HUSKER GAMEDAY: No. 22 Nebraska hosts No. 24 Illinois in Big Ten opener

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - The spotlight of the college football world will again be shone on Memorial Stadium, and with the rare Friday night showdown, that spotlight won't even need to be shared.

No. 22 Nebraska (3-0) squares off against No. 24 Illinois (3-0) in the first Big Ten Conference game of the season for both squads. It's the first time in over a decade that a pair of ranked teams will do battle in Lincoln — the last such occasion coming in 2013.

GAME INFO

: 7 p.m., Friday, Sept. 20

: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.

: FOX

: Huskers Radio Network

VEGAS ODDS: Illinois +7.5, O/U 43.5

Nebraska's 2024 campaign seems to have that theme to it, though: The first time since, "insert year here," that the Huskers have done, "insert stat here."

It's a sign that head coach Matt Rhule is turning the program around — something that has essentially become his signature undertaking throughout his career. He did it at Temple, he did it at Baylor, and now the Huskers seem to be on the same trajectory. Some would argue they're even ahead of schedule.

Fittingly, this game will also mark Nebraska's 400th consecutive sellout at Memorial Stadium — a milestone the university plans to celebrate throughout the night Friday.

"It's passion and loyalty," Rhule said "And it's not just the sellouts, it's coming out early and staying late. That loyalty, that passion, as I've said since day one, is something that we feel humbled by, and we have to make sure we do our job. I feel it all the time. Not as a burden or in a bad way, but a sense of responsibility to make sure that we're doing our part."

The optimism amongst the Big Red faithful is at a level unseen in decades and, so far, the product on the field is living up to the excitement. A 3-0 record and a Top 25 appearance is certainly a good start, but now is when the tests get tougher.

"It's time that the season starts," said Husker QB Dylan Raiola after Nebraska's 34-3 win over Northern Iowa last week. "It's time for the games to begin. You treat those three [non-conference] games like real games, but you really find out your identity before you get into these conference games that mean everything. i know our team's been excited and it's finally here."

Conference action has arrived, and what better way to get things rolling than against a team that epitomizes the Big Ten's smash-mouth, "line-it-up-and-show-me-what-you-got" style of football. In other words, "Bielema Ball."

Illinois head coach Bret Bielema has constructed what is, at this point, his patented model of football team. A hard-nosed physical roster that will wear down opponents as the game progresses. Bielema showcased it for a decade as head coach of Wisconsin and Arkansas before ending up at Illinois in 2021 after a short stint as an assistant for Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots.

"I have a lot of respect for [Bielema]," Rhule said. "His teams, they're gonna play great defense, they're gonna run the football, they're gonna play great special teams. Obviously after an illustrious career as a head coach, he went and worked with Coach Belichick, so I know he understands that way of thinking and he's doing a great job at Illinois. I have a lot of respect for him."

Running back Kaden Faegin is Bielema's workhorse this year, having carried the ball 42 times through three games. But Illinois is more versatile this year than in season's pass thanks to the elevated play of quarterback Luke Altmeyer, who's been about as good as anyone in the country thus far, completing 70 percent of his passes for 647 yards and 6 touchdowns without a single turnover.