Illinois 31, Nebraska 24 (OT): No. 24 Illini come through with breakthrough 'W,' their biggest since 2022

Look out, people — Illinois has itself a football team.

A 31-24 win in overtime at Nebraska in a Friday-night thriller instantly marked one of the high points of the Bret Bielema era. In their first game as a ranked team against a ranked team since 2008, the No. 24 Illini (4-0) delivered — as heavy underdogs — against the No. 22 Cornhuskers (3-1) for their third consecutive win in Lincoln. The Illini also spoiled the celebration of Nebraska's 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium.

The Illini have beaten two ranked opponents in the same season for the first time since 2007 and are off to a 4-0 start for the first time since 2011.

The crowd in Lincoln went bonkers all night as true freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola put on a sensational show. But Illini QB Luke Altmyer nearly matched Raiola throw for throw, and a missed 39-yard field goal attempt by the Huskers with 3:01 to play led to overtime.

In the extra period, Illinois got the ball first and scored in two plays — a 21-yard run by Kaden Feagin followed by a four-yard pass from Altmyer to Pat Bryant. The defense then responded with an Alec Bryant sack to begin to seal the Huskers’ wrong-way misery. The Huskers lost a total of 29 yards on their OT possession.

The teams traded touchdowns in the second half before the Illini went 75 yards in nine plays to tie it 24-all.
A play Illini fans will long remember: a fourth-and-2, fourth-quarter touchdown pass from Altmyer to 6-5, 335-pound Brandon Henderson — a lineman in disguise — to tie it with 10:36 left in regulation.

“The guys kept chopping wood, kept fighting,” Bielema said.

Nebraska punted and missed a field goal on its last two possessions of regulation, with backup John Hohl, kicking in place of the injured Tristan Alvano, missing wide left from 39 yards with 2:59 to play.

Illinois fumbled and punted, and Raiola took a knee to send the game to overtime.

Altmyer was 21-for-27 for 215 yards, four touchdowns — two of them to Bryant (five catches for 74 yards) — and no interceptions.

Raiola was 24-for-35 for 297 yards, three touchdowns and an interception. Jahmal Banks caught eight balls for 94 yards and Isaiah Neyor had four catches for 90 yards and two TDs.

Illinois converted four more times in the red zone and is now 16-for-16 when its offense reaches the opponent's 20.

The Illini surely will make a nice jump in the Top 25 — not as high as 14th, where they topped out in 2022, but somewhere the teens is almost a given. They play next at Penn State.

Nebraska has dropped 25 straight games to Top 25 teams since 2016 and is now 8-31 in one-possession games since 2018.

Contributing: AP