The Illinois Fighting Illini are heading into their first conference matchup of 2024 when they take on the Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday night. The ranked contest will be a measuring stick for both teams, with Nebraska learning more and more about their freshman Quarterback Dylan Raiola, and Illinois learning more about the general makeup and team identity. Both squads will enter the game ranked in the top 25 and undefeated at 3-0.
The Illinois Fighting Illini will have some game-time decisions to make with some injured playmakers on both sides of the ball. Two injuries will keep a pair of players out that have been out since the opening game of the season against Eastern Illinois. However, there are three new players on the injury report who sustained injuries in the win over Central Michigan last week and are questionable to play Friday night.
Good Signs For Illinois Fighting Illini
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The Illinois Fighting Illini are ranked 24th in the nation in this week’s AP Poll. This creates a ranked matchup Friday night in their Big Ten opener against Nebraska, who will come into the game ranked 22nd. In a big conference matchup like this, depth and versatility will be huge for Bret Bielema’s crew. Having all of your players is never an option in college football but avoiding injuries and important absences is paramount for success, especially as an underdog like the Illinois Fighting Illini are in this one.
The Illini will not be at full strength for this game, but they knew that coming in. TE Cole Rusk and OLB Mason Muragin will miss the entire 2024 season with torn ACL injuries suffered in the preseason. There are new players on the injury report who suffered their injuries in or before the 30-9 win over CMU last week. TE Carson Goda, RB Aidan Laughery, and OLB Daniel Brown were all listed on the Week Four injury report.
More Injury News
Head Coach for the Illinois Fighting Illini Bret Bielema cleared the air on two of those injuries at his weekly press conference. Offensive weapons Carson Goda, and Aidan Laughery were full participants in practice and are on track to play in Friday night’s bout. He was less committal on Brown’s injury, which remains undisclosed. Brown, the junior college transfer hasn’t practiced with the team this week and is trending towards missing the ranked matchup.
Laughery is part of a stable of running backs that have carried the rushing attack so far this season and even if he is diminished for the game, can be accounted for by other options in the backfield like Josh McCray, Kaden Feagin, and Ca’Lil Valentine. After the preseason injury to Cole Rusk, the Illini have been short-staffed at tight end, so the news about Goda is welcome. If Goda is going to be on a snap count or limited in playing time, Tanner Arkin and Henry Boyer are more than capable of picking up the slack.
Laughery did not see any action in last week’s win but has been a contributor to the backfield in the two games he has been active for in 2024. Goda saw the majority of his action in the season opener against Eastern Illinois. Like Laughery, he did not suit up for the game against Central Michigan but is slotted to be the third-string option at tight end for Friday night against the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
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