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NCAAF · November 6, 2026

Nebraska Cornhuskers vs Illinois Fighting Illini Preview & Odds — November 6, 2026

Nebraska Cornhuskers

4-3

Quarterback Anthony Colandrea

Illinois Fighting Illini

4-3

Quarterback Katin Houser

Friday, November 6 · 8:00 PM ET

NEBOffense2026 regular season to dateILL

47th+0.108

EPA/play

+0.13543rd

52nd48.1%

Success %

48.4%43rd

31st32.1

PPG

26.364th

NEBDefenseILL

3rd−0.215

EPA/play allowed

+0.255131st

3rd37.5%

Success % allowed

53.9%136th

16th16.9

Opp PPG

26.371st

NEBRecent formILL

W@ Michigan State 31-13Wvs Maryland 48-23Lvs Indiana 17-20L@ Oregon 14-17Lvs Washington 10-17

Resultsoldest to newest

L@ Ohio State 19-42Lvs Purdue 17-24W@ Michigan State 38-37Wvs Oregon 21-10W@ Maryland 20-17

5-3

Record

5-3

6-2

ATS

4-4

3-5

Over–under

5-3

NEBHome and roadseason to dateILL

4-2

Home record

3-2

1-1

Road record

2-1

4-2

Home ATS

2-3

2-0

Road ATS

2-1

3-3

Home O/U

3-2

0-2

Road O/U

2-1

NEBLast 10 gamesILL

Game by game

5-3

Last 8

5-3

+134

Net points

+38

Top third of the leagueMiddle thirdBottom thirdBar = league rank (full = 1st)

Rest & travelrest and travel

NEBRest & travelILL

6 days

Days of rest

6 days

448 mi721 km · straight-line from home arena (estimate)

Travel to the game

Home

Venue

Memorial Stadium (Champaign, IL)

About these numbers

2026 regular season to date, captured before kickoff. League rank in small type (138 teams); the gold side ranks higher. Bars show rank, longest = 1st. Source: Gridiron & Wine public Analytics tables.

Last five results this season, oldest to newest. Records are season to date, with home and road splits. Against-the-spread (ATS) and over–under records use the consensus closing line.

Margin of each of the last 8 games this season, oldest to newest (gold = won). Hover a bar for the score margin.

Distance is a straight-line estimate from each team's home arena, not the team's actual itinerary; time-zone change is at game time. Rest counts days since each team's previous game this season (7 = a normal week); preseason games do not count. Schedule facts only: no fatigue adjustment is applied.

Matchup preview

Nebraska (4-3) visits Illinois (4-3) on Friday, November 6 at 8:00 PM ET.

Nebraska has the 47th-ranked offense by EPA per play (expected points added per snap) and the 3rd-ranked defense (ranks among the 138 teams with play-by-play data). Meanwhile, Illinois has the 43rd-ranked offense and the 131st-ranked defense. When Nebraska has the ball, a 47th-ranked offense (+0.108 EPA per play) meets a 131st-ranked defense (+0.255 allowed); when Illinois has it, a 43rd-ranked offense (+0.135) meets a 3rd-ranked defense (−0.215 allowed).

By success rate (the share of plays that gain expected points), the Nebraska offense is at 48.1% (52nd) and the Illinois offense at 48.4% (43rd). Nebraska scores 32.1 points per game (31st) and allows 16.9 (16th); Illinois scores 26.3 (64th) and allows 26.3 (71st).

Nebraska is 5-3 and 6-2 against the spread; its last game was a 17-10 loss to Washington. Illinois is 5-3 and 4-4 against the spread; its last game was a 20-17 win over Maryland.

Nebraska is a 4.5-point road favorite, with Illinois getting the points at home. The spread opened at Nebraska -6.5. The total is 49.5, down from 50.5 at the open. After removing the vig, the moneyline (Nebraska -200, Illinois +165) prices Nebraska at 64% and Illinois at 36%.

Built from public team and player data; ranks are league-wide and update daily until kickoff.

