Week 10 of the 2026 college football season features an important Big Ten matchup when the Nebraska Cornhuskers travel to Champaign to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini. Ahead of kickoff at 8 p.m. ET on FOX, the Cornhuskers are favored by 4.5 points on PrizePicks.
Nebraska enters Friday's matchup at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference play. The Cornhuskers got off to an excellent 5-0 start but have since dropped three consecutive games against Indiana, Oregon, and Washington.
Illinois is also 5-3 on the year but has found its stride recently, winning three straight against Michigan State, Oregon, and Maryland.
Can QB Anthony Colandrea and the Cornhuskers get their season back on track, or will QB Katin Houser and the Fighting Illini extend their streak to four games?
Below, we'll break down our Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction and picks for Friday's college football game, including the spread, over/under, and key player picks on PrizePicks.
Make your Nebraska vs. Illinois picks on PrizePicks now!
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Nebraska vs. Illinois Prediction, Spread, Over/Under – Friday, November 6
Nebraska enters Friday's game as a 4.5-point road favorite against Illinois, returning a 1.49x payout if it wins outright.
Here are the full payouts for Nebraska vs. Illinois on PrizePicks.
Team Picks data is live at the time of writing and is subject to change.
Make your Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction on the spread or over/under on PrizePicks.
Nebraska enters tonight averaging 32.4 points and 424.9 total yards per game on offense. The Cornhuskers have been particularly effective running the football, averaging 186.6 YPG and an impressive 5.0 yards per carry.
Colandrea has been a productive dual-threat presence and certainly has contributed to the Cornhuskers' rushing success. Through eight games, he's completed 161 of 263 passes for 1,825 yards and 15 TDs while throwing 7 INTs. He's also rushed for 354 yards.
The Cornhuskers' biggest strength, however, has been their defense. Nebraska is allowing just 15.6 PPG and 270.8 YPG. The run defense has been especially impressive, surrendering only 91.1 YPG and 3.1 YPC.
Illinois has been productive offensively as well, averaging 29.0 PPG and 394.3 YPG. Houser has thrown for 1,663 yards and 13 TDs through seven appearances, completing 64.8% of his passes with 5 INTs.
The Fighting Illini have enjoyed an excellent season from WR Collin Dixon, who's emerged as Houser's primary weapon. Dixon has accumulated 781 receiving yards and 10 TDs on 60 receptions through eight games, averaging 97.6 YPG.
Illinois' defense has been bad, to say the least. Its surface-level stats are fine, such as 24.3 PPG, but the advanced numbers (more on that shortly) tell a different story.
Nebraska vs. Illinois Prediction on Spread – 11/6/26
Here are the key stats and predictions behind our Nebraska vs. Illinois pick against the spread for Friday, November 6.
Unless otherwise noted, data used in this article is from College Football Ratings, CFBStats, or PFF.
- Nebraska's offense ranks 28th in opponent-adjusted EPA/play, while Illinois' defense is 134th.
- The biggest mismatch is on the ground, where the Cornhuskers sit sixth in rushing EPA and the Fighting Illini rank 117th on defense.
- Illinois owns a respectable offense, ranking 22nd in opponent-adjusted EPA/play. However, this is a particularly difficult matchup against a Nebraska defense that's 24th in overall defensive EPA.
- Illinois' offense is 31st in third-down conversion rate, but the Cornhuskers allow opponents to convert just 21.0% of their attempts, the best rate in the country.
- Nebraska's also been excellent at preventing opponents from finishing drives. The Cornhuskers rank eighth in points per scoring opportunity, surrendering just 2.38 per trip.
- While Nebraska has lost three consecutive games, all three defeats were competitive and came by a combined 13 points against three good teams.
Lock in your Nebraska vs. Illinois prediction on PrizePicks before Friday's game.
Nebraska vs. Illinois Picks, Player Stats for PrizePicks: 11/6/26
Here are two Nebraska vs. Illinois player projections to consider for Friday. Today's PrizePicks college football picks focus on Anthony Colandrea and Katin Houser.
Nebraska QB Anthony Colandrea vs. Illinois: 227.5 Pass Yards
- Colandrea enters this matchup averaging 228.1 passing YPG, slightly above this projection.
- He's been throwing the ball a bit more recently, clearing this mark in three of his last four contests.
- Illinois has struggled to defend opposing passing attacks, allowing 240.8 YPG. The Fighting Illini rank 128th in opponent-adjusted passing EPA allowed.
- The Illini own an EPA/pass (0.28) allowance that ranks 123rd and a defensive success rate against the pass of 53.0% (134th).
Add Anthony Colandrea + Nebraska to win to your PrizePicks lineup now!
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Illinois QB Katin Houser vs. Nebraska: 220.5 Pass Yards
- Houser is averaging 237.6 passing YPG, but this is arguably his toughest defensive matchup of the season. He's mustering just 214.0 over his last three outings.
- Nebraska's been outstanding against opposing QBs, allowing just 179.6 YPG. More importantly, the Cornhuskers rank fifth in opponent-adjusted passing EPA allowed.
- The Huskers have also limited opposing offenses to a 31.0% late-down conversion rate, good for third in the nation.
- The Cornhuskers' defense is seventh in EPA/pass (-0.18) and sixth in dropback success rate (35.7%).
Add Katin Houser + Illinois to cover the spread to your PrizePicks lineup now!
Make Nebraska vs. Illinois Picks on PrizePicks
Big Ten football takes center stage Friday night as the Cornhuskers travel to Champaign to face the Fighting Illini. Can Colandrea lead Nebraska to a much-needed victory and snap the Cornhuskers' three-game losing streak, or will Houser and the Illini defend home field and extend their own streak to four games?
Don’t wait until kickoff — make your Nebraska vs. Illinois picks on PrizePicks now and earn real money if you’re right.
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