Illinois defeats No. 22 Nebraska in overtime, remains undefeated
In a thrilling overtime finish, Luke Altmyer threw his fourth touchdown pass—a 4-yard connection to Pat Bryant—leading Illinois to a 31-24 victory over No. 22 Nebraska on Friday night in Lincoln.
Illinois (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) kicked off overtime with a powerful 21-yard sprint by Kaden Feagin, followed by Altmyer’s touchdown pass to Bryant in the end zone’s right corner.
Nebraska (3-1, 0-1) struggled at the start of its overtime possession, receiving a false-start penalty. Things worsened as quarterback Dylan Raiola faced two sacks, managed to complete a pass, and then got sacked again on a desperate fourth-and-29 play, sealing Nebraska’s fate.
Altmyer had an impressive performance, completing 21 of his 27 passes for 215 yards. Bryant was also a standout, catching two touchdown passes among his five receptions, totaling 74 yards. Tanner Arkin and offensive lineman Brandon Henderson each contributed with a red-zone touchdown catch, while Feagin led the team in rushing with 69 yards on 12 carries.
Raiola finished with 23 completions on 35 attempts, totaling 284 yards, along with three touchdown passes and one interception. Isaiah Neyor recorded four receptions for 90 yards and two touchdowns, and Jahmal Banks caught seven passes for 81 yards. Dante Dowdell was Nebraska’s leading rusher with 72 yards on 20 carries.
Both teams had opportunities to take the lead as the fourth quarter came to a close.
Ceyair Wright of the Cornhuskers forced a fumble while sacking Altmyer with 8:24 left in regulation, which teammate Mikai Gbayor recovered at Nebraska’s 38-yard line. Unfortunately for Nebraska, their drive stalled, and kicker John Hohl missed a right-side attempt on a 39-yard field goal.
A pivotal moment for the Fighting Illini occurred in the second quarter when a Nebraska touchdown was initially ruled on the field. After review, it was determined that Torrie Cox Jr. had stripped the ball from Neyor in the end zone, resulting in the game’s only interception.
Nebraska’s senior defensive back Tommi Hill had to leave the game early in the first half due to a suspected head injury.
Despite the defeat, Nebraska reached a milestone by recording its 400th consecutive sellout, the longest in NCAA history.
