Sep 193 min read

No. 24 Illinois Meets No. 22 Nebraska in Friday Night Matchup

The No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (3-0) will travel to Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., for a Sept. 20 Big Ten Conference matchup with the No. 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-0) at 8 p.m. EST. The Illini and the Huskers each handled their business in non-conference play, and will now look to stay perfect as they begin their Big Ten seasons.

What's at Stake?

Nebraska has gained national attention throughout the offseason and within the first three weeks of the college football season, but many still say Nebraska hasn’t had a real test. A home win on Sept. 7 against Colorado has been their best win thus far, but now the Huskers will look to truly cement themselves as a team not to be trifled with in their first ranked matchup. On the other hand, Illinois already has a ranked win under its belt this season as it defeated No. 19 Kansas at home on Sept. 7. The Jayhawks have since fallen outside of the AP Top 25 Poll. Nevertheless, it was a great early season win for head coach Bret Bielema’s squad. The question that Illinois will look to answer in this one—was Kansas overrated or are the Illini truly a good squad?

Key Players: Nebraska

Dylan Raiola, Quarterback

At this point, it feels almost tiring as we find Raiola as a key player week in and week out. But any football fan knows that the quarterback plays an integral part in whether a team wins or loses. Raiola threw his first interception of the season against Northern Iowa last week on a deep shot. Although interceptions aren’t typically a good thing, the Huskers may see it as a good thing to get out of the way as they enter conference play. The last thing Nebraska wants is for the freshman quarterback to play too conservative.

Dante Dowdell, RB

For the second week in a row, Dowdell finds himself as a key player for the Huskers. Dowdell has led Nebraska in back-to-back games in both carries and rushing yards. He has established himself as the lead guy in a crowded running back room. Nebraska will lean on him often as they enter Big Ten play.

Isaac Gifford, DB

Three games into the season, Gifford leads Nebraska in total tackles (17). Normally a stat category led by linebackers, the Huskers are led by the senior defensive back. Nebraska will line Gifford up all over the field, and he is sure to make an impact in one way or another.

Tommi Hill, DB

Hill has garnered national media attention for his impressive ball-hawking skills. Hill has spent time at wide receiver for the Huskers in previous years, giving him an upper hand. Illinois quarterback Luke Altmeyer has yet to throw an interception this season. Look for Hill and the rest of the Nebraska secondary to try and change that.

Key Players: Illinois

Luke Altmeyer, Quarterback

Speaking of Altmeyer, let’s talk about him and the Illinois offense. A transfer from Mississippi, Altmeyer is in his second year of leading the Illini. As mentioned above, Altmeyer has taken care of the ball this season. If he can continue to limit mistakes, then Illinois will have a good shot to win this football game.

Pat Bryant, WR

Bryant is off to a hot start for the Illini this season. Through their first three games, Bryant has caught 15 passes for 235 yards and 4 touchdowns. At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Bryant will be a tough matchup for many defensive backs throughout the country.

Xavier Scott, DB

Scott has been very impressive for Illinois this season. Scott has picked off 3 passes, taking one back for a touchdown. The turnover battle is always important in football and Scott could be a major factor in Illinois winning said battle.

Illinois Defensive Line

The entirety of the Illinois defensive line will play a major factor in this game. A big part of why Raiola has been so good this season is the lack of pressure he has had to endure. If Illinois can put pressure on Raiola early and often, then he could struggle.

Trends to Watch

A season that will continue to be referenced a lot in the early going for Nebraska is 2016. In the 2016 season, the Huskers started the season 7-0 and went as high as No. 5 in The Associated Press Top 25 Poll. Can the Huskers continue to keep pace with the 2016 squad?

The Huskers took last season’s matchup in Champaign, Ill., by a final score of 20-7. Before that, Illinois held a three-game winning streak in the series, their longest of said series. Nebraska leads all time by a record of 14-6-1.