Omg, it is here, the Illinois football team plays a game in less than a week.
The first matchup for the much-anticipated 2025 season is the Western Illinois Leathernecks. The Illini don’t get the traditional Saturday start, as the game will be in Champaign under the lights on Friday night.
Here are the Illinois football vs. Western Illinois betting odds for week one
- Moneyline: N/A
There is no moneyline, per FanDuel, on the Illinois vs. Western Illinois game for Friday. Everyone expects the Illini to handle the Leathernecks, so a moneyline bet would be pointless.
- Spread: Illinois -45.5/Western Illinois +45.5
The spread as of Sunday morning is Illinois -45.5/Western Illinois +45.5. This is a massive number, and it is tempting to bet because you automatically get the Leathernecks with 45 points to start the game.
I would like to note that Western Illinois played two FBS teams in 2024. They lost by 39 points, 54-15, against a MAC program in Northern Illinois. They also played Indiana and lost by 74 points, 77-3.
- Total: Over/Under 63.5 points
The over/under total for the Illinois vs. Western Illinois game is 63.5 points. That doesn’t seem like a lot of points considering the number the Illini are likely to put up.
Western Illinois had one of the worst defenses in all of college football last season. They ranked No. 121 out of 123 teams in the FCS in scoring defense, giving up a whopping 42.92 points per game.
This over/under is tricky, though. You see it and think that it is going to be reached because Illinois is putting up a big number, but you also have to think that the Illini will have to carry most of the weight.
Western Illinois is likely not going to score. Can Illinois put up 64 points? They can, but at what point will the dogs be called off?