A look at some talking points after the Huskers’ game at Illinois on Saturday.
Behind enemy lines
What those in the opposing locker room said:
Coach Bret Bielema: “It was really a four-quarter victory and it took all three phases of the game, like the kicking game. We have really stressed it to our players since fall camp started to where we are today, that nothing will come easy.”
Backup QB Artur Sitkowski: “I just want to do my best. Coming here in May, I’ve never been around a group of guys that just brought people in. I live with three transfers, and we were so amazed at how everybody on this football team just brought us in like their own. They welcomed us with open arms, and I really appreciate that.”
Bielema: “For me, this was a big one to win, from a recruiting standpoint, the Big Ten West, and I’ve been preaching to our guys that the past five Big Ten West champions, they’ve only lost at home twice in Big Ten West play, so the importance of winning these home Big Ten West games, and our players buy into it one hundred times over.”
Bielema: “Defensively, it wasn’t pretty. The only guy that we really thought could beat us was (Adrian Martinez) and we gave him that one play that really got them back into the game.”
Luke Ford, on his first career TD: “It feels amazing. It was an awesome experience. It was just all the team coming together. Art threw a perfect ball, the O-line blocked great, wide receivers ran the routes. Just an awesome experience.”
Scanning the wires
What other media outlets are saying:
CHAMPAIGN, Ill. – The Bret Bielema era at Illinois is off to a winning start.
Sparked by strong play from backup quarterback Art Sitkowski after Brandon Peters left in the first quarter with an arm injury and a consistent, methodical run game, the Illini defeated Nebraska 30-22 on Saturday in front of an announced crowd of 41,064 at Memorial Stadium on a warm, muggy afternoon in the Big Ten and season opener for both teams.
The Illini (1-0, 1-0 Big Ten) led the Cornhuskers 30-9 in the third quarter before Nebraska mounted a mini-comeback to get within one touchdown in the final minutes. But the Illinois defense didn’t allow Adrian Martinez to complete a potential epic game-tying drive, with the victory sealed when Martinez’s fourth-and-10 pass from deep inside Nebraska territory was batted down with 11 seconds left by Illini cornerback Devon Witherspoon.
Saturday’s win is the first by the Illini against a Big Ten foe in its season opener since the 1984 season when Illinois beat Northwestern 24-16. Until Saturday, Illinois had been 0-3 in its season openers when facing a Big Ten foe.
– Scott Richey, The News-Gazette (Champaign)
They Tweeted it
What the fans and others are saying on Twitter:
Niles Paul (@NilesP_): I was really the last person from the north side of Omaha to hold it down for the University of Nebraska.. There’s your problem
Aaron Torres (@Aaron_Torres): The NCAA isn’t going to bring down Scott Frost. The fact that – in the transfer portal era – he hasn’t found a better alternative in four years at quarterback than Adrian Martinez is what is what will.
Dustin Schutte (@SchutteCFB): Here’s the thing: I think Illinois is a team capable of getting to a bowl. It’s not necessarily a “bad loss” for Nebraska in terms of opponent.
What makes it a bad loss is the fact that you’re seeing the same dumb mistakes and lack of adjustment in Year 4 as you saw in Year 1.
