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CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (AP) — Collin Dixon hauled in two touchdown passes, one of which set a program record, and Illinois employed a trick play to set up the go-ahead score as the Illini defeated Nebraska 24-13 on Friday night. The victory made Illinois bowl eligible and marked the team's fourth consecutive win.
Dixon's touchdown receptions of 3 and 6 yards gave him 12 for the season, breaking the Illinois all-time single-season record by two. He finished with eight catches for 129 yards from quarterback Katin Houser, who completed 22 of 36 passes for 292 yards and three touchdowns.
Early in the third quarter, holder Lars Rau—also the team's punter—ran 29 yards on a fake field goal to set up the go-ahead touchdown for Illinois (6-3, 4-2 Big Ten Conference). The scoring play was a 5-yard pass from Houser to Jordan Anderson.
Nebraska (5-4, 2-4) suffered its fourth straight loss. Quarterback Anthony Colandrea completed 32 of 43 passes for 284 yards and a touchdown to Jacory Brown Jr., who had six catches for 93 yards. Jamal Rule ran for 69 yards on 15 carries.
Dixon's record-breaking reception came late in the first half on a 3-yard touchdown pass from Houser, tying the game at 7-7 going into halftime. Nebraska had taken a 7-0 lead early in the second quarter on a 15-yard run by Mekhi Nelson on his only carry of the game, capping a 98-yard, 10-play drive. Huskers kicker John Hohl missed field goals of 54 and 45 yards in the first half.
Key Analysis
Nebraska opened the season 5-0 for the first time since 2016 but has since dropped three straight heartbreaking games by a combined 13 points, leading in the fourth quarter of each. The loss to Illinois will only intensify scrutiny in Lincoln. Meanwhile, Illinois rebounded from early home losses to Duke and Purdue with four straight wins, a much-needed surge before a challenging stretch to close the regular season: at No. 5 UCLA, home against No. 21 Iowa, and at Northwestern. Only UCLA (5-0) has a longer Big Ten winning streak than Illinois, which is bowl eligible for a third straight year for the first time since 1992.
Nebraska next plays at Rutgers on Nov. 14. Illinois travels to No. 5 UCLA on Nov. 13.
Originally reported by yourvalley_net.