Nebraska @ Illinois preview

Last Meeting ( Sep 27, 2014 ) Illinois 14, Nebraska 45

While Illinois has seemingly steered through the off-field turmoil that led to former coach Tim Beckman’s abrupt firing, on-field chaos has Nebraska entering league play at .500 for the first time in 34 years. The Illini look to avoid a conference-opening loss to the Cornhuskers for the third straight season on Saturday when the Big Ten West rivals square off in Champaign for the first time since 1986.

Beckman was dismissed eight days before the start of the season when university-hired lawyers found evidence that he had interfered in the medical decisions of his players, forcing offensive coordinator Bill Cubit to take over the job on an interim basis. Illinois has responded with its third consecutive 3-1 start, although it needed a missed 43-yard field-goal attempt from Middle Tennessee with eight seconds remaining last week to pull out a 27-25 home victory. Nebraska is no stranger to late-game excitement, nearly blowing a 22-point fourth-quarter advantage last week in a 36-28 win over Southern Mississippi. That result came on the heels of heartbreaking setbacks to BYU in the season opener (on a Hail Mary as time expired) and to Miami (Fla.) two weeks ago – a game in which they rallied from a 23-point fourth-quarter deficit to force overtime, only to turn the ball over on the first play of the extra period and lose by a field goal.
TV: 3:30 p.m. ET, Big Ten Network. LINE: Nebraska -6.5

ABOUT NEBRASKA (2-2): The Cornhuskers rank second in the nation in scrimmage plays of at least 10 yards (92), but only 28 of those have covered at least 20 yards and eight have stretched past 30. Nebraska might be getting a boost in that area starting this week, however, as big-play receiver/punt returner De'Mornay Pierson-El (foot) might play a limited role after sitting out the first four games. The Cornhuskers are less fortunate on defense, where they could be without as many as four starters, although three of them - linebacker Josh Banderas (groin), defensive lineman Vincent Valentine (ankle) and defensive lineman Jack Gangwish (elbow) – are listed as questionable.
ABOUT ILLINOIS (3-1): The Illini finished last in the conference in scoring defense (34 points per game) and total defense (456.4 yards) last season, but have turned that around in 2015, allowing 19 points and 306.3 yards per game entering conference play. Senior receiver Geronimo Allison, who was added to the Biletnikoff Award watch list this week, is third in the Big Ten in receiving yards (362) and tied for third in receptions (24) after recording a career-high 10 catches for 128 yards against Middle Tennessee. Josh Ferguson is one of three active FBS players with more than 2,000 career rushing yards (2,209) and 1,000 receiving yards.

EXTRA POINTS
1. Nebraska leads the all-time series 9-2-1, with Illinois’ only two victories coming in 1923 and 1924.
2. The Illini have blocked three kicks this season – tied for first in FBS. 3. Cornhuskers WR Jordan Westerkamp – an Illinois native – has caught a touchdown pass in five straight games and can tie 1972 Heisman Trophy winner Johnny Rodgers for the longest such streak in school history with another on Saturday.

PREDICTION: Nebraska 37, Illinois 31