Written By: Evan PerkinsThe 19th-ranked Kansas Jayhawks (1-0) travel to Memorial Stadium for another college football battle to face the Illinois Fighting Illini (1-0) on Saturday, September 7 at 7:00 PM ET. The Jayhawks are favored with a point spread at -5.0 (-110).
The Jayhawks dismantled the Lindenwood Lions 48-3 in the season's opener. They put up a monstrous 27 points in the second quarter to open up the game and never looked back.
Despite the solid offensive performance, they turned the ball over twice. While that might sound too bad, they cannot have these issues when they play the Fighting Illini. Of course, if they can contribute another 530-yard performance, this should help.
The defense slowed the Lions to 202 total yards and caused one turnover. The field goal was eventually scored late in the fourth, which was mostly slacking off at that point. Their defense will need to be stout against a Fighting Illini team that has already shown to be consistently good on the offensive end.
Jalon Daniels completed nine of his 15 passes for 148 yards. He did have one touchdown and an interception, so that is something to watch out for. Even with the touchdowns, he does not need to contribute any turnovers for this upcoming game.
The Fighting Illini performed similarly in their first week of action, as they defeated the Eastern Illinois Panthers 45-0. They had a 31-0 lead going into the half and could keep that pace throughout the game.
Luke Altmyer was outstanding, with 19 of his 24 passes completed, 213 yards, and four touchdowns. Pat Bryant was his leading receiver with five receptions, 63 yards, and two touchdowns. These two should have an appealing impact throughout their upcoming matchup.
They posted 486 yards and held the Panthers to 196. The most significant impact was causing four turnovers for the Panthers and holding them to just nine first downs. Causing pressure early on the defensive end will help them dictate the game's flow.
If the Fighting Illini can limit the Jayhawks' first-down opportunities and cause some turnovers, they have a great opportunity to win this game. Keeping possession of the ball will also be crucial.
The trends for the Kansas Jayhawks vs. Illinois Fighting Illini showdown reveal that the Jayhawks have a 66.7 percent chance of winning. If you want the best college football betting odds, check out MyBookie.
With the Jayhawks as 5.0-point favorites, they are poised to find success. However, the Fighting Illini appear strong at home and have the defense to stay within reach.
