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We're back once again with our weekly College Football betting predictions and picks as we head towards the Big 10 Conference for this next tilt. The Minnesota Golden Gophers (5-3) will take on the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (6-2) in a close matchup on the betting lines. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Minnesota-Illinois prediction and pick.
The Minnesota Golden Gophers advanced to 5-3 on the season following their impressive 48-23 win over Maryland. It marked their third-straight victory in the Big Ten, a streak that began with an upset win over No. 11 USC. Now, the Golden Gophers come in as betting favorites against another ranked opponent.
The Illinois Fighting Illini come into this game following their most recent 38-9 loss at the hands of No. 1 Oregon. Prior to that, they won six of their first seven games and took down three ranked opponents in the process. Now, they'll host Minnesota as the unlikely betting underdogs looking to bounce back.
Here are the Minnesota-Illinois College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Minnesota-Illinois Odds
Minnesota: -1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: -125
Illinois: +1.5 (-110)
Moneyline: +104
Over: 45.5 (-110)
Under: 45.5 (-110)
How to Watch Minnesota vs. Illinois
Time: 12:00 p.m. ET/ 9:00 a.m. PT
TV: FS1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Minnesota Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Golden Gophers came up with a massive victory over Maryland last week and despite being billed as six-point betting favorites, they exceeded expectations and controlled the flow of the game for all four quarters. Quarterback Max Brosmer threw a season-high four touchdowns, two of which came early in the first quarter, and their defense held off a high-powered Maryland offense for the remainder of the game. It was a great confidence-boosting win for Minnesota and all the momentum they needed heading into this game.
Despite leading their last game 21-0 in the first quarter, the Golden Gophers allowed 13 points in the fourth to Maryland and they won't be able to afford the same against this Illinois offense. They had to rally from behind during their previous game against UCLA, so it'll take a complete effort from all three phases of the game for them to top a solid team like Illinois. Look for Brosmer to continue throwing the football with confidence as they try to outrun the Illini in this potential shootout.
Why Illinois Could Cover The Spread/Win
The Fighting Illini had a tough showing against the N0. 1 team in the nation last week as they failed to mount much of any offense against the Oregon defense. Quarterback Luke Altmyer totaled just 161 yards through the air and had an uncharacteristic game with two interceptions thrown. He's only been picked-off three times this season compared to his 15 touchdowns through the air, so expect this to be a big rebound game for him against a defense that's shown to have their holes in the secondary this season.
Illinois is 5-0 at home this season and has yet to drop a game in their stadium, so it's surprising to see them as the betting underdogs heading into this one. Despite their recent losses, they've proven themselves against ranked teams and can certainly stun opponents with how well they move the ball down field. If this turns into a high-scoring game, you have to like the Illini's ability to answer with points on offense as they're fully capable of hanging a big number on the scoreboard.
Final Minnesota-Illinois Prediction & Pick
This will be a very exciting game in the Big Ten and unlike recent years, we should see a high-scoring effort from both teams. Minnestoa QB Max Brosmer is coming into this one following his best showing of the season and knowing this Minnesota offense, they'll be willing to put the ball in his hands again as he likes to sling it down field. Still, a balanced rushing attack from the Gophers would bode well for opening this passing game up.
Illinois is looking to bounce back following their loss to Oregon and it was truly an off game for QB Luke Altmyer. He's far too good of a competitor to let that performance get to his head and given the Illini's success at home this season, I expect him to have a much better game in taking care of the football and not creating turnovers.
For our final prediction, we have to side with Illinois to get this win and cover the spread. They're 5-2 ATS on the season and while the Golden Gophers are 6-1-1 ATS, they've gone just 2-5 in their last seven games on the road. We're getting a ranked team at a solid price so let's roll with Illinois to win the game.
Final Minnesota-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Illinois ML (+104)
