Illini Take Down Nebraska, Remains Atop Big Ten West Standings

The Fighting Illini scored 20 unanswered points while holding the Cornhuskers scoreless through the final 39 minutes of play.

The Illini defense stepped up on Saturday, recording four takeaways in the victory, with Sydney Brown making two interceptions and Jartavius Martin notching an interception and forcing a fumble.

Illinois took control in the second half,  possessing the ball for nearly 21 minutes and holding Nebraska to just 29 yards after the break.

Chase Brown recorded his ninth-straight 100-yard rushing game with 149 yards on the ground alongside two total touchdowns. Tommy DeVito went 20/22 with 179 yards and two touchdowns, and Isaiah Williams made nine catches for 93 yards and a score.

Illinois opened the scoring on its first possession of the afternoon, needing five plays to march 75 yards down the field. Williams hauled in his third touchdown of the season, cutting across the field for a 46-yard score to put the Illini up 6-0 less than three minutes into the game.

The Illini grabbed two interceptions in the first half, with Martin making his third interception of the year on Nebraska's first drive of the game and Sydney Brown recording his second interception of the season with under seven minutes to play in the second quarter. 

Brown's takeaway set up the Illinois offense at the Cornhusker 11, and the Illini capitalized. After Chase Brown took the ball down to the 1-yard line, he then punched it in as Illinois retook the lead, 13-9, with six minutes to play in the opening half.

The Illini defense then forced its second three-and-out, and the offense went right back to work. Carries from Chase Brown and Reggie Love III moved the ball down the field before DeVito found Chase Brown on a wheel route for a 12-yard touchdown reception, giving Illinois a 20-9 advantage at halftime.

Illinois recorded 225 total yards of offense in the opening 30 minutes, while DeVito went 12/13 with 143 yards and two scores and Chase Brown registered 15 carries for 80 yards and both a rushing and receiving touchdown.

Sydney Brown recorded his second interception of the afternoon early in the third quarter with Nebraska deep in Illinois territory, the Illini's third takeaway of the game. 
Illinois then used over seven minutes to move 70 yards down the field, putting together a 13-play drive before Caleb Griffin converted a 36-yard field goal to extend the Illini lead to 23-9.

The Illini then forced its fourth turnover on Nebraska's first possession of the fourth quarter, with Martin forcing a fumble and Jer'Zhan Newton recovering it to bring the Illinois offense back on the field deep in Cornhusker territory. Three short plays later, Griffin hit his second field goal of the day, this time from 41 yards, to give the Illini a three-possession lead, 26-9, with just over 11 minutes to play.

Newton and Kenenna Odeluga each recorded a sack on Nebraska's final possession of the game to seal the road victory and push Illinois to 7-1 on the season and extend the team's winning streak to six games.

Nebraska's three quarterbacks combined to go 11/24 with 188 yards, one score, and three interceptions, and the Illini held Nebraska's leading receiver, Trey Palmer, to one catch for one yard.

Illinois returns to Memorial Stadium on Saturday to open a two-game homestand against Michigan State.