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Illinois Football vs. Michigan: Week 8 Odds, Ends and Prediction

The Illini host the Wolverines in the first ranked-versus-ranked game in Champaign since 2000

Steven Greenberg

Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini take the field in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
Oct 12, 2024; Champaign, Illinois, USA; The Illinois Fighting Illini take the field in the first half against the Purdue Boilermakers at Memorial Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ron Johnson-Imagn Images / Ron Johnson-Imagn Images
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No. 22 Illinois has its game of the year (so far) on Saturday. Win it, and a world opens up to this Illini squad. Get smacked around and, well, you know. Fans have been there and done that too many times.

But No. 24 Michigan (4-2, 2-1 Big Ten) visiting the Illini (5-1, 2-1 Big Ten) should be quite the scene, with the Illini clad in 1920s-style uniforms as they celebrate the 100th anniversary of a sold-out Memorial Stadium and give a tip of their "leather" helmets to Red Grange. It's Illinois' first ranked-against-ranked home game since 2000.

The game is at 2:30 p.m. CT, televised by CBS. That means Brad Nessler and Gary Danielson in the house. Hey, we told you it would be a scene.

Michigan Men

First, Davis Warren didn’t work out at quarterback. Then, Alex Orji got a long look, but that was a no-go, too. Now, it’s Jack Tuttle’s turn. You might remember Tuttle from his years at Indiana. He spent one year at Utah, four at Indiana and now two at Michigan. Dude is old. But if Tuttle can throw the ball with any reliability, a strong running team becomes altogether better on offense and makes the Wolverines extremely dangerous overall again.

Illini Flaws

This team couldn’t contain Penn State or Purdue in the run game in its last two outings, has great trouble running the ball with any consistency itself and absolutely isn’t protecting QB Luke Altmyer well enough. Penn State sacked Altmyer seven times, and Purdue five. This is Michigan, people. Its defensive front, led by Josaiah Stewart and Mason Graham, will make the Illini pay dearly if things don’t change in a big way.

Series Trends

Michigan has won six straight in the head-to-head series and 12 of the last 14 in all this century. Two years ago in Ann Arbor, the Illini lost 19-17, coming close in what would have been a season-making victory. The last one in Champaign was in 2019, when Michigan won 42-25.

ATS, Total Trends

Michigan is a 3½-point favorite, with an over/under of 43½. Illinois is 4-1-1 against the spread this season, but it didn’t come close to covering against Purdue. Michigan is 1-5 against the spread. In another minor trend, the Wolverines’ last three games have gone over.

The Picks

Michigan and the over.

More From Illinois on Sports Illustrated:

Illinois Football Faces Crucial Test Against Michigan in Week 8

Illinois vs. Michigan: Early Week 8 Weather Report and Game Conditions

5 Key Numbers to Watch for Illinois vs. Michigan in Week 8

Published
Steven Greenberg
STEVEN GREENBERG

Steve Greenberg, a columnist for the Chicago Sun-Times, has written about college sports since the early 1990s.

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