Illinois hands Nebraska 24-13 defeat as November slide reaches four straight losses
The slide continues for Nebraska football. After starting 5-0, the Huskers have now lost four straight. The latest came at the hands of Illinois, 24-13, on Friday in Champaign. Nebraska is now 2-11 in the month of November since Matt Rhule took over.
Penalties derailed Nebraska’s early momentum right out of the gate. An opening-drive illegal motion wiped out a first-down gain, forcing the Huskers to punt. On their next possession, a run to the Illinois 10-yard line was canceled by a holding call. John Hohl subsequently missed a 45-yard field goal attempt, setting a frustrating tone for the evening’s offensive execution.
Finding a spark before penalties strike again
The third drive offered a glimpse of what Nebraska’s offense can actually achieve. Starting near their own goal line, the Huskers mixed short passes with hard-nosed runs from Jamal Rule, Isaiah Mozee, and Mekhi Nelson. Nelson capped off a 98-yard march—the longest scoring drive of the season for Nebraska—with a 15-yard touchdown run.
Yet the Illinois offense quickly adjusted after punting on its first three possessions. The Illini orchestrated a 75-yard answering drive for a touchdown, igniting a stretch where they scored on four consecutive drives either side of halftime. Nebraska attempted to respond with a sharp, penalty-free two-minute drill to reach Illini territory, only for another penalty to push them back and force a 54-yard field goal try that Hohl also missed.
Stat lines tell a story of missed opportunities
The final box score shows Nebraska actually outgained Illinois 426 yards to 376. The Blackshirts successfully bottled up the Illini rush, holding them to just 84 yards on the ground, while the Husker ground game churned out 142 yards. Anthony Colandrea put the ball in the air 43 times, completing 32 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown without throwing an interception.
On the opposing sideline, Katin Houser countered by completing 22 of 36 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns. Collin Dixon led all Illini receivers with eight catches for 129 yards and a pair of scores. Despite moving the chains effectively, Nebraska repeatedly stalled in crucial moments, including a failed fourth-and-one conversion in the second half and a late personal foul penalty that halted a promising 5:29 drive.
Looking ahead to Rutgers
With the Illinois victory, Nebraska now leads the all-time series 14-8-1. The Huskers stay on the road next Saturday to face Rutgers, with kickoff scheduled for 11:30 a.m. CST on the Big Ten Network.
