NEBRASKA NEBRASKA ILLINOIS CORNHUSKERS FIGHTING ILLINI (0-0, 0-0 B1G) (0-0, 0-0 B1G) SATURDAY, AUG. 28 • 12:20 P.M. CT • CHAMPAIGN, ILL. • MEMORIAL STADIUM • FIELDTURF Nebraska opens its 132nd season on Saturday when the Huskers travel to Illinois for the earliest conference game in Big Ten history. The Huskers and Fighting Illini are meeting in Week 0 because the game was NEBRASKA originally set to be played in Ireland, but the COVID-19 pandemic forced the game to be moved to Illinois. • 2020 Record: 3-5 • Last Game: at Rutgers (W, 28-21 in 2020) Head Coach Scott Frost begins his fourth season at his alma mater in 2021, while Saturday's season • Streak: Won 1 opener marks the Illinois head coaching debut for Bret Bielema. The Huskers saw their four-game win • AP Rank: Not Ranked streak in the series snapped last season, as Illinois earned the victory in Lincoln. • Coaches Rank: Not Ranked • Head Coach: Scott Frost Nebraska has won the past two meetings in Champaign, and the Huskers bring a two-game road winning • Nebraska Record: 12-20 (4th year) streak into Saturday's game after the Huskers won at Purdue and Rutgers last December. Nebraska went • Career Record: 31-27 (6th year) 2-3 away from home last season with all three losses to teams that finished the year ranked in the top • Record vs. Illinois: 2-1 20, including one-possession losses at No. 10 Northwestern and No. 16 Iowa. The Huskers return a veteran defense that brings back 15 players who earned at least one start last season. Eight players who started at least seven of Nebraska's eight games last season return this fall, ILLINOIS including Marquel Dismuke, JoJo Domann and Garrett Nelson, who each started every game in 2020. • 2020 Record: 2-6 • Last Game: at Penn St. (L, 21-56 in 2020) Offensively, Adrian Martinez is back for his fourth year as Nebraska's starting quarterback. Martinez, who • Streak: Lost 3 owns four Nebraska career records and five season marks, is one of only four active FBS players with • AP Rank: Not Ranked 5,000 career passing yards and 1,500 career rushing yards. He was second among all FBS quarterbacks • Coaches Rank: Not Ranked in rushing during the 2020 season (74.4 ypg), while ranking fourth in completion percentage (71.5). • Head Coach: Bret Bielema • Illinois Record: 0-0 (1st year) THIS WEEK'S NUMBERS • Career Record: 97-58 (13th year) • Record vs. Nebraska: 2-1 Saturday's opener between Nebraska and Illinois will mark the earliest date of a Big Ten Conference game in history. The previous earliest date of a conference game in 1 Big Ten history was Aug. 30, 2018, when Northwestern won at Purdue, 31-27. SERIES HISTORY • All-Time Series: Nebraska leads, 13-4-1 • As Big Ten Foes: Nebraska leads, 6-2 Nebraska has averaged at least 200 rushing yards in each of Scott Frost's first three • In Champaign: Nebraska leads, 4-2-1 seasons. The Huskers are the only team from a Power Five Conference to average • Last Game: Illinois 41-23 (11/21/2020) 3 200 rushing yards per game each of the last three seasons (2018, 2019, 2020). • Win Streak: Illinois, 1 game Nebraska has played 14 games in August in program history, and the Huskers are 14-0 in those contests. Nebraska is 2-0 when facing a conference opponent in TV INFORMATION 14 August, defeating Oklahoma State in 1995 (64-21) and 2003 (17-7). 2021 NEBRASKA FOOTBALL SCHEDULE Play-by-Play: Joe Davis Aug. 28 @ Illinois* FOX 12:20 p.m. Earliest conference game in NU history Analyst: Brock Huard Sept. 4 Fordham BTN 11 a.m. NU's 1st game with FCS team since 2018 Fox Sports Go App Sept. 11 Buffalo BTN 2:30 p.m. 1st-ever meeting between the schools Sept. 18 @ Oklahoma FOX 11 a.m. 50th anniversary of the "Game of the Century" HUSKERS RADIO NETWORK Sept. 25 @ Michigan State* TBA TBA 1st meeting in East Lansing since 2014 R A D I O Oct. 2 Northwestern* TBA 6:30 p.m. Last 4 games decided by one possession N E T Oct. 9 Michigan* TBA TBA Michigan's first trip to Lincoln since 2012 W O R K Oct. 16 @ Minnesota* TBA TBA NU's most frequent B1G opponent (61 games) Play-by-Play: Greg Sharpe Analysis: Matt Davison Oct. 30 Purdue* TBA TBA Past 2 games both played in West Lafayette Sidelines: Jeremiah Sirles Nov. 6 Ohio State* TBA TBA Huskers face OSU for 6th straight year Pre/Post-Game Shows: Jessica Coody Huskers.com & Huskers App Nov. 20 @ Wisconsin* TBA TBA Teams did not play last year due to COVID Nov. 26 Iowa* BTN 12:30 p.m. NU's 32nd straight "Black Friday" game All times Central; Home games in bold; *Big Ten Conference game NEBRASKA COMMUNICATIONS GENERAL MEDIA POLICIES All player and coach interviews must be arranged at least one day in advance through the Nebraska CREDENTIAL REQUESTS Communications Office. To request an interview, contact Keith Mann, Shamus McKnight or Matt To request a credential for home games visit: Smith. All post-practice interviews will be conducted on the North Stadium concourse. Interviews will http://www.huskers.com/media not be conducted in the weight room, Student Life Complex, training room, hallways or the tunnel FOOTBALL CONTACTS leading from the locker room to the field. The Nebraska locker room, training room and football Associate A.D./Comm. .............Keith Mann office meeting rooms are OFF LIMITS to the media. When arriving for post-practice interviews, Phone .................................. 