Newsstand: Betting odds revealed for showdown with Illinois
Michigan football welcomes Illinois to the Big House on Saturday afternoon for a 12 p.m. kickoff on Senior Day and Vegas was quick to weigh in on the matchup.
Michigan is a 17.5-point favorite over the visiting Illini with the over/under for total points scored at 44.5, according to the Vegas Insider consensus. The Wolverines lead the all-time series by a 71-23-2 margin and have a 5-game win streak in the series dating back to 2010.
Top 10
- 1New
Iowa State gambling
Staff members punished
- 2
Tennessee AD
Reacts to Texas roster cost
- 3Hot
2026 NFL Mock Draft
QBs dominate without Arch Manning
- 4
Second-guessing Sark?
Ewers-Manning decision in spotlight
- 5Trending
Fiery crash video
Alijah Arenas football surfaces
Get the On3 Top 10 to your inbox every morning
By clicking "Subscribe to Newsletter", I agree to On3's Privacy Notice, Terms, and use of my personal information described therein.
U-M has played Illinois twice under Jim Harbaugh with a 41-8 win during the 2016 season and a 42-25 victory on the road in 2018. This will be the first time Harbaugh and Illinois coach Bret Bielema face off in a college football game.
Illinois, who sits at 7-3, was once the favorite to win the Big Ten West before dropping the last two games on their schedule to Michigan State and Purdue. U-M is 10-0 for the first time since the 2006 season and will look to stay unblemished heading into the Week 13 game against Ohio State.
Saturday’s game against Illinois is set for a noon kick and will be broadcast via ABC.
Tweets of the day
Michigan quote of the day
If U-M wins the Big Ten, it will finish in the top four, but anything less and the Wolverines will need chaos in the other Power 5 conference championship games. A two-loss Pac-12 and Big 12 champion would help tremendously. Without a nonconference win against a Power 5 opponent, Michigan’s strength of schedule will remain an issue in the selection committee meeting room. (Sorry, Michigan fans, but UConn becoming bowl eligible on Saturday is not going to boost the strength of schedule enough to catapult the Wolverines into the top four if they don’t win the Big Ten East.)
It didn’t help Michigan that Illinois lost its third game of the season to Purdue, as Michigan faces the Illini on Saturday; what once looked like a ranked opponent for the Wolverines is instead another mediocre team from the Big Ten West. Without beating the Buckeyes, Michigan would have a hard time leapfrogging 11-1 Tennessee, undefeated or one-loss Big 12 champion TCU and a one-loss Pac-12 champion USC on Selection Day, because all of those contenders would have a better résumé.
– ESPN’s Heather Dinich on Michigan’s playoff path
Headlines of the day
Road Notebook: Thoughts, notes on 15 underclassmen with Michigan offers
Wolverine TV: Five takeaways from Michigan’s win over Nebraska
Blue Chips: Michigan set to host top DB target for official visit
Michigan football: Balas and Skene react to blowout win vs. Nebraska
