3 observations of the loss of Illini in Nebraska

LINCOLN, NE – NOVEMBER 10: Quarterback AJ Bush Jr. The No. 1 Illinois Fighting Illini falls back to the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first half at Memorial Stadium on November 10, 2018 in Lincoln, Nebraska. (Photo by Steven Branscombe / Getty Images)

The Illinois football team went to Nebraska and failed to take care of the ball as the Cornhuskers won the game 54-35.

This Illini team is not far from being a perennial bowl program. They could easily have been in the game against Nebraska, but some really stupid setbacks and a few bad balls were associated with a defense that was struggling to get started, and all of this kept the Illini from winning.

Illinois competed very early with this Cornhuskers program. They went back and forth in the first four possessions. But Nebraska took a 21-14 lead in the second quarter and never looked back.

The Cornhuskers posted a punt in the second quarter to take a 10-point lead. The next trip to Illini was a breakaway, followed by Nebraska. This was the beginning of a slide for Illini. They could not come back from this bad possession. Nebraska took a 38-21 lead by going into the halftime locker room.

Illinois could not get closer in the second half. They scored a few times, but Nebraska continued to stay ahead. The Illini, however, allowed only 16 points in the second half. It's something positive. The final horn sounded and the score was 54-35 in favor of Nebraska.

Here are three observations of the loss of Illini in Nebraska.