Nebraska Seeks Recovery in Champaign

Nebraska arrived at the weekend with a perfect record, but the Huskers are now three games into a losing streak. The team sits at 5-3 after falling to Washington on Halloween night, a loss that snapped a streak of five straight wins to open the season.

Anthony Colandrea, who signed a contract extension to lead the offense through 2027, threw for one touchdown and three interceptions in that loss. His completion percentage dropped to 54%, and the final interception came with just over a minute remaining in the fourth quarter. That pick-six sealed the game for Washington.

The turnover problem has defined the recent stretch. Nebraska now leads the Football Bowl Subdivision in blown fourth-quarter leads. The squad is also the only FBS team that has not trailed entering the final quarter this season, a statistic that highlights the fragility of their recent play.

Colandrea took direct responsibility for the performance during Tuesday’s press conference. "I didn’t play good at all," he said. "I didn’t get the offense going to what the standard is, and it showed on Saturday. You can’t turn the ball over three times and expect to win."

The plan for Friday is straightforward. Colandrea said the team must avoid overthinking and stay on schedule. "We just have to go out there, stay on schedule, not get behind the chains, and just play together," he said. "We’ve shown that we can; now we just have to go out and do it."

Offensive coordinator Dana Holgorsen echoed that sentiment. He told reporters that the players are good and have made the necessary plays before. "I just have to get them to relax," Holgorsen said. "You just have to quit talking about the bad stuff, get back to work, and get ready for the next opportunity."

Illinois enters the matchup with a three-game winning streak. The Fighting Illini allowed 24.3 points and over 370 yards per game in their last victory over Maryland. Nebraska’s offense averages more than 32 points and 425 yards per game this season. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. CT on Friday, Nov. 6, in Champaign, Illinois, and will air on FOX.