams in Memorial Stadium in roughly a decade. 

On behalf of the Common Fan podcast, here are three keys to victory for the Huskers, and three keys to victory for all the fellow Common Fans. 

Nebraska’s Keys to Victory

Take Care of the Ball. Illinois boasts a +8 turnover margin (good for #2 in the country in that category), having intercepted their opponents six times in the first three games of the year. The defense overall has been very strong for the Illini, coming in at #33 in Total Defense, #31 in Passing Defense, and #13 in Scoring Defense. This will be the stiffest test yet for Dylan Raiola and the revamped Nebraska offense. Illinois’ strength on defense is in its outside linebackers and secondary; Coach Rhule said this week he was impressed by how the Illini defense disguises coverages, leading to confusion for opposing quarterbacks. The Huskers have to take care of the football in what could be an old fashioned Big Ten slobber knocker. Ideally, the Nebraska offense will be able to lean on its veteran offensive line to win at the line of scrimmage and run the ball at will. That will open up the passing game and allow offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield to dial up some high percentage throws for the young Raiola. 

Interestingly, Nebraska is at +3 in turnover margin, an area that has absolutely haunted the Big Red seemingly since Tom Osborne retired. Let’s hope they can keep up the positive momentum on that front as we move into conference play. 

Get to the Quarterback. We’ve become accustomed to Bret Beliema-led offenses excelling at running the football. This year’s Illinois team has taken a more balanced approach, coming in at #73 in the country in Rushing Offense and #73 in the country in Passing Offense. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has been good, throwing for 647 yards and six touchdowns while completing nearly 70% of his passes. He’s helped by two NFL-caliber receivers in Pat Bryant and Zakhari Franklin.

I like Nebraska’s chances to contain the Illini’s run game. What I’d really like to see is the Huskers giving Altmyer the Shedeur Sanders treatment, getting into the backfield early and often, never letting him get too comfortable, disrupting the passing game and getting sacks. The latest betting lines have Nebraska favored by about 8.5; if the defense can control the game, the Huskers will win by double digits. 

Hold the Line on Special Teams. Illinois’ special teams have been solid so far this season. They’ve had two kickers contribute, going a combined 7-for-8 on field goals, making two between 40-49 yards and hitting two over 50 yards (including a 59 yarder!). So far this season, the Huskers have missed a field goal, had a punt blocked, and had a few adventures covering kickoffs. Nebraska doesn’t necessarily need special teams to win the game for them (in the same way, say, an Iowa would), but the Huskers need to do no harm on Friday night. 

Common Fan Keys to Victory

Make Some Noise. Too many teams have come into Memorial Stadium and won in recent years. No longer. Nebraska is 3-0 at home so far this year, and the Colorado game showed the power of the home crowd in Lincoln. It’s been awesome to hear Nebraska players and coaches talk about how fantastic the home crowd has been at all three games so far this season. We saw how difficult it was for the Colorado offense to get into a rhythm due to the crowd noise. This is absolutely an area where Common Fans can have a direct impact on the team’s performance. Let’s bring that energy on Friday night, and make Memorial Stadium a miserable place to play for opposing teams, this year and forever more.

Be Flexible. I know not everyone loves the Friday night game. Friday nights are reserved for high school football. That’s totally fair. But the reality in the new world of college football is, if Nebraska is going to accept the fat paychecks from the conference, we’re going to have to accept the occasional Friday night game. Embrace it. Even the high school teams in Lincoln are being flexible, moving their games this week to Thursday night to avoid a conflict with the Nebraska game. Hopefully, the Big Red gets to 4-0 on Friday night, and all Common Fans can enjoy a lovely college football weekend with the comfort of a W already under our belts.

Take the Afternoon Off Why Don’t You. In the name of being flexible and embracing the moment, go ahead and take the afternoon off. The forecast had called for rain, but now it’s looking like it might hold off until Saturday. The University has canceled in-person classes for the entire day. If you’re going to the game, get down there a couple hours early to make sure you have plenty of time to get your spot and tailgate. If you’re watching from home or with friends, get your afternoon chores done, start prepping your game time snacks, and be ready to yell at the TV for three hours. I for one can’t wait for a little Friday night Big Ten action. Now let’s go 1-0 this week, Huskers. 

As always, GBR for LIFE. 

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