Nebraska
Illinois at Nebraska prediction: Odds, best bets, player news, stats for September 21
Second-year HC Matt Rhule has the 22nd-ranked Cornhuskers wrecking shop on both sides of the ball, having outscored their three opponents by a combined score of 102-20. Their 4th-rated defense held their toughest opponent, Colorado, to 260 total yards while ranking 13th in defensive rushing EPA and 17th in passing success rate allowed. The Huskers are running at the 14th-slowest pace in the nation and need to shore up the offensive line miscues, as their 7.5 OL penalties per game is the eighth-highest rate in FBS.
HC Brett Bielema is also riding high at 3-0 with Illinois holding off a spirited charge from Kansas in Week 2 to extract a 23-17 victory over the Jayhawks in spite of a 42% post-game win expectancy. Though the Illini has been running the ball at a Bielema-esque 67.4% rate on standard downs (Avg = 58.4%), their passing game ranks 37th in success rate and 26th in EPA per dropback behind QB Luke Altmyer. The Illini pass defense is holding opponents to a stingy 1.7 net yards per pass attempt (3rd in FBS) with a 7.8% interception rate (4th).
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Game detials and how to watch Illinois at Nebraska Friday Night
o Date: Friday, September 20, 2024
o Time: 8:00 PM EST
o Site: Memorial Stadium
o City: Lincoln, Nebraska
o TV/Streaming: Fox
Want to check out the other games on the College Football schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!
Game odds for Illinois at Nebraska – Week 4
The latest odds as of Tuesday evening:
· Moneyline: Nebraska -350, Illinois +260
· Spread: Nebraska -8.5 (-105)
· Over/Under: 42.5 points
*odds courtesy of BetMGM
While BetMGM lines this game at Nebraska -8.5, there are signs that this line could creep up to -10, as the market is already showing -9.5 at some books. The Over/Under has dropped a point to 42.5 since the open.
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Eric Froton (@CFFroton) is not expecting points Friday Night.
“Illinois ranks 111th in seconds per play, while Nebraska plays even slower and ranks 121st. In their last game against Kansas’ 17th ranked SP+ offense, Illinois hung on to win 23-17. Nebraska just held Colorado’s high-flying passing offense to a paltry 10 points enroute to a comfortable 18-point victory over the Buffs. Both Kansas and Colorado’s offenses are rated higher than either of these programs, with freshman Dylan Raiola finally facing an upper echelon defense. I think we get an ultra-slow classic Big Ten matchup where points are hard to come by. Accordingly, I’m taking the Under 42.5 game total.”
From the Trading Desk at BetMGM courtesy of John Ewing: National Championship
Line movement (Last Week to Now)
· Georgia +275 to +325
· Ohio State +375 to +350
· Alabama +1100 to +900
Highest Ticket%
· Ohio State 16.4%
· Georgia 12.0%
· Texas 10.2%
Highest Handle%
· Ohio State 17.1%
· Georgia 15.7%
· Alabama 12.8%
Biggest Liabilities
· Ohio State
· Tennessee
· Alabama
Want to check out the other games on the College Football schedule this week? We’ve got you covered right here on NBC Sports with all the matchup, venue, game-time and TV/streaming info so you won’t miss any of the action!
Quarterback matchup for Illinois vs. Nebraska
o Nebraska: Consensus five-star QB Dylan Raiola had been committed to Georgia throughout the majority of the pre-college courtship process before a late flip to Nebraska threw all his previous plans in a blender. While the still raw Raiola hasn’t had to face a credible Big Ten defense like Illinois yet, he has completed 72.7% of his passes for 666 yards, 8.3 YPA and a 5-to-1 ratio. His excellent 4.3% pressure-to-sack rate is testament to his offensive line that is pitching a 1.5% sack rate (22nd in FBS) and has yet to allow a passing down sack this year.
o Illinois: Illini QB Luke Altmyer is a former four-star Ole Miss recruit who transferred here after Lane Kiffin and his hand selected starting QB Jaxson Dart came to town. Now in his second year as a starter, Altmyer has improved his completion rate from 64.6%-to-69.5% while averaging 8.3 YPA (6.9 LY) with an unblemished 6-to-0 TD/INT ratio (13-to-10 in 2023). So far, he is carrying an 83rd-percentile PFF offensive grade, which is a sharp uptick from last year’s 69.4 rating. Hopefully Altmyer’s improved pocket presence, Illinois is averaging a 3.5% sack rate this year compared to 8.3% in 2023, can allow him to buy time and make plays against a fearsome Nebraska defensive front.
Bet the Edge is your source for all things sports betting. Get all of Jay Croucher and Drew Dinsick’s insights weekdays at 6AM ET right here or wherever you get your favorite podcasts.
