Michigan State will attempt to find two more wins in their remaining three games to get bowl eligibility. Illinois presents one of the most difficult challenges in their remaining schedule, especially after a bye week. The Spartans have a good history against the Fighting Illini, but the programs have gotten closer to each other in quality over the past few seasons. It is time to continue our college football odds series with a Michigan State-Illinois prediction and pick.
Michigan State-Illinois Last Game – Matchup History
Michigan State and Illinois are a classic Big 10 matchup. They've played seven times since 2006, with their most recent matchup coming on November 5, 2022. Michigan State won 23-15 as 16.5-point underdogs. Payton Thorne, Auburn's current starter, was the starting quarterback for the Spartans and had 182 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. Illinois' starting quarterback had a better day but couldn't lead his team to victory. Illinois' quarterback was the New York Giants Tommy Devito, recording 288 yards and two touchdowns.
Overall Series: Michigan State 27-18-2
Here are the Michigan State-Illinois College Football odds, courtesy of FanDuel.
College Football Odds: Michigan State-Illinois Odds
Michigan State: +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline: +116
Illinois: -2.5 (-115)
Moneyline: -136
Over: 47.5 (-110)
Under: 47.5 (-110)
How to Watch Michigan State vs. Illinois
Time: 2:30 PM ET/11:30 AM PT
TV: Fox Sports 1
Stream: fuboTV (Free Trial)
Why Michigan State Could Cover The Spread/Win
Michigan State started the year on a nice run, winning three consecutive games, including a Big 10 win over Maryland as 8.5-point underdogs. It made people wonder whether this was the year the Spartans would finally make some noise in the conference again after a couple of down years. However, the Spartans have lost five of their last six games, with their offense failing to score enough to keep up with the inferior competition. Spartans fans will argue that it hasn't been an easy road, as their schedule consisted of Ohio State, Oregon, Michigan, Iowa, and Indiana. Iowa was the least challenging game on the schedule, and they are even better this year than last.
Why Illinois Could Cover The Spread/Win
Illinois started the year with a 6-1 record, including impressive wins over Kansas, Nebraska, and Michigan. They've taken a step back recently, including a trip to Oregon, where they lost 38-9. Minnesota was their second loss in a row before their bye in Week 10. This Michigan State matchup will be their last home game of the season at Memorial Stadium, as they go on the road to finish the year against Rutgers and Northwestern.
Michigan State's offense has been quiet this season, sitting near the bottom of the nation in almost every statistical category. Illinois' defense has sometimes gotten them into trouble, but they could have some positive regression in this matchup. The Spartans have scored 20 or fewer points in five of their last six games.
Final Michigan State-Illinois Prediction & Pick
Illinois is sitting comfortably in a bowl-eligible position after their hot start to the season, but they looked poor in their two games before the bye week. The week off should be an excellent opportunity to find the form that earned them wins over Michigan, Nebraska, and Kansas, which could be bad news for Michigan State. It'll be a defensive battle between two teams with below-average offenses and above-average defenses, but the Fighting Illini should persevere in their final home date of the season.
Final Michigan State-Illinois Prediction & Pick: Illinois -2.5 (-115)
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