A Big Ten battle features the No. 7 Penn State Nittany Lions (2-0) going on the road to play the Illinois Fighting Illini (1-1) on Saturday afternoon. The Nittany Lions have secured two impressive wins thus far. In Week 2, Penn State blew out Delaware 63-7. Meanwhile, Illinois was defeated 34-23 by the Kansas Jayhawks last week. Penn State has dominated the series against Illinois, logging a 20-6 all-time record.
Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Champaign is set for noon ET. The Nittany Lions are 14.5-point favorites in Penn State vs. Illinois odds, while the over/under for total points is 48.5. Before locking in any Illinois vs. Penn State picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine’s proven computer model.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a stunning profit of nearly $2,500 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Penn State vs. Illinois and just revealed its picks and predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model’s CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for Illinois vs. Penn State:
- Penn State vs. Illinois spread: Nittany Lions -14.5
- Penn State vs. Illinois over/under: 48.5 points
- Penn State vs. Illinois money line: Nittany Lions -650, Fighting Illini +464
- PSU: Penn State has hit the 1H money line in nine of last 11 games
- ILL: Illinois has hit the 1Q game total Under in seven of last eight games
- Penn State vs. Illinois picks: See picks at SportsLine
Why Penn State can cover
Sophomore quarterback Drew Allar has a rocket of an arm with the ability to extend plays while looking downfield. The Ohio native has thrown for 529 yards, four passing touchdowns and zero interceptions this season. On Sept. 2 versus West Virginia, Allar was 21 of 29 for 325 passing yards and three passing scores.
Junior receiver Keandre Lambert-Smith has great twitch and quickness as a pass-catcher. The Virginia native leads the team in receiving yards (197), touchdowns (2) and yards per reception (19.7). In Week 1, he reeled in four catches with 123 yards. See which team to pick here.
Why Ilinois can cover
Sophomore quarterback Luke Altmyer has terrific athleticism. The Ole Miss transfer has thrown for 408 yards with three passing scores through two games. He also leads the team in rushing yards (139) and rushing touchdowns (2).
Junior running back Reggie Love III is another effective option in the backfield. Love III utilizes his quick feet and solid vision to hit the open hole in a flash. The Missouri native currently has 20 carries for 108 rushing yards. Junior receiver Isaiah Williams provides the Fighting Illini with secure hands with great releases. Williams ranks first on the team in receptions (11) and receiving yards (150). See which team to pick here.
How to make Illinois vs. Penn State picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Under on the total, projecting that the teams combine for 40 points. The model also shows one side of the spread is hitting more than 60% of the time. You can see the model’s picks at SportsLine.
So who wins Penn State vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits more than 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of almost $2,500 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.
