The Illinois Fighting Illini (-4) are heading east to visit their Big 10 rival Rutgers Scarlet Knights at HighPoint.com Stadium. This afternoon matchup is scheduled to start at 12:00 p.m. ET and BTN will televise the action.
Illinois Fighting Illini at Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview
Rutgers is entering this Big 10 game as the underdog and is currently being given 4 points. The Fighting Illini are also receiving -185 moneyline odds while the Scarlet Knights are +165. Oddsmakers have placed the over/under (O/U) at 50.5 points, and there might be some solid live betting opportunities for this game.
The early action has shifted toward the Fighting Illini, as the line opened at 1.5. The game’s O/U has yet to change after it was set initially at 50.5.
The Fighting Illini are 2-2 against the spread (ATS) and have gained 1.0 unit this season. They’ve been a good under bet and have posted an O/U record of 1-3. The Scarlet Knights have lost 2.1 units this year. The team is 2-3 ATS and has an O/U record of 2-3.
The Fighting Illini are 2-2 straight up (SU), including 0-1 SU against conference opponents. The Scarlet Knights are 1-4 SU overall and 0-2 SU in conference play.
The Fighting Illini dropped one to Penn State 63-24 in a thumping where M.J. Rivers II completed 17-of-28 passes for just 149 yards, along with a TD and an interception. Mike Epstein (73 yards on 13 rushes) and Reggie Corbin (87 yards on 11 carries, one TD) led the running attack in the loss while Carmoni Green (four receptions, 49 yards) and Daniel Barker (three catches, 19 yards) handled the receiving duties.
Rutgers most-recently lost a 24-17 game to Indiana. The defense allowed the Hoosiers to rush for 163 yards on 42 attempts, including two rush TDs. Ty Fryfogle had a good outing in the win for Indiana, recording 70 yards on five catches. For Rutgers, Artur Sitkowski completed 18-of-35 passes for 154 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Jonathan Hilliman (29 rushing yards on nine attempts, one TD) and Raheem Blackshear (64 yards on eight carries) handled the ground game in the defeat as Bo Melton (four receptions, 32 yards) and Blackshear (four catches, 22 yards) led the pass-catching attack.
Illinois has run the ball on 63.4 percent of its offensive possessions this year while Rutgers has an overall rush percentage of 51.0 percent. The Fighting Illini have run for 244 yards per game and have seven touchdowns via handoffs this year. The Scarlet Knights are logging 130 rush yards per game (84 in conference) and have six total rushing TDs.
The Fighting Illini offense has averaged 166 yards through the air overall and has four passing TDs so far. The Scarlet Knights have put up 151 pass yards per game (129.0 against Big 10 foes) and have two total pass scores.
Defensively, Illinois has allowed opponents to rush for an average of 213 yards and throw for 295 yards per game. The Rutgers defense has allowed 228.8 yards per game to opposing passers and 208.8 yards per game on the ground. Both teams allow similar adjusted net yards per pass attempt (ANY/A) to opponents, as the Fighting Illini have given up an ANY/A of 6.71 to opposing QBs, while the Scarlet Knights are allowing an ANY/A of 7.17.
Offensively, Rivers II is up to 254 passing yards this year, and has connected on 26-of-44 attempts with three scores through the air and one interception. He has a 5.54 adjusted net yards per pass attempt overall, although that number is 3.81 over the past two outings.
In the other locker room, Artur Sitkowski has completed 51-of-102 passes for 444 yards, two TDs and eight INTs. Sitkowski’s ANY/A sits at a horrendous 0.81 for the year and 3.20 across his last two outings.
When these two programs faced one another last year, Rutgers got the victory 35-24.
RELATED: Week 6 College Football Betting Odds and Predictions
NCAA Tip: Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights
SU Winner – Rutgers, ATS Winner – Rutgers, O/U – Over
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Notes
Team Betting Notes
The Fighting Illini offense has recorded two pass plays of 40 or more yards, while the Scarlet Knights have put up zero such plays.
The Illinois defense has allowed three pass plays of 40+ yards, while Rutgers has given up five such plays.
The Illinois offense has created 11 rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while Rutgers has created four such runs.
The Fighting Illini defense has allowed eight rushing plays of 20 or more yards, while the Scarlet Knights have given up 13 such runs.
The Illinois defensive unit has seven sacks on the year while Rutgers has six.
Illinois has rushed for 4.96428571428571 yards per attempt over its past three games and 4.9 over its last two.
Rutgers has averaged 3.9 yards per carry over its last three contests and 3.5 over its last two.
In its last three games, Rutgers is 1-2 ATS and the over cashed in two of those three.
Illinois was getting 28 points in its previous game and the Over/Under going into it was 59.5. The over cashed and Illinois failed to cover in the 63-24 defeat to Penn State.
Over its last three matches, Illinois is 2-1 ATS and the under cashed in two of those three.
Rutgers was the underdog by 15 points in its previous match and the O/U going into it was 51.5. The under cashed and Rutgers covered in that 24-17 loss to Indiana.
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