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Wk 10 · 2026

Nebraska Cornhuskers at Illinois Fighting Illini — Fri, Nov 6

Fri, Nov 6 · Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, IL · Fox

Weather

No forecast yet. This one is 26 days away. Forecasts reach about 16 days ahead, so this fills in nearer the game. A seasonal average printed here would look exactly like a forecast, which is why there is not one.
Big Ten · 5-1
at
8:00pET
no line posted yet
Ratings differential NEB by 7.5

What is at stake

A Big Ten game — it counts in the standings that decide that league's championship game. Run the race.

What the ratings imply

The differential above is arithmetic on two published numbers: The CFB King’s 2026 final efficiency ratings, plus 2.4 points of home field. It is not a projection, a value, an edge or a lean, and nothing on this site compares it with the betting line to tell you one is better. Until 2026 games are played it is last season’s measurement of two teams that have changed.

Efficiency · 2026 ratings

Nebraska: +14.8#14
Efficiency margin
Illinois: +4.9#47
Nebraska: 38.5
Offense (pts/100)
Illinois: 34.5
Nebraska: 14.7
Defense (pts/100)
Illinois: 20.6
Nebraska: 72.8
Pace (plays/g)
Illinois: 62.2
Nebraska: 6.32
Yards / play
Illinois: 6.52
Nebraska: 4.86
Yards / play allowed
Illinois: 5.82
Opponent-adjusted ratings from The College King's 2026 final numbers. Bars share a scale within each row, so the two lengths are comparable; the brighter side is the better of the two, and a longer bar is the better number — including the rows where a lower figure is the good one. Pace is the exception: it is how fast a team plays, not how well, so neither side is lit and a longer bar there means only more plays.

Team stats · 2026 per game

Nebraska: 39.2
Points / game
Illinois: 31.8
Nebraska: 15.2
Points allowed
Illinois: 27.8
Nebraska: 460
Yards / game
Illinois: 406
Nebraska: 276
Yards allowed
Illinois: 375
Nebraska: 182
Pass yds allowed
Illinois: 248
Nebraska: 95
Rush yds allowed
Illinois: 127
Nebraska: 0.50
Turnovers / game
Illinois: 0.67
From completed 2026 box scores; defensive yardage covers the regular season and conference championships.

Nebraska form

L 17-20vs IUW 48-23vs MDW 31-13at MSUW 34-7vs UNDW 56-7vs BGSU
2026 season

Illinois form

W 38-37at MSUL 17-24vs PURL 19-42at OSUW 48-10vs SIUL 27-31vs DUKE
2026 season

Nebraska this season

Straight up5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Against the spread5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Over / under3-3 · 50% (6 games)

Illinois this season

Straight up3-3 · 50% (6 games)
Against the spread2-4 · 33% (6 games)
Over / under5-1 · 83% (6 games)
Lines are captured from ESPN's board before kickoff and locked at kickoff, so an in-play price cannot overwrite the number a game is graded against.

Common opponents · 5

OpponentNebraskaIllinois
Michigan St
Big Ten
at W 31-13 previewat W 38-37 preview
Maryland
Big Ten
vs W 48-23 previewat Wk 9 · scheduled preview
Oregon
Big Ten
at Wk 7 · scheduled previewvs Wk 8 · scheduled preview
Ohio State
Big Ten
vs Wk 12 · scheduled previewat L 19-42 preview
Iowa
Big Ten
at Wk 13 · scheduled previewvs Wk 12 · scheduled preview
Open these two in the comparison tool for every shared and unshared opponent.

Series history · 2006–2026

Since 2006, Nebraska leads 7–5 · Illinois won the last one
12 meetings in 2006–2026 · average margin 6.1 points toward Nebraska
Yr DateResultSiteWon
20242024-09-20Illinois 31 — 24 Nebraskaat NEBIllinois
20232023-10-06Nebraska 20 — 7 Illinoisat ILLNebraska
20222022-10-29Illinois 26 — 9 Nebraskaat NEBIllinois
20212021-08-28Nebraska 22 — 30 Illinoisat ILLIllinois
20202020-11-21Illinois 41 — 23 Nebraskaat NEBIllinois
20192019-09-21Nebraska 42 — 38 Illinoisat ILLNebraska
20182018-11-10Illinois 35 — 54 Nebraskaat NEBNebraska
20172017-09-29Nebraska 28 — 6 Illinoisat ILLNebraska
20162016-10-01Illinois 16 — 31 Nebraskaat NEBNebraska
20152015-10-03Nebraska 13 — 14 Illinoisat ILLIllinois
20142014-09-27Illinois 14 — 45 Nebraskaat NEBNebraska
20132013-10-05Illinois 19 — 39 Nebraskaat NEBNebraska

Nebraska leaders 2026 regular season

PassingAnthony Colandrea QB #1094/143, 1142 YDS, 13 TD, 2 INT
TJ Lateef QB #148/11, 82 YDS, 1 TD
RushingJamal Rule RB #2542 CAR, 333 YDS, 5 TD
Mekhi Nelson RB #3556 CAR, 266 YDS, 4 TD
Anthony Colandrea QB #1038 CAR, 249 YDS, 2 TD
ReceivingKwazi Gilmer WR #1129 REC, 387 YDS, 6 TD
Jacory Barney Jr. WR #218 REC, 233 YDS, 2 TD
Mekhi Nelson RB #358 REC, 120 YDS, 1 TD
Luke Lindenmeyer TE #4412 REC, 116 YDS, 1 TD
Defense
TacklesOwen Chambliss LB #3326
Dwayne McDougle III S #2624
Jamir Conn DB #1324
SacksJahsear Whittington DL #442.5
Riley Van Poppel DL #52
Williams Nwaneri EDGE #962
InterceptionsOwen Chambliss LB #331
Dwayne McDougle III S #261
Donovan Jones DB #371

Illinois leaders 2026 regular season

PassingKatin Houser QB #4102/155, 1246 YDS, 11 TD, 3 INT
RushingAidan Laughery RB #2145 CAR, 321 YDS, 1 TD
Ca'Lil Valentine RB #550 CAR, 225 YDS, 1 TD
Katin Houser QB #425 CAR, 106 YDS, 1 TD
ReceivingCollin Dixon WR #1740 REC, 546 YDS, 8 TD
Hudson Clement WR #1321 REC, 299 YDS
Ty Robinson WR #1011 REC, 159 YDS, 3 TD
Brayden Trimble WR #1115 REC, 116 YDS
Defense
TacklesMatthew Bailey DB #737
Ismael Kante LB #2629
Juice Clarke DB #624
SacksWill Holmes DL #241
Ean Rhea LB #401
Joe Barna DL #430.5
InterceptionsMatthew Bailey DB #71
Ismael Kante LB #261
These are regular-season totals for the season named on each card — the players who led that team that year, taken from ESPN's team leaders. That list is keyed to the season, not to today's roster, so a leader who has since transferred or run out of eligibility still appears against the year he earned it; the roster pages and the depth chart on each team page are where the current squad is. A team switches to this season's numbers once it has played a game. The roster pages count bowl games too, so a player's two lines can differ by a game.