Luke Altmyer throws 4 TD passes, leads No. 24 Illinois to 31-24 OT win over No. 22 Nebraska

Luke Altmyer throws 4 TD passes, leads No. 24 Illinois to 31-24 OT win over No. 22 Nebraska

LINCOLN, Neb. — Luke Altmyer threw four touchdown passes, including a game-winning toss to Pat Bryant in overtime, as No. 24 Illinois secured a 31-24 victory over No. 22 Nebraska on Friday night. The Illini (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) have now defeated two ranked teams in the same season for the first time since 2007, marking their best start since 2011. Illinois has also beaten Nebraska in Lincoln for the third consecutive time, spoiling the celebration of the Cornhuskers’ 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium. “I told our players that they control the energy in the stadium,” said Illinois head coach Bret Bielema. “We felt that if we could take it to the fourth quarter, it would work in our favor. I didn’t plan on overtime, but I wasn’t upset when it came.” Nebraska (3-1, 0-1) has now lost 25 consecutive games against Top 25 opponents since 2016, and they are 8-31 in one-possession games since 2018. After trading touchdowns in the second half, Illinois marched 75 yards in nine plays to tie the game 24-24. Altmyer’s 6-yard touchdown pass to offensive tackle Brandon Henderson on a fourth-and-2 play with 10:36 remaining sent the game to overtime. It was Henderson’s first career catch. “We practiced that pass this week, and our staff agreed it would work,” Bielema said. “We just didn’t expect it to come down to a fourth-down call to help us win. Credit to our coaches and players for making it happen.” Nebraska missed a field goal on its final possession of regulation when backup kicker John Hohl, filling in for the injured Tristan Alvano, missed from 39 yards out with 2:59 left. Illinois fumbled and then punted, leading to Nebraska quarterback Raiola taking a knee to force overtime. Illinois’ Kaden Feagin opened overtime with a 21-yard run, setting up Altmyer’s 4-yard touchdown pass to Bryant. “That was a classic Big Ten game,” said Nebraska defensive lineman Ty Robinson. “It hurts because we beat ourselves, especially on defense. But we’ll come back next week to fix our mistakes.” Nebraska’s overtime possession unraveled as quarterback Raiola was sacked three times, including on fourth down, ending the game. Altmyer finished with 215 passing yards and four touchdowns, while Bryant had five receptions for 74 yards and two scores. Altmyer completed 21 of 27 passes and is now 75 of 102 for the season (74%) with 10 touchdowns and no interceptions. “The best is yet to come for him,” Bielema added. Nebraska’s Raiola threw for 297 yards and three touchdowns, but also had one interception. Jahmal Banks caught eight passes for 94 yards, while Isaiah Neyor added four receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns. “As I told the team, the talk is about winning all these games,” said Nebraska head coach Matt Rhule. “My message is to take it one game at a time. There’s a lot to learn from this.”

Key Takeaways: Illinois: The Illini remain perfect in the red zone this season, converting all 16 opportunities. A concern is the status of wide receiver Zakhari Franklin, who leads the team with 21 catches but left the game with a leg injury. Nebraska: Discipline continues to be an issue, with nine penalties, including three personal fouls and a facemask. The Cornhuskers have been flagged 28 times in just four games. Poll Implications: Illinois should rise in the rankings after this win, while Nebraska’s brief stay in the Top 25—their first appearance since 2019—may come to an end. Nebraska’s Sellout Streak: Nebraska's ongoing NCAA record sellout streak, which began in 1962, reached 400 games. While local businesses and boosters have occasionally purchased unsold tickets to preserve the streak, the Huskers' record during this stretch is 324-76.