Illinois vs Nebraska, Friday, November 6th, 7:00pm CT, FOX

#31      
IMG_4079.jpeg
Ill-ini blue edition. Yes pls 💙💙💙
 
#34      
I’ll say this, Washington gave us the blueprint for beating Nebraska tonight. If you can keep Colandrea contained in the pocket, his effectiveness falls off a cliff. Do not “over rush” to get home on him, pin him in and make him throw.

If you let him get outside the pocket, or you get too far up field and give him that middle lane, he will make you pay. He’s an elite runner. But if you don’t let him take off and freelance, make him beat you with his arm, he’s going to struggle.

Nebraska has a much better defense than prior years. They generate a lot of pressure. Going to need Hauser to be quick getting rid of the ball.

It’s going to be interesting. Definitely a winnable game though.
 
#35      
I’ll say this, Washington gave us the blueprint for beating Nebraska tonight. If you can keep Colandrea contained in the pocket, his effectiveness falls off a cliff. Do not “over rush” to get home on him, pin him in and make him throw.

If you let him get outside the pocket, or you get too far up field and give him that middle lane, he will make you pay. He’s an elite runner. But if you don’t let him take off and freelance, make him beat you with his arm, he’s going to struggle.

Nebraska has a much better defense than prior years. They generate a lot of pressure. Going to need Hauser to be quick getting rid of the ball.

It’s going to be interesting. Definitely a winnable game though.
I think you nailed it. Nice summary! (And it does indeed seem that we always have a kicking game advantage....regardless of opponent.)
 
#36      
Or completely broken. This will have been on three straight fourth quarter losses.

They should have been desperate tonight coming out of the bye.
The good news is we have the better coach and confidence. I am hoping that they come out flat on Friday and we take advantage of it. The crowd last night in Lincoln was booing.
 
#39      
I’ll say this, Washington gave us the blueprint for beating Nebraska tonight. If you can keep Colandrea contained in the pocket, his effectiveness falls off a cliff. Do not “over rush” to get home on him, pin him in and make him throw.

If you let him get outside the pocket, or you get too far up field and give him that middle lane, he will make you pay. He’s an elite runner. But if you don’t let him take off and freelance, make him beat you with his arm, he’s going to struggle.

Nebraska has a much better defense than prior years. They generate a lot of pressure. Going to need Hauser to be quick getting rid of the ball.

It’s going to be interesting. Definitely a winnable game though.
I was thinking the same thing. Do not let him roll out and survey the field. Our revamped D did a pretty good job yesterday containing a mobile QB. Our three headed monster running game will open up the passing lanes. Bret is never going to give up his run the ball philosophy so if we can stop running the ball up the middle early in the game, we can wear Nebraska down. The last two games we have wore out both Oregon and Maryland on the defensive side of the ball. Win this game and we will be bowling for the third year in a row which hasn’t happened since we went 5 years in a row from 88-92.
 
#40      
And throwing bottles onto the field according to the announcers.
Booing, throwing water bottles, then the State Police lined the field. Getting ugly in Lincoln.


 
#42      
We've been underdogs just twice through our first 8 games. Here's the Illini vs. the spread so far in 2026:


#OpponentScoreSpreadATSTotalO/U
1UABW 42–23–25.5L54.5O
2DukeL 27–31–6.5L51.5O
3Southern IllinoisW 48–10–35.0W55.5O
4@ Ohio StateL 19–42+25.5W53.5O
5PurdueL 17–24–9.5L62.5U
6@ Michigan StateW 38–37 (OT)–2.5L48.5O
7OregonW 21–10+10.5W49.5U
8@ MarylandW 20–17–2.5W54.5U

Through 8 games: 4–4 ATS, 5–3 on the total.
 
#46      
I'm actually shocked it's that high.. 3 game win streak for us, home game on a Friday at 7pm, atmosphere will be insane, and a bowl game on the line. I'd SMASH Illinois at -6.
New SP+ update this morning STILL has them ahead of USC and Iowa, #18 in the country.

We barely moved, I wondered if we might fall.

I would be pounding Nebby -6, it's a Gritty special of both smart-guy advanced stats and dumb-guy gambler's fallacy.

We're feeling ourselves, they are 10/10 angry and desperate, short week, night game wearing goofy uniforms, this has blowout written all over it.

(Looming in the background like Michael Myers, Vegas Always Knows)
 
Last edited:
#48      
I’ll say this, Washington gave us the blueprint for beating Nebraska tonight. If you can keep Colandrea contained in the pocket, his effectiveness falls off a cliff. Do not “over rush” to get home on him, pin him in and make him throw.

If you let him get outside the pocket, or you get too far up field and give him that middle lane, he will make you pay. He’s an elite runner. But if you don’t let him take off and freelance, make him beat you with his arm, he’s going to struggle.

Nebraska has a much better defense than prior years. They generate a lot of pressure. Going to need Hauser to be quick getting rid of the ball.

It’s going to be interesting. Definitely a winnable game though.
Containing running QBs has not been our strength. Washington had some big carries yesterday. Hopefully our D does some more planning and scheming this week.

Houser needs to look for quick screens or crossing routes and not key on Dixon. He hit a couple of crossing routes yesterday. I would be curious to see Boyd in a few series on Friday with some passes. Every play he has been in on has been a run play (either by himself or via handoff). Defenses stack the box when he comes in.
 
#49      
Containing running QBs has not been our strength. Washington had some big carries yesterday. Hopefully our D does some more planning and scheming this week.

Houser needs to look for quick screens or crossing routes and not key on Dixon. He hit a couple of crossing routes yesterday. I would be curious to see Boyd in a few series on Friday with some passes. Every play he has been in on has been a run play (either by himself or via handoff). Defenses stack the box when he comes in.
I’d probably just tell him to keep throwing to the open receiver….which happens to be Dixon a lot of the time.
 
Back