Illinois Is The Best Team in the Country

Nebraska losing a game in overtime by getting sacked on 4th and 29 on the final play is exactly what I needed to remind myself I am a fan of a cursed team that is allergic to relevance.

The play that sealed the game for @IlliniFootball in OT! 🔒

Down goes Nebraska ❌🌽 pic.twitter.com/7IeAspAOiT

— FOX College Football (@CFBONFOX) September 21, 2024

Sick.

Dylan Raiola is putting together one of the greatest freshman seasons ever.

So far this year, he’s completed 72% of his passes for 967 yards and 8 touchdowns. He’s easily the best QB Nebraska has had since the Bush administration and it doesn’t matter. The Huskers have lost 25 STRAIGHT games to ranked opponents.

Somehow I thought this year would be different but turns out, Illinois is the next great powerhouse program built by Brett Bielema—the 2006 Big Ten Coach of the Year. 3 Big Ten championships under Bielema’s belt. All of them over a decade ago but that old-school discipline has his squad looking like the ’08 Florida Gators.

The Fighting Illini are 4-0 after their 31-24 OT victory.

Illinois quarterback, Luke Altmyer, did whatever he wanted out there, completing 21 of his 27 pass attempts for 215 yards and 4 touchdowns, including the game-winner to wide receiver, Pat Bryant.

Illinois went on the road where Nebraska celebrated their 400th consecutive sold-out game and scored more points.

They are now 4-0 for the first time since 2011 but this shouldn’t shock anyone.

This is the best team in the country.

Look at the dominant victory they just had over the future NFL first round pick. Railoa only threw 3 touchdowns—his most in a game all season—but it could’ve been 4 or 5 touchdowns if that Illinois defense wasn’t out there locking receivers out.

We all know Matt Rhule is one of the best head coaches in the world. I mean, just look at the way his Carolina Panthers were humming they won 11 games. Took them 3 seasons to get those 11 wins but you cannot dispute the fact that Matt Rhule won 11 NFL games.

Just look at Illinois’s opponents so far. Huge wins over Eastern Illinois and Kansas and Central Michigan. All of those wins came at home where they have all the pressure of their classmates and professors and the hoes all watching them. Impressive to say the least.

If anyone in the college football playoff committee is reading this, please remember that Nebraska lost to a JUGGERNAUT and should absolutely still be eligible for the playoffs with the one loss. I will also be deleting this entire article if Nebraska loses again later in the season which probably won’t happen so there’s nothing to worry about and I’m totally fine.

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Do you think Nebraska should still make the playoffs after this overtime loss?  Leave a comment below. Respond on Twitter, Facebook or Instagram. Or shoot me an email at Deadseriousmailbag@gmail.com. Let’s chat, bay-beeeee.