Our number has Michigan State by 4.7. The market has it as a 2.5-point underdog. Take Michigan State +2.5.

Illinois Fighting Illini
Upcoming games
Favored eight times in 2025, the Illinois Fighting Illini covered six, pushed once and missed once; only nine FBS teams covered more often as favorites. Getting points was a different team: one cover in four.
Laying points worked
Illinois went 8-4 and covered 7 of 12, with one push. As favorites the Illini went 7-1 straight up and 6-1-1 against the spread. Among the covers: 45-19 at Duke, laying 2.5, and 38-0 over Western Michigan at -27.5. The push was 20-13 over Northwestern at -7. The one miss was also the one favorite loss, 10-27 at Wisconsin as 8.5-point favorites at -360.
Home first
We would start any Illinois read at home. The Illini went 6-1 at home and covered five, with the Northwestern push; ten FBS teams had a better home cover rate. Backed on the home moneyline, they returned 1.72 units over six priced games. Away they went 2-3, covered two, and lost 1.9 units over five priced games.
Getting points
As underdogs Illinois was 1-3 straight up and 1-3 against the spread. The win was 34-32 over USC at +200 as 6.5-point underdogs. The losses were 10-63 at Indiana, 16-34 to Ohio State with 15.5 points and 25-42 at Washington. Nine FBS teams had a worse underdog cover rate. Across the 11 priced games, the Illini moneyline closed 0.17 units down.
The total
The last four Illinois games all went under, seven unders in total.
The season ended in the Music City Bowl, a 30-28 win over Tennessee.
Questions and answers
Did Illinois cover as a favorite in 2025?
Six times in eight, with one push. Only nine FBS teams covered more often when favored.
Could Illinois win as an underdog in 2025?
Once in four tries, 34-32 over USC, which was also the only underdog cover.
Were the Illini a good home bet in 2025?
5-1-1 against the spread at home, and 1.72 units up on the moneyline.
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