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The No. 25 Illinois Fighting Illini (8-3, 5-3 Big Ten) and Northwestern Wildcats (4-7, 2-6) meet Saturday. Kickoff from Wrigley Field is scheduled for noon ET (Big Ten Network). Let’s analyze BetMGM Sportsbook’s college football odds around the Illinois vs. Northwestern odds, and make our expert college football picks and predictions.
Illinois leads the all-time series 57-55-5, with the Wildcats taking last season’s meeting in Champaign in a wild 45-43 shootout. While the Illini have won 2 of the past 3 in the series, including a 41-3 rout in Evanston Nov. 26, 2022, Northwestern is 7-2 straight up (SU) and 6-3 against the spread (ATS) in the past 9 installments.
Illinois has rolled up wins against Michigan State and Rutgers in the past 2 weekends, scoring 38 points in each game, to secure 8 wins and a solid bowl game in the Big Ten. The Over has cashed in each of the 2 outings. While Illinois is just 2-2 SU in 4 road games, it is a solid 3-1 ATS while splitting the Over/Under (O/U).
Northwestern has struggled this season, and it was manhandled 50-6 at Michigan last weekend, ending any faint hopes of bowl eligibility. The Wildcats have dropped 4 of the past 5 games, although they’ve covered 2 of the past 3outings. The Over is 3-1 in the past 4 games and 5-2 across the past 7 contests.
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Illinois at Northwestern odds
Provided by BetMGM Sportsbook; access USA TODAY Sports Scores and Sports Betting Odds hub for a full list of college football odds. Lines last updated Friday at 11 p.m. ET.
- Moneyline (ML): Illinois -300 (bet $300 to win $100) | Northwestern +240 (bet $100 to win $240)
- Against the spread: Illinois -8 (-110) | Northwestern +8 (-110)
- Over/Under: 43.5 (O: -115 | U: -105)
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Illinois at Northwestern picks and predictions
Prediction
Illinois 19, Northwestern 12
Moneyline
Illinois (-300) will cost you 3 times your potential return, and that’s way too much in this rivalry game which Northwestern (+240) has dominated in recent seasons.
PASS.
Against the spread
Back NORTHWESTERN +8 (-110) to keep this within 1 score.
The Wildcats have had a pretty good defense, for the most part, but Northwestern has struggled to score points. It should be able to throw a blanket on Illinois -8 (-110), keeping the Illini within 1 score.
Over/Under
UNDER 43.5 (-105) is a low number, but it’s the best play in this game.
Temperatures will be in the mid-20s for this game, and winds will be sustained at 12-14 mph, making for a very raw days in Wrigleyville at this time of year, even if they’re blowing out of the west.
Points are going to be at a premium in this Big Ten finale in Wrigleyville.
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