Nebraska vs. Illinois score: No. 24 Fighting Illini upset No. 22 Cornhuskers on the road in OT thriller

Illinois continued its hot start while Nebraska finds itself on the wrong end of yet another one-score game

No. 24 Illinois stunned No. 22 Nebraska with a 31-24 overtime win on the road. Illinois scored on its second offensive play beyond regulation on a 4-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Luke Altmyer to Pat Bryant, and the defense forced a stop on the ensuing possession to secure the upset.

Illinois picked up its second ranked win of the season — marking the first time the program has beaten two AP Top 25 opponents in a single season since 2007 — to move to 4-0 for the first time since 2011. The Fighting Illini knocked off then No. 19 Kansas at home and was coming off a 30-9 win over Central Michigan.

Altmyer completed 21 of 27 attempts for 215 yards and four touchdowns in the comeback win.

The defining moment of the game came with 2:59 remaining in regulation when Nebraska kicker John Hohl missed a 39-yard go-ahead field goal. Nebraska's last points came on the opening play of the fourth quarter, and the Cornhuskers failed to score in overtime for the eighth consecutive game -- a streak that dates back back to an win over Iowa in 2014.

Nebraska quarterback Dylan Raiola finished with a career-high 297 yards passing and three touchdowns in the loss. The Cornhuskers have dropped their last 25 games to ranked opponents dating back to the 2016 campaign. The loss makes 31 one-score defeats for Nebraska since 2018, nine more than any other FBS squad (Iowa, Arkansas tied for second). 

Illinois (4-0, 1-0 Big Ten) will have another opportunity to notch a statement win over a ranked opponent when it faces No. 10 Penn State on the road next Saturday. Nebraska (3-1, 0-1) will hit the road and take on Purdue on the same day before hosting Rutgers on Oct. 5.