Illinois vs Michigan Prediction Game Preview

Illinois vs Michigan game preview, prediction, and breakdown for the Week 12 game on Saturday, November 19

Illinois vs Michigan prediction, game preview, how to watch. Week 12, Saturday, November 19


Illinois vs Michigan Prediction, Game Preview

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Illinois vs Michigan How To Watch

Date: Saturday, November 19
Game Time: 12:00 ET
Venue: Michigan Stadium, Ann Arbor, MI
How To Watch: ABC
Record: Illinois (7-3), Michigan (10-0)
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Why Illinois Will Win

Can Michigan throw?

JJ McCarthy was fantastic after taking over the starting quarterback gig, but the passing attack has chilled a bit over the last three weeks. It’s hard to argue with five touchdown passes and no interceptions in easy wins over Michigan State, Rutgers, and Nebraska, but the accuracy wasn’t there – that matters.

What went wrong for Illinois in the losses to Michigan State and Purdue? Michigan State and Purdue could throw a bit, and they did – the Spartans hit 66% of their throws and the Boilermakers threw for 237 yards and three scores.

That’s how you beat Illinois – you throw. Michigan wins by running.

The playbook is simple. Get through the first half, wear teams down, and let the ground game take over. That has worked game after game after game, but Michigan isn’t going to be able to do that against an Illinois defense that allowed 100 rushing yards just twice in wins over Minnesota and Wyoming.

So …

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Why Michigan Will Win

Again, can Michigan throw?

More accurately, can Michigan be … accurate?

The Wolverines failed to connect on more than 57% of their passes just twice – again, the layups against Nebraska and Rutgers – and Illinois is 0-3 when allowing teams to hit more than 53% of their throws.

Yes, that means Illinois is 7-0 when holding passing games down, but that’s a tad bit misleading. The Illini didn’t exactly go against Bryce Young or Hendon Hooker in those seven wins.

Michigan might just be that strong to overcome the Illini defensive front.

Penn State has a D, and Michigan ran for over 400 yards against it. Iowa was able to hold up well, and Indiana didn’t do a poor job, but in those two games McCarthy was too busy throwing well.

No one has been able to keep Michigan under four yards per carry, but …

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What’s Going To Happen

Poor old Illinois. That was a cute run and all, but now it’s over, it’s basketball season, and everything is back in its rightful place.

Be very, very, very careful here.

The world is already looking ahead to Michigan going to Ohio State for a showdown of 11-0 unbeaten teams to see who – for all intents and purposes – will win the Big Ten title and be off to the College Football Playoff.

This game is absolutely perfect for Illinois – at least in theory.

The defense should be able to hold up, the offense that’s sixth in the nation in time of possession will take the air out of the ball, and the No. 1 team in college football in pass efficiency defense will be all over the Wolverine receivers.

The Michigan defense will rise up when it absolutely has to – especially with Illinois star RB Chase Brown banged up – but there will be a whole lot of sweating for late November.

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Illinois vs Michigan Prediction, Line

Michigan 23, Illinois 16
Line: Michigan -17.5, o/u: 42.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 3.5
Illinois vs Michigan Must See Rating (out of 5): 4
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Illinois vs Michigan Prediction, College Basketball Game Preview

Illinois vs Michigan prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch, lines, and why each team might – or might not – win on Sunday.

Illinois vs Michigan prediction, college basketball game preview, how to watch: Sunday, February 27


Illinois vs Michigan How To Watch

Date: Sunday, February 27
Game Time: 2:00 ET
Venue: Crisler Center, Ann Arbor, MI
How To Watch: CBS
Record: Illinois (19-8), Michigan (15-11)
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Illinois vs Michigan Game Preview


Why Illinois Will Win

It’s been way too much of a battle for the Illini lately, but if you believe in patterns, they’re due.

They follow up losses with good performances and wins, and after going win-loss-win-loss-win-loss, they’re due to get it back and be on the right side of a win.

To do that they need the defense to be a whole lot stronger.

Ohio State couldn’t miss inside or out in its win, Rutgers was solid at getting to the rim, and Purdue did whatever it wanted. But that’s the deal with this team – you have to shoot really, really well to beat it.

That goes with the pattern thing the other way. Michigan is win-loss-win-loss-win, and it’s due for a loss if it doesn’t shoot the lights out.

It only made 37% of its shots the first time around. But …

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Why Michigan Will Win

Yeah, yeah, yeah, enough of the silly momentum-patterns thing.

The reality to that way of looking at teams is that it means one thing – they’re inconsistent.

Illinois is painfully off offensively on the road over the last few weeks – one solid performance against Michigan State aside.

It’s not making its threes – that’s a problem at home, too – it’s not coming up with enough offensive rebounds to make up for the issues, and there are a few too many cold streaks.

Michigan can’t hit its threes lately, but it’s doing a phenomenal job of stopping teams from doing anything on the outside. It has the ability to load up on the boards, it should be able to pack it in on the inside, and …

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What’s Going To Happen

Michigan will be better at home against Illinois than it was on the road in the first meeting.

Illinois doesn’t have to be great from three to succeed – it cranks up lots of them and hopes the volume will get it done – but the wins usually come against teams that can’t do enough to hold up inside.

At home, Michigan is going to be tough enough on the defensive interior to survive.

Illinois vs Michigan Prediction, Lines

Michigan 73, Illinois 71
Line: EVEN, o/u: 141.5
ATS Confidence out of 5: 2

Must See Rating: 3.5

5: March
1: February

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