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Nebraska Football vs. Illinois Drew Big Friday Night Audience for FOX

College football fans were treated to an epic Friday night Big Ten Conference showdown last week, as Nebraska and Illinois' overtime battle drew more than 4 million viewers.

Austin Jacobsen

Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) runs after a catch against Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Matthew Bailey (7) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium.
Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers wide receiver Isaiah Neyor (18) runs after a catch against Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Matthew Bailey (7) during the first quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images
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Despite the overtime loss Friday night, Nebraska football continues to be must-watch television.

FOX Sports said Monday that the season's second iteration of "FOX College Football Friday" was the most-watched telecast of the day on any network. The top-25 matchup of unbeaten teams topped out at over 4.2 million viewers during the Friday night contest at Memorial Stadium.

The viewership total made it the most-watched television broadcast for FOX Sports for a Friday night since the 2023 World Series in October of last year. The Texas Rangers downed the Arizona Diamondbacks 6-5 in the opening contest of the World Series.

Viewers tuned into a classic Big Ten Conference battle Friday night, as then-ranked No. 24 Illinois took down No. 22 Nebraska 31-24 in overtime. The game featured several lead changes, an extra period play, and several key moments including controversial review reversals. Although the Huskers were listed as touchdown favorites entering the contest, the Illini's ground-and-pound running game and late defense secured the road victory.

It is the second time Nebraska football has broken a viewership record, having blasted the NBC "Big Ten Saturday Night" record with 6.3 million viewers for the Huskers' 28-10 victory over Colorado in Week Two. The Huskers have been featured on primary networks throughout their first four games including FS1, NBC, the Big Ten Network, and FOX.

During the overtime period of the contest, between 10:15 and 10:30 p.m. CDT, the viewership peaked at around 5.06 million viewers. Nebraska's contest took down the previous week's top 25 Big 12 matchup against Arizona and Kansas State, which peaked at 2.8 million viewers.

Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) is brought down by Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Miles Scott
Sep 20, 2024; Lincoln, Nebraska, USA; Nebraska Cornhuskers running back Dante Dowdell (23) is brought down by Illinois Fighting Illini defensive back Miles Scott (10) during the fourth quarter at Memorial Stadium. / Dylan Widger-Imagn Images

Saturday, Nebraska will hit the road for the first time in 2024 to battle Purdue. It will be the first time the Huskers are broadcast only on a streaming platform since the Maryland matchup in 2023, as NU and the Boilermakers will face off on Peacock. The Big Red's homecoming contest with Rutgers on Oct. 5 was recently announced as a 3 p.m. CDT kickoff to be broadcast on FS1.

The Huskers still await television and kickoff assignments for five of their last six games. The regular-season finale at Iowa's Kinnick Stadium will be broadcast on NBC and streamed on Peacock.

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MORE:  Husker Dan: The Aftermath of the Illinois Loss

MORE: 3rd and 42: A Look at Nebraska's Disastrous Overtime Possession

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Austin Jacobsen
AUSTIN JACOBSEN

Austin Jacobsen is a radio broadcaster and former Sports Director in Central Nebraska. He has seen the Cornhusker state from all corners; growing up in the Panhandle, completing his college degree in Kearney, working in the rural Sandhills, and now residing in Omaha. Austin is a statewide, regional, and national radio award winner and can usually be found at a high school football field on Friday nights and tuning in to the Huskers wherever they travel. If he is not on the road, Austin enjoys movie dates with his girlfriend and their dog, Ava.

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