First Quarter
NEB: Doug DuBose 1 run (Craig Schnitzler kick) 12:12
NEB: Chris Carr 56 interception return (C. Schnitzler kick) 10:12
Second Quarter
NEB: C. Schnitzler 35 field goal, 14:22
ILL: Chris White 42 field goal, 11:44
ILL: Cap Boso 5 pass from Jack Trudeau (White kick) 1:25
NEB: DuBose 1 run (C. Schnitzler kick) 0:28
Third Quarter
NEB: DuBose 49 run (C. Schnitzler kick) 12:52
NEB: Von Sheppard 12 run (C. Schnitzler kick) 3:16
NEB: Robb Schnitzler 9 pass from Travis Turner (C. Schnitzler kick) 0:27
Fourth Quarter
ILL: Boso 4 pass from Trudeau (David Williams pass from Trudeau) 12:54
ILL: Stephen Pierce 4 pass from Trudeau (White kick) 10:02
NEB: Chris Spachman 38 int. return (C. Schnitzler kick) 3:48
ILLNEB
First downs ............. 19 27
Rushes-yards ......... 30-98 74-456
Passing yards .......... 292 110
Comp-Att-Int ..... 29-51-4 3-10-1
Total offense ....... 81-390 84-566
Return yards ............. 4 137
Sacks by .............. 2-12 4-19
Punts ................. 6-41 4-32
Fumbles-lost ........... 4-3 5-2
Penalties-yards ....... 4-25 3-34
Possession time ...... 26:40 33:20
RUSHING
ILL: Thomas Rooks 11-66, Eric Wycoff 6-28
NEB: DuBose 26-191, Tom Rathman 13-74, McCathorn Clayton 17-69, Paul Miles 8-53
PASSING
ILL: Trudeau 29-51-4-292.
NEB: Clayton 1-5-1-64, Turner 2-5-0-46
RECEIVING
ILL: D. Williams 7-119, Pierce 7-51, Boso 4-44, Rooks 3-16, Ray Wilson 3-16, Anthony Williams 2-33, Keith Jones 2-7
NEB: R. Schnitzler 2-73, Sheppard 1-37
Missed field goals: Neb, C. Schnitzler 39
ADDITIONAL STATS
Attendance: 76,149
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Coverage
Recap
Chris Spachman gets in on the scoring with a 38-yard interception return in the fourth quarter. | Media guide photo
Husker thefts deflate Illinois’ air attack
McCathorn Clayton’s 64-yard pass to Robb Schnitzler late in the first half cooled an Illinois rally and spurred Nebraska to a 52-25 win over the Illini.
Illinois seemed to have momentum going its way just before halftime, having narrowed a 17-0 deficit to 17-10, but the Clayton-Schnitzler aerial set up a Doug DuBose touchdown in the final minute of the first half, starting a run of 28 unanswered points for Nebraska.
The Husker defense picked off four of Illinois quarterback Jack Trudeau’s 51 passes and returned two of them for touchdowns. Although the Illini gained 390 total yards, they were held to 98 yards rushing, including minus-5 in the second half.