A Big Ten clash unfolds on Saturday afternoon as the Minnesota Golden Gophers (4-1) go on the road to face the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1). Illinois enters this conference bout on a four-game winning streak. Meanwhile, Minnesota just picked up its first loss of the season. The Golden Gophers fell to Purdue 20-10.
Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Champaign is set for noon ET. Caesars Sportsbook lists the Golden Gophers at -6.5 in the latest Minnesota vs. Illinois odds, while the over/under for total points is 39.5. Before making any Illinois vs. Minnesota picks, see what SportsLine’s advanced computer model has to say.
The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past six-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $3,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.
Now, the model has set its sights on Illinois vs. Minnesota and just locked in its picks and CFB predictions. You can visit SportsLine now to see its picks. Here are the college football odds and betting lines for Minnesota vs. Illinois:
- Minnesota vs. Illinois spread: Golden Gophers -6.5
- Minnesota vs. Illinois over-under: 39.5 points
- Minnesota vs. Illinois money line: Minnesota -260, Illinois +210
- MINN: Golden Gophers are 6-2 ATS in their last eight meetings in Illinois
- ILL: Fighting Illini are 7-1-1 ATS vs. a team with a winning record
- Minnesota vs. Illinois picks: See picks at SportsLine
Featured Game | Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Minnesota Golden Gophers
Why Illinois can cover
The Fighting Illini love to get the ground game going and win the battle at the line of scrimmage. Illinois is very physical upfront with a dynamic weapon in the backfield. Junior running back Chase Brown headlines the rushing attack for this unit. The Illini average 195.3 rushing yards per game, which ranks fourth in the Big Ten.
Brown has a fantastic initial burst with great footwork and vision. The Ontario native has a tremendous feel for angles and leverage with big-play ability. Brown is first in the nation in rushing yards (879) with four rushing touchdowns. He’s recorded 140-plus yards in four of the six games he’s played.
Why Minnesota can cover
The Golden Gophers look to keep up their explosive offensive play. Through five games, this group has been extremely active and effective. They rank third in the Big Ten in scoring (38.6), second in total yards per game (495.2) and first in rushing yards per game (245). Minnesota has displayed many different ways to exploit a defense.
Senior running back Mohamed Ibrahim is tough to tackle in open space due to his contact balance and agility. Ibrahim has an excellent burst with speed to evade defenders and breakaway. The Maryland native is currently ranked second in the conference in rushing yards (567) with eight rushing touchdowns. On Sept. 17 against Colorado, he logged 23 carries for a season-high 202 yards and three scores.
How to make Minnesota vs. Illinois picks
SportsLine’s model is leaning Over on the total, with the two teams projected to combine for 41 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in well over 60% of simulations. Head to SportsLine to see the picks.
So who will win Illinois vs. Minnesota? And which side of the spread hits well over 60% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the model that has crushed its college football picks, and find out.
