It’s been an eventful week for Nebraska, as a fan revolt has reached a near-boiling point. Coach Rhule’s response? Let’s move some coaches to the press box…not exactly the most confidence-inspiring move.

Illinois and Nebraska both sit at 5-3, with Nebraska (as we are all painfully aware) coming off three straight gut-punch losses, while Illinois - under the steady hand of coach Bret Bielema - has won three straight.

The question is, are these two teams at the same point, headed in completely separate directions?

Bob says yes, Jay says no. A house divided!

Momentum and self-belief are powerful motivators for a team. Will Nebraska be able to overcome its recent late-game disappointments, or will Illinois’ newfound swagger carry the day?

Let’s start with one obvious observation: we can’t let Illinois’ best player beat us. In this case, it’s wide receiver Collin Dixon, who has already amassed 60 catches for 781 yards and 10 (!) touchdowns. Will we see Andrew Marshall on a shadow? Double coverage? Blitz and leave him free?

Here’s a second observation - Illinois seems to have a HUGE advantage in coaching. Coach Bielema’s teams are tough and rarely commit the late-game mistakes that plague the Huskers. Is Coach Rhule like a boxer with a 2-26 record? Until his teams perform better against good competition, the jury remains out.

On the Husker side of the ball, how committed are we to the run? If Illinois stacks the box, are we going to keep trying to throw over the top? The offense has no identity and has largely ground to a halt. People are wise to our tricks and we haven’t been able to counter them. Maybe the air in the press box has more oxygen than the sidelines, helping coaches to breathe deeper and focus better.

In terms of the game, both Bob and Jay think the same exact scenario will play out - one team will lead for most of the game, then the other team will throw a touchdown with less than a minute left to win the game 24-20.

Bob thinks Illinois will win. A fumble return of a TD would be a unique way to - once again - kick Nebraska fans in the gut.

Jay thinks Nebraska will do what’s been done to us and win.

Prediction:One team 24, the other team 20

Please subscribe to SMQ on , iTunes and YouTube.

Stay up to date on all things Huskers by bookmarking Nebraska Cornhuskers On SI, following us on Twitter/X, and visiting HuskerMax.com daily.