The 19th-ranked Illinois Fighting Illini (4-0) take on another undefeated foe with the ninth-ranked Penn State Nittany Lions (3-0) on Saturday, September 28 at 7:30 PM ET at Beaver Stadium in University Park, Pennsylvania.
In this Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Penn State Nittany Lions betting preview, the Nittany Lions are heavily favored with a point spread at -18.5 (-110).
The Fighting Illini capped off an incredible overtime victory against the Nebraska Cornhuskers in their latest win. They finished the game with a four-yard pass, which resulted in a touchdown.
Luke Altmyer had a sensational performance, completing 21 of his 27 passes for 215 yards and four touchdowns. He has yet to throw an interception through four games, making his accuracy a key contribution to their success. Pat Bryant made all the right plays for the stretch, with five receptions for 74 yards and two touchdowns (including the winning one).
They put up slightly better numbers on offense compared to the Cornhuskers. They turned it over twice but did force one turnover for the Cornhuskers. If they can keep their mistakes low, they have a shot to stay within reach of the Nittany Lions.
The Fighting Illini are averaging 32.3 points per game and are allowing 12.5 points from opponents each game. This spread has been appealing, but they face the toughest defense so far this season.
The Lions Nittany Lions recently shut down the Kent State Golden Flashes 56-0. After a slow 7-0 start at the end of the first quarter, they proceeded to post double digits in the remaining three quarters.
Drew Allar missed just four of his 21 passes, and he accumulated 309 yards and three touchdowns. Omari Evans was a favorite for Allar, who had four receptions for 116 yards and a touchdown.
They completely obliterated them when it came to yardage, as the Nittany Lions posted 718 and held the Golden Flashes to just 66 yards. They also held them to six first downs, which shows the huge difference in competition.
The Nittany Lions are getting 41.3 points per game and are allowing 13.0 points from their opponents each matchup. With this in mind, the spread will likely be a little bit closer against the Fighting Illini since it is the toughest team they have faced all year.
MyBookie has the college football odds in the Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Penn State Nittany Lions showdown. Current odds show the Nittany Lions as 18.5-point favorites.
In addition, market research reveals the Nittany Lions have an 86.2 percent chance at success to win outright. The Nittany Lions have the ability to put up a lot of points in a hurry, so look for them to cover the spread.
