The University of Illinois football team has rattled off three straight victories and suddenly finds itself fifth in the Big Ten Conference race.

Bowl talk is back in the conversation for the Fighting Illini, who move into a prime time game Friday night to host a struggling Nebraska squad at Gies Memorial Stadium.

Illinois is 5-3 overall and 3-2 in conference play, with the Big Ten's second-longest active win streak.

They'll try to stretch that streak against a Nebraska team that has lost three straight and is 5-3 overall and 2-3 in conference.

When is the Illinois vs Nebraska football game?

Illinois (5-3, 3-2) is at home against Nebraska (5-3, 2-3) at 7 p.m. Friday, Nov. 6, at Gies Memorial Stadium in Champaign, Illinois.

What channel is the Illinois-Nebraska football game on?

The game is streaming live on FOX One.

Who is the broadcast crew for Illinois vs Nebraska?

What is the weather forecast for Nebraska at Illinois football?

What to know about Illinois vs. Nebraska football

◾Illini receiver Collin Dixon one of only five players in the nation to rank in the top 12 in receiving yards, and receiving touchdowns, along with Jeremiah Smith (Ohio State), Malachi Toney (Miami), Umari Hatcher (Syracuse), and Easton Messer (FAU). Dixon is fourth in the nation in receiving touchdowns (10), behind Ohio State's Jeremiah Smith, Oregon State's Jesse Legree, and Miami's Malachi Toney. He tied Illinois' single-season record with 10 receiving touchdowns this season.

◾Javari Barnett had a career-high 80 yards on six carries at Maryland, including a game-changing 64-yard touchdown run on the first play of the fourth quarter. It is the longest touchdown run by a Big Ten freshman this season.

◾The Illini got veteran starting quarterback Katin Houser back from surgery to repair a broken throwing hand, and he was 18 of 32 passing for 223 yards, 1 TD and 1 INT.

Here come the Irish

Illinois and Notre Dame announced a two-game contract this week that will make them opponents on the football field for the first time in 59 years. The Illini and Irish will play in South Bend on Sept. 4, 2027 before meeting in Champaign on Sept. 2, 2028.

 "This is a series I have wanted to get on the football schedule since I arrived in 2016," said Illinois director of athletics Josh Whitman. "It has been too long since these two tradition-rich programs have met, given our proximity, common values, and deep roots in Chicago and throughout the Midwest. We expect to see a lot of Orange and Blue next year in South Bend and believe the 2028 matchup in Champaign will be one of our most anticipated home games in decades. Thank you to Notre Dame ... for helping to make this exciting series a reality."

The only way for fans to guarantee 2028 season tickets, which include the Notre Dame game in Champaign, is to purchase 2027 season tickets.

Illinois and Notre Dame have met 12 times, last competing on the gridiron at Notre Dame Stadium in 1968 as part of a two-year home-and-home. Nine of the matchups in the all-time series came during a 10-year stretch from 1937-1946 after the two teams first played in 1898.

The Notre Dame series replaces Missouri on Illinois' 2027 and 2028 schedules.

Illinois vs. Nebraska predictions

Illinois vs Nebraska odds

The betting lines for the Illinois-Nebraska game, as of Thursday morning, Nov. 5, 2026 on BetMGM.