[3:30 PM] Illinois @ #15 Nebraska

Who will WIN this matchup?

Illinois Fighting Illini (1-2)

@ #15 Nebraska Cornhuskers (4-0)

 

Current odds:

Illinois Fighting Illini: (+900)

Nebraska Cornhuskers: (-1600)

 

• ESPN simulations have Nebraska as XX% favorites to win the game.

• Illinois is 0-0 as a road team, 0-0 as an underdog and 0-0 as a road underdog.

• Nebraska is 0-0 as a home team, 0-0 as a favorite and 0-0 as a home favorite.

• XX% of sports bets are currently on Nebraska to win as (XX) favorites.

• Nebraska entered Big Ten play this year with a chance to avenge five painful conference losses last season – contests decided by a total of 23 points – and cashed in its first opportunity last weekend. The 15th-ranked Cornhuskers eye a similar result in their second such game Saturday as they host Illinois.

• The Illini began the Lovie Smith era with a 52-3 thrashing of FCS foe Murray State, but the honeymoon period for the first-year coach may be quickly coming to an end. After falling by 25 to North Carolina one week later, Illinois was outrushed 287-3 by Western Michigan in a 34-10 home loss Sept. 17.

• The Cornhuskers are tied with Ohio State for the conference lead in interceptions with nine – one off the pace in FBS – after picking off only 10 passes in 13 contests last season.

• Illinois, which has dropped 13 of its last 15 games following a bye, is 3-9-1 all-time against Nebraska and collected its only win in eight meetings in Lincoln in 1924.

• The Cornhuskers’ 556 yards of total offense last week was their second-highest total in a conference game since joining the Big Ten in 2011, trailing only a 624-yard effort against Illinois in 2014.

 

StreakSmarts Pick: Nebraska Cornhuskers

Confidence: 7/10

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