Market

Odds and line movement

Spreadmoved 2

OpenIllinois +6.5 (-114)
Nebraska -6.5 (-106)

NowIllinois +4.5 (-110)
Nebraska -4.5 (-109)

Totaldown 1

Open50.5 (o -110 / u -110)

Now49.5 (o -115 / u -105)

Moneyline

OpenNebraska -216 66%
Illinois +180 34%

NowNebraska -200 64%
Illinois +165 36%

Consensus of US sportsbooks. The Now column updates from our odds board. Percentages are the moneyline's no-vig market-implied chances.

Best available prices on Nov 5

Nebraska -4.5-104Novig
Illinois +4.5+101ProphetX
Over 49.5-114FanDuel
Under 49.5+109ProphetX
Nebraska-182Novig
Illinois+178Novig

Members

G&W Line

G&W’s own number for this game, next to the market. Analytics

Projected score

Spread

Total

Win %

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Matchup

Players to watch

Nebraska

QB · Anthony Colandrea

Attempts263
Completion %61.2%137th
Passing yards1,82473rd
Yards per attempt6.9159th
TD–INT15–7

Leading rusher (RB) · Jamal Rule

Rushing yards46396th
Season line73 carries, 463 yds, 5 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Kwazi Gilmer

Receiving yards54558th
Season line42 catches, 545 yds, 7 TD

Leading tackler (LB) · Owen Chambliss

Tackles53162nd

Illinois

QB · Katin Houser

Attempts216
Completion %64.8%79th
Passing yards1,663106th
Yards per attempt7.787th
TD–INT13–5

Leading rusher (RB) · Aidan Laughery

Rushing yards56062nd
Season line89 carries, 560 yds, 2 TD

Leading receiver (WR) · Collin Dixon

Receiving yards78111th
Season line60 catches, 781 yds, 10 TD

Leading tackler (DB) · Matthew Bailey

Tackles55143rd

Season passing totals from public box scores, captured before kickoff. Ranks among the 264 quarterbacks with at least 60 attempts. Rushing, receiving and tackle leaders: season totals captured November 4, 5:38 a.m. ET; ranks among FBS players.

Success by situation

Situation	Nebraska	Illinois
Early-down success rateNebraska offense vs Illinois defense	42.9%68th	48.5%133rd
Early-down success rateIllinois offense vs Nebraska defense	35.7%6th	43.0%66th
3rd-down conversion rateNebraska offense vs Illinois defense	50.0%15th	45.3%111th
3rd-down conversion rateIllinois offense vs Nebraska defense	25.0%1st	48.2%21st
Explosive play rateNebraska offense vs Illinois defense	7.4%43rd	6.1%49th
Explosive play rateIllinois offense vs Nebraska defense	5.3%23rd	7.0%61st
Pass rateshare of plays that are passes or sacks	53.5%41st-highest	50.6%65th-highest

On 3rd down Nebraska converts 50.0% (15th) against a Illinois defense allowing 45.3% (111th).

On 3rd down Illinois converts 48.2% (21st) against a Nebraska defense allowing 25.0% (1st).

2026 regular season before kickoff, from play-by-play with garbage time removed; ranks among the 138 teams in the play-by-play data (defense: 1st = allows the least). Success = a play that gains expected points.

Coaching staff

Staff	Nebraska	Illinois
Head coach	Matt Rhule	Bret Bielema
Tenureat this school	4th season	6th season
Record at schoolthis season included, as of the date below	24–22	42–29
Career recordas an FBS head coach	71–65	139–87
Offensive coordinator	Dana Holgorsen	Barry Lunney Jr.
Defensive coordinator	Rob Aurich	Roger Cooper

Staff list as of November 3, 6:50 a.m. ET.

Head-to-head

The teams have met 4 times since 2021: Nebraska won 1 and Illinois 3.

Date	Score	Line	Total
Sep 20, 2024	Illinois 31, Nebraska 24 Illinois won
Oct 6, 2023	Nebraska 20, Illinois 7 Nebraska won
Oct 29, 2022	Illinois 26, Nebraska 9 Illinois won
Aug 28, 2021	Nebraska 22, Illinois 30 Illinois won

Meetings since 2021, most recent first. Line and total are the consensus closing numbers where line history is available.

Result

After the final: score vs the closing line, Drive X-Ray and the graded official play, if there was one, appear here on this same page.

Teams