Player news & recent stats
· Illinois has turned the ball over just one time this year, while their defense has forced eight takeaways. Combined, Illinois is leading the country with a +7 turnover margin through the first three games.
· The Illini are still trying to account for the loss of star IDL Jer’Zhan Newton, as they rank 106th in sacks per dropback, 110th in sacks per pressure and have yet to record a single sack on a blitz down this season.
· Nebraska has drastically boosted their passing game efficiency with the arrival of QB Dylan Raiola, improving the team completion rate from 52% (126th in FBS) to 73%, which is the 17th highest mark in the country.
· NU’s run defense has been merciless this season, ranking 13th in EPA/rush, 10th in stuff rate and 6th in yards per rush. While the Huskers’ pass defense is allowing an elevated 67% completion rate to opponents, those completions resulted in successful plays only 26.5% of the time (17th in FBS).
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
– Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
– Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
– Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
– Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
– Eric Froton (@CFFroton)
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May 24-30 marks Invasive Species Awareness Week. Nebraska Public Power District and Nebraska Game and Parks want to remind lake-goers to be careful and help prevent invasive species from getting into Nebraska lakes.
Nebraska Invasive Species Awareness Week provides an opportunity for residents to learn more about these species and discover how simple actions can help prevent their spread. Throughout the week, residents can learn more about invasive species impacting the state’s natural resources and economy, and what they can do to help prevent their spread. A series of webinars hosted by invasive species professionals will be held May 26-29 at 1 p.m. each day. On May 27, the public is invited to participate in an online invasive species trivia night, where participants can test their knowledge and win prizes from the comfort of their homes.
Invasive species are one of the leading threats to Nebraska’s natural resources, impacting ecosystems, outdoor recreation, agriculture, and state economies. From invasive plants crowding out native habitats to aquatic invasive species damaging waterways and infrastructure, prevention and education are critical to protecting Nebraska’s land and water resources.
Invasive species like zebra mussels can easily spread from one pond or lake to another if boat owners don’t fully drain all water from their watercraft after each use. Once zebra mussels enter a waterway, they attach to any available surface and reproduce rapidly, often clogging pipes and infrastructure.
The Nebraska water bodies with established zebra mussel populations are Lewis and Clark Lake, Lake Yankton, the Missouri River, Offutt Air Force Base Lake, and Beaver Lake near Plattsmouth. To combat the spread of zebra mussels and other aquatic invasive species, Game and Parks staff will conduct boat inspections at boat ramps statewide this summer. Since its implementation in 2020, the Aquatic Invasive Species Program has inspected more than 26,000 watercraft across the state.
Safety should remain a top priority when enjoying recreational activities on NPPD’s water resources, and the public is urged to follow all regulations set and enforced by the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission.
Visit CleanDrainDry.org/ for more details on the Clean, Drain, Dry Procedure and OutdoorNebraska.gov/aquatic-invasive-species for information about invasive species in Nebraska. The public is encouraged to report any suspected observations of zebra mussels or other aquatic invasive species to Game and Parks at 402-471-7602 or at [email protected].
Nebraska Game and Parks is offering residents a chance to win prizes simply for getting outside and moving, as part of a challenge honoring America’s 250th birthday.
The Outdoor Nebraska 250-Mile Challenge invites participants to log miles through activities like walking, running, kayaking, horseback riding and more using any fitness app. The goal is to reach 250 miles before the end of the year. Once completed, participants fill out a form on the Nebraska Game and Parks website to become eligible for prizes.
Mike Selman, a regular walker at Zorinsky Lake, said the challenge caught his attention.
“I think it’s great, as long as you put in the time and effort,” Selman said.
Selman said getting outdoors is already a big part of his routine.
“I absolutely love it, I love being outdoors, just the beauty, the nature, the trees, the water,” Selman said.
He said one of his favorite aspects of the challenge is the opportunity to explore Nebraska’s many outdoor spaces.
“Especially here, around Zorinsky, Standing Bear, Flanagan, you got great opportunities and great places to go,” Selman said.
When asked if he planned to submit his miles, Selman did not hesitate.
“I’ll definitely think about it, most definitely,” Selman said.
Between Memorial Day and the end of the year, logging just over 1 mile a day would be enough to reach the 250-mile goal and qualify for prizes.
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We’ll have to wait a bit longer to get into the Cowgirls’ Super Regional.
A rainy night in Lincoln meant the teams only managed to get four outs into the Super between Oklahoma State and Nebraska. The game is tied at 0. The weather delay lasted about two hours before they called it.
The game will resume at 4 p.m. Friday and be televised on ESPN2. They will not play another game Friday, as Game 2 will now take place at 4 p.m. Saturday.
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