BYU Football is Currently a 16.5-Point Favorite Over Southern Illinois

Oddsmakers are expecting a relatively competitive game between BYU and Southern Illinois

Oct 21, 2023; Provo, Utah, USA; Brigham Young Cougars head coach Kalani Sitake looks on before a game against the Texas Tech Red Raiders at LaVell Edwards Stadium. / Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

On Tuesday evening, Kalani Sitake and the BYU football program officially turned the page from Fall camp to game preparation for Southern Illinois. The Cougars have 11 days to prepare for the season opener against FCS foe Southern Illinois. As of this writing, BYU is a 16.5-point favorite according to FanDuel and the over/under is set at 48.5. In other words, oddsmakers expect BYU to win somewhere in the ballpark of 33-17.

Fall Camp ☑️ pic.twitter.com/Af6cLEa9uk

— BYU FOOTBALL (@BYUfootball) August 21, 2024

Southern Illinois is one of the top teams in the FCS ranks. The Salukis were ranked no. 11 in the FCS preseason poll. Additionally, Southern Illinois boasted one of the top defenses in the FCS last season. They ranked in the top 10 in the FCS in rushing defense, total defense, and scoring defense. They allowed just 16.2 points per game last season. They also ranked inside the top 10 in passing defense efficiency.

The Southern Illinois defense should provide a good test for a BYU defense that struggled throughout the 2023 season. If you're wondering why BYU is only favored by 16.5 against an FCS foe, it's likely the combination of BYU's struggles on offense in 2023 and Southern Illinois' defensive dominance in 2023. On paper, it's a tough matchup for BYU.

The Salukis struggled on offense in 2023 - that's an area where BYU needs to dominate. The Salukis ranked 61st in the FCS in scoring offense.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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