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It's time to start conference play. It's a cool and windy Homecoming Weekend at Nebraska, but who will be crowned King of Memorial Stadium? The Bewildered Blackshirts The Illinois game finds Nebraska still searching for defensive answers 1/3 of the way through the season. Two weeks to prepare may have paid dividends for the struggling Blackshirts, who are still looking for a solid defensive performance against decent competition. Touchdown Tommy 2.0 On offense, all-everything quarterback Taylor Martinez is once again sitting out with turf toe. That means Redshirt Freshman Tommy Armstrong will get his second straight start and his first taste of Big Ten football. Armstrong looked more than capable against D1AA South Dakota State in his first career start two weeks ago. Bo versus October As Sam McKewon wrote earlier this week, October has been the stage of some of Bo's best wins (2010 Missouri, 2011 Michigan State) as well as his most baffling losses (2009 Iowa State, 2012 Ohio State). What will today bring? With the state of this defense, finding an answer is no easy task. Wyoming Part Deux? Illinois enters the game at 3-1, averaging more than 40 points a game in a schedule that featured a "neutral site" game at Soldier Field against Washington. The Fighting Illini have a fleet of capable wide receivers, a potent pair of running backs and a fifth-year quarterback whose arm has been his main weapon thus far in the season, but whose legs are perhaps just as dangerous. On paper this was supposed to be an easy Husker win - but then, so was Wyoming. If the Blackshirts haven't shored up their deficiencies, this could turn into another 600-yard day for an opposing offense. Against Wyoming the Huskers had the steady play of a fifth-year quarterback to pull away in the second half. Will our Redshirt Freshman be able to provide similar separation against an opponent more than able to put 40 points on the board? It's game day in Nebraska. Time to Husker Up.