402-472-0237 media should come to Gate 14 outside the Northeast corner of Memorial Stadium. E-Mail ....................... [email protected] Sr. Assoc. Comm. Dir. .....Shamus McKnight Student-athlete cell phone numbers will NOT be given to the media, and media should not contact Phone .................................. 402-472-7772 or message student-athletes directly through social media platforms. PRACTICES ARE CLOSED to E-Mail ................. [email protected] the media and to the general public during the season. Associate Director.....................Matt Smith Phone .................................. 402-472-7780 After all games, Nebraska's LOCKER ROOM IS CLOSED. Head Coach Scott Frost and requested E-Mail [email protected] players will be brought to the postgame interview room after a brief cooling off period. At home, Admin. Assoc. (Credentials) ...Vicki Capazo the postgame interview room is located in the strength complex of the Osborne Athletic Complex. Phone .................................. 402-472-2263 Media are asked to wait to set up equipment until the conclusion of halftime. On the road, Coach E-Mail [email protected] Frost and requested players will be brought to the designated interview area. NO INTERVIEWS will be conducted on the field as the players are returning to the locker room. MAILING ADDRESS One Memorial Stadium MEDIA MAY NOT PROVIDE LIVE COVERAGE OF ANY PRESS CONFERENCE ON ANY DIGITAL P.O. Box 880123 Lincoln, NE 68588-0123 PLATFORM OR WEBSITE. (402) 472-2263 [email protected] PHONE INTERVIEWS Shipping Address: 600 Stadium Drive Media wishing to try to arrange a phone interview with Coach Frost may contact Keith Mann for availability. Please contact the Communications Office as far in advance as possible. Out-of-town COACH & PLAYER AVAILABILITY media requesting phone interviews with players should contact Keith Mann or Shamus McKnight with those requests, preferably on Sundays, but no later than 10 a.m. CT on Monday of game MONDAY week. Other than rare exceptions, these interviews will take place only during the Monday press Selected players and Coach Frost will be conference window or following Tuesday practice. available following practice at a press conference on Level 6 of West Memorial Stadium beginning at 11:30 a.m. Live video NEBRASKA FOOTBALL HEAD SHOTS will be available for free through Nebraska's Contact the Nebraska Communications office to request action photos and head shots. social media accounts and on Huskers.com. A complete video and transcript will be made HUSKERS.COM & COLLEGEPRESSBOX.COM available to media in the afternoon. Huskers.com is the official site of Nebraska Athletics and includes updated stats, game notes, depth TUESDAY chart and extensive quotes and audio and video from Nebraska’s Monday press conference. A PDF Selected assistant coaches and players will version of the 2021 Nebraska Media Guide is available on Huskers.com. be available following practice on the North Stadium concourse (media should enter Collegepressbox is the official media website for FBS football. Access and download game notes, quotes, through Gate 14). stats, media guides, headshots, logos and more for all FBS schools, conferences, postseason games, awards and the College Football Playoff. Register for an account at collegepressbox.com/register. WEDNESDAY. No media availability. GAME CREDENTIALS THURSDAY Media may request credentials for home games at Huskers.com/media. Follow the steps on the Coach Frost will be available following website to complete the application. You will receive an e-mail confirming your application and an practice on the North Stadium concourse approval/denial e-mail. Contact Vicki Capazo at (402) 472-2263 with questions. Photo ID will be (media should enter through Gate 14). A required to access the stadium on game day and the name on your photo ID and credential must Husker assistant coach will appear on the match. Single-game credentials will not be mailed and must be picked up on game day at media will Nebraska Football Radio Hour at 7 p.m. call. Single-game parking passes will be mailed to media. FRIDAY No media availability. HUSKERS RADIO NETWORK The Huskers Radio Network brings Nebraska football to fans across the nation and the world.