Saturday, September 27, 2014

Memorial Stadium in Lincoln

For Updated Odds on This Game Click Here

Give credit to Tim Beckman, his Illinois (3-1) team has found a way to come from behind and win games this season, doing so in all three victories. Unfortunately Nebraska (4-0) is made of a different ilk than the likes of Youngstown St., Western Kentucky, and Texas State. The Fighting Illini travel into Lincoln to face a Nebraska team that has rolled through their schedule, but may be caught looking ahead to a huge game next week at Michigan State.

Illinois has lived and died through the air this year, with transfer QB Wes Lunt's 1,237 passing yards ranking 9th in the nation. RB Josh Ferguson has racked up an impressive 316 yards on the ground this year, but that becomes less impressive when 190 of them came last week against Texas State. There's no doubt this has been Lunt's team, and the sophomore has responded with at least 230 yards and 2 TD in each of the four Illinois games. The Illini passing game can show if they're for real against a Cornhusker team allowing a respectable 213 YPG through the air.

Nebraska got their first quality win of the season last week in a 41-31 win over Miami. Prior to that the Huskers had faced little resistance in a 55-7 win over Florida Atlantic, a 31-24 win over McNeese State, and a 55-19 beatdown of Fresno State. The area they'll look to exploit against Illinois is the passing game, where the Illini allow over 250 YPG. Then again when you have the nation's 2nd leading rusher in Ameer Abdullah and his 625 yards, it's hard to go against that game plan. The Cornhuskers will surely improve on their 7th ranked rushing offense against an Illinois defense surrendering 172.5 YPG on the ground.

The truth is Illinois should be 3-1 right now but not because they're a good team, more as a product of their schedule. Oddsmakers have noticed this, making them 3 TD favorites. If Nebraska can have similar success as last year's 39-19 win at home in which they rushed for 335 yards, it will be off to East Lansing happy and healthy.

Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Trends

Illinois Fighting Illini are 1-3-0 Against the Spread

Illinois Fighting Illini are 2-2-0 against the Over/Under

Nebraska Cornhuskers Betting Trends

Nebraska Cornhuskers are 3-1-0 Against the Spread

Nebraska Cornhuskers are 3-0-0 against the Over/Under

Injuries to Watch

Illinois Fighting Illini

09/21/14 DB Cedric Doxy Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 WR Dionte Taylor Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 WR Geronimo Allison Knee "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 DL Paul James III Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 OL Scott McDowell Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 DT Teko Powell Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/21/14 LS Zach Hirth Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Nebraska
09/13/14 OL Jake Angona Undisclosed out for season
09/13/14 LB Sean White Undisclosed out for season
08/08/14 LB Mike Svetina Foot out indefinitely

Nebraska Cornhuskers

09/21/14 WR Brandon Reilly Undisclosed "?" Saturday vs. Illinois
09/21/14 WR Sam Burtch Knee out for season
09/19/14 K Mauro Bondi Collarbone out indefinitely
09/10/14 WR Jamal Turner Leg out for season
09/01/14 OL Corey Whitaker ACL out for season
08/28/14 LB Michael Rose-Ivey Knee out for season
08/23/14 RB Adam Taylor Ankle out indefinitely
08/08/14 DB Charles Jackson Knee out for season
08/08/14 DB LeRoy Alexander Suspension out for season

Tony's Pick: Take Nebraska

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