While most of the marquee contests in Week 4 of college football are on Saturday, the Big Ten is offering a heck of a game on Friday, September 20. Feel free to dive into our betting guide for Illinois vs Nebraska below!
We'll cover the live betting odds, go over some of the top predictions from our staff, and give out our best bet for this sensational matchup. Enjoy the game and best of luck with all of your action!
Even with both teams coming in with a perfect 3-0 record, oddsmakers are still expecting a dominant performance from Nebraska in this primetime spot. Most sportsbooks have installed the Cornhuskers as an 8.5-point favorite over the Fighting Illini.
The game total for this matchup is currently sitting at 43 points. That means that the smart folks making the lines think that this will be an old-school slugfest between these two teams.
It may be early in the season, but Illinois already has two blowout wins on its resume, mainly thanks to Luke Altmyer. The 6'2" quarterback has done of fantastic job of making plays and taking care of the football.
Altmyer has thrown for 647 yards and 6 touchdowns and has yet to throw a pick. If the Fighting Illini are going to pull off the road upset in this hostile environment, they're going to need a big game from this guy.
Illinois may have a hard time running the ball against a Huskers defense that ranks 4th in the country in yards per rush allowed. Can the Illini o-line get enough for a push to create any holes for running back Kaden Feagin?
Nebraska dominated Illinois in last year's matchup, as the Huskers pulled off a road upset in a 20-7 victory. The Huskers were a 3-point underdog in that game, but now they're laying well over a touchdown. That just shows how much they've improved over last season.
If Nebraska is going to cover such a large number, they're going to need a big game from running back Dante Dowdell. The sophomore from Mississippi is everything you'd expect from a Nebraska halfback. He's 6'2", 225 pounds, and he runs with bad intentions!
Nebraska is passing the ball much better than they have in years past, mainly thanks to Dylan Raiola. The Buford, Georgia native has thrown for 670 yards and 5 touchdowns on the young season.
Most sports betting experts say to never bet teasers in college football, but I've done quite well with them in the Big 10 over the year. This is because a lot of teams from that conference like to run the ball and play solid defense.
This leads to lower scores, which means that the extra 6 points we get from a teaser are worth a lot more than a "normal" college football game. Illinois has looked great so far this year, but they've yet to face a team as talented as Nebraska.
On the other hand, Nebraska shut up a lot of haters with their dominant 28-10 performance over Coach Prime and Colorado. Let's tease the Huskers from 8.5 down to 2.5 and pair them with Minnesota at +8.5.
Prediction: Nebraska 24 - Illinois 17