Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions Prediction & Picks - NCAA
by Travis Pulver | in NCAA Picks
The Illinois Fighting Illini will try to make a statement Saturday when they travel to Happy Valley to take on the Penn State Nittany Lions. At 4-0, they are considered good enough by the AP voters to be ranked No. 19 in the nation, but according to the odds, they have just a .99% chance of winning the Big Ten. However, with a win over a top-ten team and one of the conference blue bloods, Illinois can announce to those who have yet to notice that they are a team to be reckoned with and one that will not just go quietly into the night now that conference play is getting underway.
Illinois was just a 5-7 team in 2023. How did they go from that to a top-20 team with an undefeated record four games into the season? There are likely many factors that their success can be attributed to, primary among them the massive improvement in quarterback Luke Altmyer’s play. Altmeyer led the team to a 4-5 record in nine starts last season. He completed 64.6% of his passes for 1,883 yards, 13 touchdowns, and 10 interceptions. This season, he is completing 71.4% of his passes, has yet to throw an interception, and has already scored ten touchdowns.
If he can continue playing at a high level against a solid Nittany Lions defense, fans could be in for an incredible game!
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Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions Form
Table
| Teams | % | P | W | D | L |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
3
|
1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
|
8
|
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Illinois Fighting Illini and Penn State Nittany Lions Latest Matches
4/6 (67%)
0/6 (0%)
2/6 (33%)
Sep 20, 2024 - NCAA
Sep 14, 2024 - NCAA
Sep 7, 2024 - NCAA
Aug 29, 2024 - NCAA
Nov 25, 2023 - NCAA
Nov 18, 2023 - NCAA
5/6 (83%)
0/6 (0%)
1/6 (17%)
Sep 21, 2024 - NCAA
Sep 7, 2024 - NCAA
Aug 31, 2024 - NCAA
Dec 30, 2023 - NCAA Division I, FBS, Playoffs
Nov 24, 2023 - NCAA
Nov 18, 2023 - NCAA
Illinois Fighting Illini - Penn State Nittany Lions Key Points
- Penn State is 21-6 all-time against Illinois, with two losses coming under James Franklin.
- The last time these two played in Beaver Stadium, Illinois rushed for 350+ yards, and the game went into overtime before Penn State secured the win, 20-18, 9OT.
- Penn State is 15-8-1 ATS when favored at home since 2020; Illinois is 12-6 ATS as a road dog since 2020.
- The OVER is 4-9 for Illinois under Brett Bielema (since 2021) when a road underdog; the OVER is 29-31 for Penn State when favored at home under James Franklin.
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Our Illinois Fighting Illini vs Penn State Nittany Lions Prediction
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer has taken a giant step forward this season compared to last, but the same is true of Penn State’s Drew Allar. Who will win the day?
On paper, all signs point to Penn State. Yes, Illinois is a good team with a formidable passing attack and respectable run game, but the Nittany Lions are just a little bit better at everything. However, while both have played relatively soft schedules, Illinois has faced tougher competition and won (i.e., Kansas, Nebraska). Just because Penn State has yet to beat a competitive team does not mean they can’t. However, Illinois will make them work for it, as this will be a much tougher game than its 18.5-point spread would indicate.
Our Betting Prediction for Illinois vs. Penn State: Illinois +18.5
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All tips are fully researched and given in good faith, but profits cannot be guaranteed.
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