The No. 14 University of Illinois Fighting Illini (7-1, 4-1 Big 10) welcome the Michigan State University Spartans (3-5, 1-4 Big 10) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday for a matchup that pits one of the Big Ten Conference’s strongest rushing offenses against one of its toughest ground defenses.
The Fighting Illini are 17-point favorites, and the total is 41.5. Michigan State is coming off a crushing 29-7 loss against No. 4 Michigan at Michigan Stadium last Saturday. Payton Thorne threw for 215 yards with a touchdown and an interception. Elijah Collins ran seven times for 22 yards. Keon Coleman caught five passes for 155 yards and a touchdown.
Illinois won for the sixth straight game last Saturday, beating Nebraska 26-9 at Tom Osborne Field at Memorial Stadium. Tommy DeVito was 20 of 22 for 179 yards and two touchdowns. Chase Brown scored on the ground and through the air. He carried 32 times for 149 yards and a touchdown. Isaiah Williams added a touchdown of his own. He hauled in nine receptions for 93 yards.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
The teams are meeting in the regular season for the first time since November 2019, a 37-34 win for the Fighting Illini.
TALE OF THE TAPE
The Spartans are averaging 24.5 points per game for the season, 94th in FBS, and they are facing a Fighting Illini defense that has surrendered 8.9 PPG (1st). Meanwhile, Illinois has scored 26.0 points a game this season, 86th in the nation, and Michigan State is allowing 27.4 PPG (76th).
The Spartans rank as one of the nation’s worst teams in rushing yards per game (97.5, 118th), while they are 69th in passing yards (239.4). They can expect a particularly tough test on the ground, as the Fighting Illini are second in the nation in rushing yards allowed per game (75.6). Against the pass, Illinois is second (148.9).
Illinois is 97th in the country in passing yards per game (212.1) and 27th in rushing (197.5), while the Spartans are allowing 256.3 passing yards (98th) and 168.6 rushing yards per game (97th)
TOP PERFORMERS
Through eight games, Payton Thorne has thrown for 12 touchdowns (8 INT) and 214.2 yards per game to lead Michigan State in passing. In three away games this season, he has five TDs (2 INT) and an average of 253.0 yards passing.
Jalen Berger leads the team in rushing with an average of 48.0 yards a game over eight games. He has five touchdowns on the ground and two through the air. Keon Coleman is the Spartans’ leading receiver with 68.5 yards a game and six TDs.
Tommy DeVito has 12 passing touchdowns (2 INT) with 199.2 yards per game through eight games to lead Illinois. In five home games this season, he has thrown for eight TDs (1 INT) and an average of 203.2 yards.
Chase Brown has been the home team’s leading performer on the ground, averaging 151.0 yards a game through eight games. He has eight total touchdowns, five rushing and three receiving. Isaiah Williams has been the primary target in the Fighting Illini’s aerial attack. He has three touchdowns and a 54.9 yard per game average through eight appearances.
HOME AND AWAY
Michigan State is winless on the road this season in three games. Illinois has yet to be defeated at home this season in five games.
SportsTips’ College Football Pick:
Illinois (-900)
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*Odds correct at time of publication, courtesy of BetMGM.
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