Illinois Fighting Illini vs Northwestern Wildcats Betting Pick & Prediction 11/30/24
Illinois comes into this week 14 matchup with a record of 8-3, while Northwestern is 4-7 on the season. The game is set for 12:00 ET on Saturday, November 30th, at Wrigley Field in Chicago, with BTN handling the broadcast. Illinois is the -7.5-point favorite, and the over/under line is currently at 44 points.
ILLINOIS FIGHTING ILLINI VS NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS BETTING PICK
The Pick: Northwestern Wildcats +7.5
This game will be played at Wrigley Field at 12:00 ET on Saturday, November 30th.
WHY BET THE NORTHWESTERN WILDCATS:
- We have the Illinois Fighting Illini winning this one by a score of 24 to 20
- Even though we like the Illinois Fighting Illini to win, our ATS pick is to take the Northwestern Wildcats at +7.5
- Look for this game to go over the line of 44 points
Will The Illinois Fighting Illini Win As Road Favorites?
Illinois enters Week 14 with an 8-3 record, and they are 4-1 on the road. They have a 100% chance of being bowl-eligible but no chance of winning the Big Ten. The Fighting Illini are ranked 47th in our CFB power rankings.
Illinois has been favored in just two of their 11 games, going 2-0 as the favorite. They have a +6.5 average scoring margin and are 5-3 against the spread this season.
The over/under line for this week is 44 points. Illinois’ games have averaged 49.6 points, and their over/under record is 2-6, with an average line of 48.8 points.
Illinois’ offense is ranked 40th in our power rankings heading into week 14. They are 53rd in points per game, scoring 28.1. Quarterback Luke Altmyer has thrown for 2,373 yards with a passer rating of 102. He has 20 touchdowns and just three interceptions. Illinois is 26th in passer rating nationally and 32nd in third-down conversions, converting 44.1% of their attempts.
Altmyer has completed 61% of his passes. Leading receiver Pat Bryant has 908 yards and nine touchdowns on 49 catches. Illinois is averaging 218.4 passing yards per game. On the ground, they average 146.1 rushing yards per game. Josh McCray leads the team with 449 rushing yards and eight touchdowns.
Illinois’ defense has allowed an average of 21.5 points per game this season, ranking 31st nationally. In their recent game against Rutgers, they gave up 31 points, allowing 387 total yards, including 213 rushing yards and 174 passing yards.
Opponents have averaged 154.7 rushing yards per game against Illinois, while quarterbacks have completed 60.7% of their passes, averaging 212.1 passing yards per game.
Are The Northwestern Wildcats Going Win In At Upset At Wrigley Field
Northwestern enters Week 14 with a 4-7 record and no chance of becoming bowl-eligible. They are ranked 88th in our power rankings as they prepare to face Illinois at home. The Wildcats have gone 1-3 at home this season.
Northwestern has been favored in just one game this season, going 1-0 as the favorite. Their average scoring margin is -8.4 points per game, and they have a 3-5 record against the spread.
The over/under line for this week’s game is set at 44 points. Northwestern’s games have averaged 42.2 points, with an average line of 41 points. Their over/under record for the season is 4-4.
Northwestern’s offense has struggled this season, averaging just 16.9 points per game, which ranks 100th nationally. They are 113th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 14. Their third-down conversion rate is only 31.1%, and they are averaging 98.7 rushing yards per game.
Jack Lausch leads the passing attack with 1,427 yards, but he has thrown more interceptions (6) than touchdowns (5) and has a passer rating of 67. Cam Porter has rushed for 448 yards and six touchdowns, averaging 3 yards per carry. Bryce Kirtz leads the receivers with 573 yards on 37 catches but has not scored a touchdown.
Northwestern’s defense has allowed an average of 25.3 points per game this season, including 50 points in their recent loss to Michigan. In that game, they gave up 396 total yards, with 201 rushing yards and five rushing touchdowns.
Opponents have averaged 123.6 rushing yards per game against Northwestern, while quarterbacks have posted a 63.3% completion rate and 237.4 passing yards per game, ranking Northwestern 118th in the nation in passing yards allowed.