ESPN College GameDay Crew Predicts Illinois vs. Michigan: Who Wins?

Do the analysts think the No. 22 Illini can pull off the upset over the favored No. 24 Wolverines?

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; Illinois fighting Illini players take the field before a game against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

This week ESPN College GameDay took its talents to Austin for a massive SEC showdown between No. 1 Texas and No. 5 Georgia. No big surprise there. But leading up to Saturday’s 11 a.m. (CT) college football slate, college football’s most widely watched analysts previewed some of the biggest games of the week and made their own personal predictions, including one that will catch some off guard.

Led by studio host Rece Davis, College GameDay’s usual suspects – Lee Corso, Kirk Herbstreit, Desmond Howard, Nick Saban and, of course, Pat McAfee – are joined on a weekly basis by a celebrity guest. This week, PGA Tour star and Longhorns alum Scottie Scheffler – wearing his green jacket, of course – brought his football expertise to the show and made his own GameDay picks, including Illinois-Michigan (2:30 p.m. CT, CBS).

Scottie Scheffler is ready to make his picks on GameDay 🎯 pic.twitter.com/sQPgVFqt1f

— College GameDay (@CollegeGameDay) October 19, 2024

Here’s where the crew landed:

Desmond Howard: Michigan

Howard, a Heisman-winning Wolverines legend – and a big “Uncle Jack Tuttle” fan – picked Michigan to get back on track on the road.

Nick Saban: Illinois

Believing Desmond Howard’s judgment to be a bit clouded, Saban expects the Illini to get the “W.” 

Pat McAfee: Michigan

McAfee cited the bruising running game of Michigan and the surprisingly porous run defense of a Bret Bielema-coached team when making his pick. 

Lee Corso: Illinois

Corso believes the bonkers atmosphere at Champaign’s Memorial Stadium will help the home team get the job done.

Scottie Scheffler: Illinois

Scheffler thinks it’s a rebuilding season for Michigan, predicting that the Wolverines will continue their freefall Saturday.

Kirk Herbstreit: Illinois

Herbstreit noted in an earlier segment that defensive coordinator Aaron Henry’s unit has an attack mentality, forcing fumbles and creating interceptions. He expects that trend to continue today.

Consensus: Illinois

College GameDay’s analysts seemed surprisingly unbothered by the current betting line (the Wolverines were 4.5-point favorites as of two hours before game time) or Illinois’ close call in a 50-49 overtime win against Purdue in Week 7, instead focusing more on Michigan’s faults.

Will the Illini move on from the stumble as well as the analysts have. We’ll soon find out: Follow Illinois on SI’s in-game analysis in our Illinois-Michigan game day live blog and be sure to check back for additional coverage.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Can Bret Bielema Transform Illinois Into a College Football Powerhouse?

Illinois Football Faces Crucial Test Against Michigan in Week 8

Illinois Football Legend Red Grange: His Legacy and Impact

How to Watch Illinois Football vs. Michigan in Week 8