Nebraska vs. Illinois: In-Depth Ranked Matchup Preview

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00:00Our fourth of the ranked versus ranked games, this will include Tennessee and Oklahoma on

00:09the other side of the break.

00:11The kids get the day off tomorrow in Lincoln, Nebraska.

00:14School has shut down.

00:15The campus getting ready for Friday night lights and a top 25 tilt for Nebraska as they

00:21host Illinois.

00:23The first time the Cornhuskers have hosted in a ranked versus ranked game against an

00:27AP opponent since 2013.

00:31And it's a spread that's also been changing.

00:34Earlier in the week, 9.5 in favor of the Huskers against 24th ranked Illinois.

00:39Now closer to a touchdown, 7.5 in favor of Nebraska, 43 to hook the total for two teams

00:46that have been really good defensively so far this season.

00:49Zeno, what's the handicap?

00:51What's the breakdown for Friday night lights tomorrow in Lincoln?

00:55If you think Nebraska is going to trip up and you think Illinois is going to be a viable

00:59play here, senses are, you know, I don't want to cut a game in half like this because, you

01:06know, there's a, obviously, you know, Nebraska could be up by three and a late touchdown

01:11gets them a cover, something along those lines.

01:14But I get the sense that if Illinois is going to hang in this game, they're going to have

01:18a lead at the end of the first half.

01:20They're going to end up being able to control the pace in the outset.

01:23And Dylan Raiola and this Nebraska offense, it all of a sudden looks like it's as good

01:27as any in the country at this point in time because Raiola, we know, can sling it.

01:31We've seen it.

01:32There's enough evidence of it.

01:33I mean, the kid can play and he certainly has given people reason to believe that Nebraska's

01:36offense is every bit as legit as they have shown at this point.

01:42I mean, here's the real rub, guys.

01:43I mean, when it comes to Illinois' defense and you're looking at, you know, how good

01:48they've been, do you believe that the quarterbacks on both sides matter, right?

01:54It's Dylan Raiola versus Luke Altmyer.

01:56And where is the edge?

01:58I think the edge was with Raiola.

01:59The edge is obviously with Nebraska at home.

02:02But this number, to me, feels like it's hard to bet and cover as really Nebraska is tested

02:09for the first time.

02:10I don't count Colorado as a test because their defense was so bad.

02:13And oh, by the way, that could have been much worse than 28 to 10.

02:16Remember, they scored all 28 points in the first half and didn't score a single one in

02:19the second half because Colorado couldn't do anything against Nebraska's defense.

02:23So I trust the Nebraska offense here.

02:26I don't feel comfortable laying seven and a half, but I think it's the Illini in the

02:31first half.

02:32Nebraska, you know, kind of may pull away late here.

02:35I just, I think this thing also stays on.

02:38I feel like this is a matchup, especially early, where both these teams will play it

02:43slow.

02:44They'll check each other.

02:45No one wants to make the first mistake.

02:46So I think the pace is a little bit slower in the first half.

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