Nebraska's crossroads couldn't be more critical this week. The Huskers come to Illinois on a three-game losing streak and face four tough opponents in November. The Fighting Illini are no exception, especially with the team coming in on a three-game winning streak.

Similar to Nebraska, Illinois' last three games all saw close battles go down to the wire. But whereas the Huskers failed to close out their contests, the Fighting Illini managed to get the wins. However, Illinois is also at a crossroads with three tough teams awaiting it after Nebraska.

The Fighting Illini got Katin Houser back, and he played relatively well against Maryland. He finished 18-of-32 for 223 yards, one touchdown and one interception. He also got help from Illinois' run game, which saw the team finish with 184 yards on 33 carries. For Nebraska's defense, this team can do just enough to pull out a win.

However, that depends on what the Huskers' offense can do. The Fighting Illini have found themselves in rough spots defensively, allowing over 20 points in each of their first six games. But Illinois' defense has been holding strong these past few weeks, keeping each of its last two opponents below 20 points. For Nebraska's offense, that's a major problem.

The Huskers managed to regress despite coming off a bye week and going from Indiana and Oregon to a Washington team that’s had its fair share of defensive mishaps. Though Anthony Colandrea is likely to play better than last week, and the run game could also take another step forward, it's hard to see Nebraska's offense fully click after the loss to the Huskies.

Right now, nothing else can really be determined. Washington provided Nebraska a chance to rebound offensively. Instead, the Huskers dropped the ball. Now, with the team hitting the road on a short week, Illinois has the advantage and the capability to finish games. Unless it comes out firing on all cylinders, Nebraska's not in a position to win this.