Illinois entered a matchup with Oregon with a 6-1 record and a chance of staying in the Big Ten race if they could pull off a massive upset. However, it wasn’t in the cards, and the loss carried over to the following game when they dropped another at home against Minnesota. Illinois has already blown away their preseason win total of 5.5, and it could be an excellent season if they figure out a way to win their next two games. Rutgers has gotten to bowl eligibility, but ending the season with back-to-back wins would also be a massive improvement over their preseason projections. It is time to continue our college football odds series with an Illinois-Rutgers prediction and pick.
Illinois-Rutgers Last Game – Matchup History
Illinois and Rutgers were constant Big Ten rivals through the late 2010s. The teams played six straight seasons from 2016 to 2021. Rutgers won their last matchup in 2021, 20-14, as 1.5-point favorites. It was the start of Kyle Monangai’s career, as the Scarlet Knights’ running back had 77 yards and a touchdown. However, Isaiah Pacheco led the way for the vaunted Rutgers rushing attack that day, recording 91 yards on 21 carries.
Overall Series: Illinois 5-3
Here are the Illinois-Rutgers College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Illinois-Rutgers Odds
Illinois: +1.5 (-120)
Moneyline: -115
Rutgers: -1.5 (-102)
Moneyline: -105
Over: 48 (-110)
Under: 48 (-110)
How to Watch Illinois vs. Rutgers
Time: noon ET/9 AM PT
TV: Peacock
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Illinois Could Cover The Spread/Win
Unsurprisingly, the Fighting Illini have been outstanding against the spread this season after blowing away their preseason win total. Illinois covered the first five games of the season after starting out on a four-game winning streak and keeping the Penn State matchup relatively close. They also went through a rough stretch in the middle of their season, failing to cover the spread in three of four games before blowing out Michigan State last week to cover the 1.5-point spread.
Why Rutgers Could Cover The Spread/Win
Rutgers went through a challenging portion of their schedule in the middle of the season, losing four consecutive games to Nebraska, Wisconsin, UCLA, and USC. They also lost all four games against the spread but have found a way to get things back on track in recent weeks. They defeated Minnesota outright as 6.5-point underdogs in Week 11 and then beat Maryland 31-17 last week as four-point underdogs. Despite the rough stretch, Rutgers has been profitable for bettors this season, owning a 5-4-1 against-the-spread record.
Final Illinois-Rutgers Prediction & Pick
It isn’t surprising that this spread is so close, as there isn’t much separating either of these teams on paper. Both programs sit near the middle of the pack nationally in almost every stat, representing how average they have been this season. They are beating teams they should beat but losing to superior programs.
One trend to monitor is that both schools’ defenses are better than the opposing offenses. Illinois’ offense ranks 79th in the nation in points scored per game, but Rutgers’ defense ranks 58th. On the other end, Rutgers’ offense ranks 86th in points scored, but Illinois’ defense ranks 30th in points allowed.
Rutgers’ recent games have been going over. However, the total has gone over in just three of Illinois’ ten games this season. It’s too close of a game to call to pick a side, but 48 points is high if this turns into a defensive battle.
Final Illinois-Rutgers Prediction & Pick: Under 48 (-110)
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