Game Information
#21 Illinois Fighting Illini (7-3) at Wisconsin Badgers (3-7)
Time: 6:30pm CT Saturday
How to watch: Big Ten Network
DraftKings Odds
Spread: Illinois -8.5
Total: 41.5
The Illinois Fighting Illini look to continue their late-season charge when they head to Madison to take on the Wisconsin Badgers on Saturday night.
Illinois has won its last two games in impressive fashion to move back into the College Football Playoff rankings at #21.
The Illini easily dispatched of Maryland 24-6 last week to move to 7-3 straight up and 7-3 against the spread. Illinois is 6-0 ATS as a favorite this season, and it finds itself in a favored position once again this weekend.
The Badgers head into Saturday’s action off a 31-7 loss at #2 Indiana, continuing their run of futile offensive performances. In eight games against power conference opponents this season, Wisconsin is stunningly averaging just 7.6 points per game while compiling a 1-7 record. The Badgers haven’t scored more than 14 points in any of those games.
Despite that, Wisconsin’s team total on Saturday night is listed at 15.5 - and I don’t understand it.
Wisconsin’s starting quarterback is freshman Carter Smith, who is 12-for-27 for 106 yards over the last two games since being thrust into action against Washington a couple weeks ago. Smith doesn’t strike me as being at a point in his career where he’s going to put it all together against a Top 25 team.
Illinois’ defense is in a groove, having allowed a total of just 19 points in the last two games against Rutgers and Maryland. I am failing to see a reason why Illinois won’t do what every other power conference team has done, which is hold Wisconsin to under 14.5 points.
Pick: Wisconsin team total under 14.5 points at +100 on DraftKings (bet to -120)
Eric Sontag hosts Domesticated Gamblers every Wednesday night on the STL Sports Central YouTube channel. Follow him on X @GamblingDads, and click here for his daily picks on all of our St. Louis area sports teams. Get Eric's picks for all sports by following him in the Action Network app with the username "esontag". Disclaimer