Being 2-3 on the season and losing to one of the Big Ten's worst teams, Purdue, is not where Illinois wants to be five weeks into the season. After the Ohio State loss, it felt like the Illini would have a few games that they could string together wins before taking on Oregon midway through October.
Instead, the loss to Purdue now creates some wonder about whether or not the Illini will be able to get past another Big Ten team that they easily outmatch, Michigan State. With where the Illinois defense is this season, the Spartans could find more success than they have had against other opponents this season.
The biggest test will be whether or not the Illini offense will be able to get back on track after back-to-back weeks of scoring fewer than 20 points. Luckily, the offense continues to get healthier each week, but after a rough start to the season, Illinois is not favored as much as some might think over the Spartans.
Final odds for Illinois vs. Michigan State in Week 6
Odds provided by FanDuel Sportsbook
Spread
- Illinois: -2.5 (-115)
- Michigan State: +2.5 (-105)
Moneyline
- Illinois: -137
- Michigan State: +114
Total
- O/U: 48.5 (-105/-115)
Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Illinois desperately needs a win for the morale of this season
The Purdue loss was not great. The defense looked better without Bobby Hauck calling plays, but the offense seemed to stall, even with the talent on this roster. Katin Houser has turned out to be a great pickup for Bret Bielema, but his connection is still growing with other receivers not named Collin Dixon.
The run game took a hit with the injury to Ca'Lil Valentine, but Aidan Laughery has done a great job, not just against Purdue, but all season running the ball, and now should take on the starter duties. Houser also looks to be getting Jayshon Platt back after he missed the first five games of the season due to an undisclosed injury.
Platt had a lot of buzz around him in fall camp, and now he should make his Illinois debut after being listed as probably on the initial injury report. Hopefully, with his return to the field, this offense can explode with speed and a lot of passes downfield.
Illinois really needs a win this weekend, even if it is just Michigan State. While the players and coaches can talk all they want about morale being good and high in the building, it is a little hard to believe, given how the season has gone.
A loss to Michigan State could be the nail in the coffin this season, even though it is only Week 6. For this team to build any sort of momentum, even to get to a bowl game at the end of the year, the Illini need to come away from East Lansing with a victory.
It does not matter if it is close or a complete blowout; Bielema needs to find a way to get his team a win and build some momentum with Oregon up next.
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