Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Wolverines Betting Preview
18 November 2022
Big Ten Conference rivals meet up in Week 12 as the Michigan Wolverines host the Illinois Fighting Illini. This game is not going to be as great as anticipated, as one of these teams hasn’t been able to hold up their end of the bargain.
Illinois comes into this game with a record of 7-3, but two of those losses have come in the last two weeks. The Fighting Illini are still tied for the Big Ten West lead, but they no longer control their own destiny.
Michigan is the defending champion of the Big Ten Conference, and they are in line to win it again this season. The Wolverines are a perfect 10-0 this season, and they are ranked number three in the latest CFP rankings.
The Michigan Wolverines are 17.5-point betting favorites over the Illinois Fighting Illini in this Big Ten matchup.
Illinois Has to Defend
Illinois has to get back to being a dominant defense if they are going to start winning games again. The Fighting Illini are still allowing just 12.5 points per game, but they have struggled to get big stops over the past two weeks.
Running back Chase Brown leads the nation with 1,442 yards this season, and he is going to have the ball in his hands a ton. Quarterback Tommy DeVito has thrown 15 touchdowns this season, but he isn’t someone that will carry an offense.
Illinois has gotten frustrated in recent weeks, and they will have to be composed on the road in a tough environment.
Michigan Running Over Opponents
The Michigan Wolverines are a team that is loaded with offense, but their biggest strength is the rushing attack. Michigan is scoring over 41 points per game, and they have the ability to light up an opposing defense at any given time.
Running back Blake Corum has rushed for 1,349 yards this season, and he has also found the end zone 17 times. Michigan can also attack defenses through the air, but establishing Corum will be a big key in this one.
The Wolverines have also turned into a dominant defensive team, as they are giving up just 11.2 points per game. Michigan is rounding into a complete team, just at the right time.
Wolverines Win Big Over Illini
Illinois was the talk of college football through the first eight weeks of the season, but they are now starting to look like their old selves. The Fighting Illini are no longer shutting teams down with their defense, and they are also coming into this game with some serious injury concerns.
Michigan has a superstar running back in Blake Corum, and he is going to have a big game in this one. The Wolverines will also find a way to shut down the Illinois rushing attack and put up a low score on defense.
Bet the Michigan Wolverines -17.5 over the Illinois Fighting Illini, as this game will get away from the visiting team in this matchup.
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