McMaster’s Keys to the Game: Nebraska at Illinois

Huskers need to contain, run and stop in Champaign tonight

A football game is a long, 60-minute grind. It is truly a game of inches that comes down to hours of practice and tedious preparation. Games in college football are not just won by talent on the field but by strategy and weeks of game planning.

Nebraska is in search of its first Big Ten win of the year. To pull it off Friday night in Champaign, Illinois, the Huskers will need to stop one of the best players in the country, dominate on the ground and execute when it matters most.

Contain Johnny Newton

Johnny Newton is one of the top defensive linemen in the country. The 2022 second-team All-American is a slam dunk to go on day one of the 2024 NFL draft, projected to go 10th according to CBS’ latest mock.

While Newton has not dominated to begin the year, recording 20 tackles, three for loss, and two sacks, he still is the living, breathing embodiment of a game wrecker.

Unfortunately for the Big Red, Illinois’ five-man front plays into Newton’s strengths, giving him ample one-on-one opportunities. Nebraska’s O-line must put up its best performance to date if it’s going to have any chance of suppressing the dominant 6-2 junior lineman.

Run the damn ball

Entering this game, the Illinois defense as a whole is different from what it was last season. After losing Devon Witherspoon, Jertavious Martin, and Sydney Brown to the draft, along with defensive coordinator Ryan Walters to Purdue, the once-dominant group has taken a step back.

They’ve allowed 30 points per game and rank 109/132 in rushing yards allowed per game. Despite Nebraska’s injuries in the backfield, the Huskers still have the talent and scheme to punish Illinois on the ground.

If NU can find its momentum in the run game, it could be a very long day for the Illini.

Third downs

Nebraska’s offense is not one with a lot of firepower. The Huskers  enter Friday's contest scoring 18 points per game. That’s only good enough to rank 118th out of 132 teams. Nebraska’s clearest path to victory is to win the time-of-possession game. If NU can hold the ball for an extended period and allow its very good defense to rest up, the Huskers will have a great chance of walking out of Champaign with a W.

Converting on third down is a massive part of winning the possession battle. Luckily for the Big Red, that is an area Illinois has struggled with through five games this season.

Illinois’ opponents are converting on third downs 52% of the time. That is one of the 10 worst rates in the country. Nebraska will need to be efficient on first and second down in order to expose Illinois’ third-down woes and control the football game.