Six. Last week we said Illinois needed one more win and that Nebraska under the lights was the best shot. Friday night, Hail to the Blue Out, the Illini took it. Illinois beat Nebraska 24-13 at Gies Memorial Stadium and is officially bowl eligible.
That's four straight wins and a 6-3 record. It's also history: Illinois is headed to the postseason for a third straight season, something it hasn't done since 1992. And Collin Dixon now owns the school record for touchdown catches in a season.
"We're three seasons in a row that we'll have postseason play."
— Bret Bielema, to The Daily IlliniHow It Happened
For a half, this was a grind. Nobody scored in the first quarter. Nebraska put together a 10-play, 98-yard drive early in the second, capped by Mekhi Nelson's 15-yard touchdown run, to go up 7-0.
Illinois answered late in the half. Katin Houser hit Dixon for a 3-yard touchdown with 1:48 left. It was originally ruled incomplete, but replay overturned it, and the teams went into halftime tied 7-7. Nebraska kicker John Hohl had already missed a field goal in the first half, and he missed a 54-yarder right before the break too. Those two misses loomed large all night.
The Fake
The game turned in the third quarter on a gutsy call by Bielema. Lined up for a field goal, punter and holder Lars Rau took the snap and ran it himself for 29 yards and a first down. A few plays later, Houser found Jordan Anderson for a 5-yard touchdown and a 14-7 lead.
"It worked because everyone did their part."
— Lars Rau, to ESPNRau also offered a pretty good motto for the whole season: "Don't make the moment too big."
Less than two minutes into the fourth quarter, Houser and Dixon hooked up again from 6 yards out to make it 21-7. Nebraska answered with a 51-yard touchdown pass from Anthony Colandrea to Jacory Barney Jr., but didn't convert the try after, leaving it 21-13. Ethan Moczulski added a 21-yard field goal, and the defense stopped Nebraska on downs on its final drive with a fourth-down pass breakup.
Yes, Nebraska outgained Illinois by 50 yards and had six more first downs. But the Huskers got inside the Illinois 20 only once and missed two field goals. Illinois went 4-for-4 scoring in the red zone. In a game with zero turnovers on either side, that was the difference.
Collin Dixon, Record Breaker
Collin Dixon — 8 REC · 129 YDS · 2 TD
Dixon's 11th touchdown catch of the season broke the Illinois single-season record, and he added a 12th for good measure. With three regular-season games still to play, he's already in the record book.
Houser gave his receiver all the credit: "He's easy to throw to, which makes my job a lot easier."
Who Stood Out
Also: Mason Muragin recorded the first sack of his career, Joe Barna split a sack with Bailey, and 21 different Illini made at least one tackle. As Bailey put it after the game: "The confidence is through the roof, like straight up."
The Worry: Javari Barnett
The one dark spot came in the second quarter, when freshman running back Javari Barnett was carted off with a left leg injury. Teammates gathered around him before he left, and he gave the crowd a thumbs-up on the way out. There's no word yet on how serious it is.
That's a big concern for a running back room that already lost Ca'lil Valentine for the season against Purdue. Barnett is the guy who broke the 64-yard touchdown that decided the Maryland game. Illinois ran for only 84 yards Friday. Aidan Laughery, who had 123 yards against Oregon, and Jordan Anderson will need to carry the load.
The Streak, in Full
Remember where this team was a month ago: 2-3, a coordinator gone, and a home loss to Purdue. Since then:
Oct. 10: W 38-37 (OT) at Michigan State
Oct. 24: W 21-10 vs. Oregon
Oct. 31: W 20-17 at Maryland
Nov. 6: W 24-13 vs. Nebraska
Bielema is feeling it. After the game, he took a playful shot at the SEC, saying that if Illinois were in the SEC, it would probably be a top-15 team.
What's Left: Playing for a Better Bowl
Bowl eligibility is clinched. Now every win means a better bowl game, more December practices, and more momentum for next year.
The biggest game left. UCLA was 8-0 entering this weekend. An upset in Pasadena would top even the Oregon win.
Iowa is back in the rankings after shutting out Wisconsin. It's Illinois' last home game of the season.
The rivalry finale. Win this, and Illinois finishes with at least seven wins.
Six Is In. Eight Is the Goal.
At 6-3 and 4-2 in the Big Ten, Illinois is guaranteed a bowl. Going 2-1 would mean an 8-4 regular season, and the Iowa and Northwestern games are both winnable. Steal one in Pasadena, and this season moves from "nice turnaround" to "special."
The Bottom Line
A month ago, this was a lost season. Now it's four straight wins, a freshman QB who beat Oregon, a record-breaking receiver, a defense playing with confidence, and a third straight postseason for the first time in over 30 years.
Illinois is bowl eligible. Everything from here is a bonus. Let's go steal one in Pasadena.
I-L-L. 🧡Reporting compiled from FightingIllini.com, ESPN, The Daily Illini, The Champaign Room, ClutchPoints via Yahoo Sports, and Huskers Today.