The Fighting Illini are out to prove they belong on the national stage while the Nittany Lions have seemingly rounded into form. One of these top-25 teams will prove they belong and remain undefeated in our Illinois vs. Penn State prediction.
Illinois vs. Penn State Betting Preview
All Illinois vs. Penn State odds are from DraftKings Sportsbook and are correct as of Friday, Sept. 27, 2024.
- Spread
Penn State -18 - Moneyline
Illinois +650, Penn State -1000 - Over/Under
48 points - Game Time
7:30 p.m. ET - Location
Beaver Stadium | University Park, Pa. - Predicted Weather at Kick
66 degrees, partly cloudy - How To Watch
NBC
The spread has been up and down, a perfect metaphor for the excitement of the Big Ten. It opened at -17.5, momentarily jumped to -18 in Penn State’s favor, and returned to its original opening number before settling midweek at -18 once more.
The total has been nearly the same, after opening at 48.5, dropping to 47.5, before bouncing back and settling at 48.
Illinois comes in 3-1 against the spread (ATS), as their only ATS loss was by half a point, barely failing to cover 21.5 against Central Michigan. Penn State comes in 2-1 ATS as their lone loss against the spread was a surprisingly close seven-point victory over Bowling Green as 34.5-point favorites.
Prediction for Illinois vs. Penn State
This line surprised me. I thought it would land somewhere in the 10.5-12 range. Illinois just proved they can handle a tough road environment and play balanced football on both sides of the ball. While Penn State is a step up from Nebraska, Illinois showed what they’re capable of last Friday night.
For Illinois, everything runs through Altmyer. He’s been a smart decision-maker, delivering key throws and using his legs to extend plays. His accuracy has been impressive, consistently putting the ball where only his receivers have a shot.
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On the other hand, I’ve been high on Allar since before he set foot on campus. He’s got the size and arm strength of a prototypical pro-style QB, with enough mobility to keep defenses honest. But his issues have been with accuracy and touch, and he has yet to face a defense like Illinois’s in 2024, so it’ll be interesting to see how he handles the pressure on Saturday.
I’m picking the Nittany Lions to come away with the win under the lights, but I see a much tighter game than the line suggests. Illinois will prove they’re a legitimate threat in the Big Ten this season.
Prediction: Penn State 24, Illinois 14
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