Nebraska vs. Illinois: Keys to victory, HuskerOnline score predictions for Friday
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – Nebraska will travel to Illinois for a Friday night game at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. It’s the second time since 2017 that NU has played at Illinois on a Friday, and the Huskers’ fourth non-Thanksgiving weekend Friday game over the last seven seasons.
As we get closer to kickoff, here are today’s keys to victory for Nebraska over Illinois.
The Huskers enter tonight’s game as a 3.5-point underdog to the Illini. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on FS1.
KEYS TO VICTORY: Nebraska vs. Illinois
KEY 1: Come out punching
The start of this game is crucial for both teams. The Huskers have to come out punching and want this football game more.
KEY 2: Establish a QB run game
Last week, Michigan took away Nebraska’s quarterback run game. You have to expect Illinois will try as well. For this entire offense to succeed, the QB run game needs to be more involved.
KEY 3: Get off the field on third down
Last week, Nebraska struggled to get off the field on third down against Michigan. That allowed the Wolverines to build an early lead. The Huskers have to be better tonight against an Illinois offense that was just 2-of-13 a week ago on third down in a 44-19 loss to Purdue.
KEY 4: Don’t get beat by Jer’Zhan Newton up front
Illinois has the best defensive lineman in the Big Ten in Jer’Zhan Newton. The Huskers must be aware of his presence and not get beat in one-on-one match-ups.
KEY 5: Want it more
Matt Rhule and the coaching staff challenged Nebraska this week in practice. How will this team respond? This game is equally important to Illinois to get their season on track.
EXPERT TAKE
Sean Callahan – HuskerOnline Pubisher
This game will be a fight, but Matt Rhule’s message will hit home to his football team. The Huskers go into Champaign and ride their defense to a close win as a 3.5-point underdog.
Nebraska 24, Illinois 20
Steven Sipple – HuskerOnline columnist
It won’t be pretty. We know that. Nebraska’s offense seldom looks pretty. But I think Nebraska’s pride was stung in last week’s blowout loss to Michigan and the Huskers will respond accordingly in all three phases of the game. The key may be making sure Illinois defensive lineman Jer’Zhan Newton doesn’t take over the game in the trenches.
Nebraska 27, Illinois 20
Robin Washut – HuskerOnline senior writer
Nebraska is entering a defining month of October for how the rest of its 2023 season will play out. So is Illinois. Both teams are coming off bad losses on a short week and are desperate for a victory. The Fighting Illini don’t present nearly the challenge Michigan was, and the Huskers find a way to pull out a critical road win.
Nebraska 24, Illinois 21
Andy Kendeigh – KETV ABC-Omaha
This has the feeling of a game in which the first team to 20 wins. Nebraska and Illinois are two teams that desperately need a win—if nothing else to show their fans hope and promise for the second half. Matt Rhule said after the Michigan blowout we will find out a lot about him and a lot about his team Friday night. I think we find out Nebraska — even undermanned — can play tough, smart football and make enough offensively plays to win.
Nebraska 20, Illinois 17
Jim Rose – 1110 KFAB Radio-Omaha
To me, the Huskers are right where I thought they would be after five games. And now the fun begins. The next three are against sub .500 teams, and nobody (maybe Maryland) on the Husker schedule will be in the top 25 the rest of the year. That is fertile ground for wins. It starts Friday night when most of the state of Illinois will be watching a HS game over this one. Maybe even some of the Illini players will be too.
Nebraska 28, Illinois 10
Mike’l Severe – Big Red Wrap-Up
I’ve seen three or four things from Illinois this season that are in Nebraska’s favor. First, the Illini are averaging more than seven penalties and 72 yards a game. The Illinois defense has allowed some big receptions to the TEs they have faced, giving up nearly 13 yards a reception. Lastly, Illinois’ defense has only had seven sacks on the season, allowing 4.6 yards per rush and 180 yards rushing a game. If the Husker offense can’t get going this week, they never will.
Nebraska 27, Illinois 21
HuskerOnline Week 6 Score Predictions
| Week 6 | Sean Callahan | Steven Sipple | Robin Washut | Andy Kendeigh | Jim Rose | Mike’l Severe |
| Nebraska at Illinois | 24-20 Nebraska | 27-20 Nebraska | 24-21 Nebraska | 20-17 Nebraska | 28-10 Nebraska | 27-21 Nebraska |
| Maryland at Ohio State | 41-21 Ohio State | 38-28 Ohio State | 31-20 Ohio State | 42-21 Ohio State | 35-27 Ohio State | 38-14 Ohio State |
| Purdue at Iowa | 17-13 Iowa | 21-17 Iowa | 12-5 Iowa | 17-13 Iowa | 23-14 Iowa | 21-16 Iowa |
| Michigan at Minnesota | 38-14 Michigan | 38-12 Michigan | 34-10 Michigan | 42-14 Michigan | 38-14 Michigan | 38-10 Michigan |
| Oklahoma at Texas | 34-31 Texas | 42-28 Texas | 38-31 Texas | 41-34 Texas | 31-24 Texas | 34-24 Texas |
| Alabama at Texas A&M | 38-34 Alabama | 28-21 Texas A&M | 29-28 Texas A&M | 31-28 Texas A&M | 28-21 Alabama | 20-17 Alabama |
HuskerOnline Pick Standings
| Picker | Straight Up | Vs. Spread | Cumulative |
| Jim Rose | 22-8 | 19-9 | 41 |
| Sean Callahan | 23-7 | 16-14 | 39 |
| Andy Kendeigh | 22-8 | 17-13 | 39 |
| Robin Washut | 22-8 | 16-14 | 38 |
| Steven Sipple | 20-10 | 17-13 | 37 |
| Mike’l Severe | 21-9 | 14-16 | 35 |
Sean Callahan can be reached at [email protected] and is heard daily at 6:45 am and 5:05 pm on Big Red Radio 1110 KFAB in Omaha during the football season. He can also be seen on KETV Channel 7 in Omaha during the fall, and each week, he appears on Nebraska Public Media’s Big Red Wrap-Up Tuesdays at 7 pm.
