Underdog Upset Brewing? Illinois Poised to Shock Indiana Despite Odds

Here we go — Illinois and Indiana square off at 7:30 ET tonight, and if you’ve ever wondered whether that pesky quarter tax in Illinois is worth it, well… maybe tonight’s game will settle that debate. Because let’s be honest, sports betting has exploded recently, but with it comes a maze of quirky rules. Illinois, for instance, won’t let you bet on your own college team through legal books — talk about a buzzkill. Yet here we are, about to dive into a clash where both teams are undefeated, ranked, and eager to stake their claim in the crowded Big 10 pack. Illinois has quietly built a solid squad — a 3-0 record and a defense that doesn’t seem to take any lip. Meanwhile, Indiana’s undefeated too but faces skeptical eyes about how far they might go. This isn’t just another game; it’s a real test for both squads and maybe even for your betting guts. The question is — will Illinois’s balanced attack and stout defense finally crack Indiana’s rolling offense? Or will the Hoosiers come through, making us all wonder where those quarters went? Stick around — things could get interesting. LEARN MORE

Illinois vs. Indiana, 7:30 ET

Sports betting has obviously had its big boom over the past few years, I mean, I wouldn’t be here writing this article if it hadn’t. Sure, people have been betting on sports for decades, but with the legality of it all over the past few years the industry has taken off. There are still some interesting rules from state to state – for example, in Illinois, you now have to pay a quarter for every bet you place (there are some ways to get around it). You can’t bet on college player props in a lot of states, and also, in Illinois you can’t bet via a legal book on a college team from your state. Some is smart to provide a bit of protection (I’m okay with the college player props if it keeps some wackjobs from tweeting death threats). Others are just people trying to make an extra buck, like this quarter tax. Nonetheless, today we have a play for the game between Illinois and Indiana, and when we win the bet, the quarter will be a distant memory as a bit of a fee to make some money.

The Illinois football team is not one that usually makes much noise, but you’d have to believe that this team could at least have a chance to play for the Big 10 Championship. This program has been building over the past few years, and I feel like they are coming into their own this season. They enter today’s game with a 3-0 record and as the ninth-ranked team in the country. Rankings at this point in the season mean very little, but it is still nice to be ranked instead of unranked. The Fighting Illini have beaten Western Illinois, Duke, and Western Michigan. Of the three teams, Duke was easily the best team, and that might be one of the better wins because they not only dominated the game (another win for us, by the way), but they did it on the road. For the season, the Illinois offense has scored 135 points and only allowed 22. You don’t need me to tell you that’s a great ratio. Quarterback Luke Altmyer, looks great with 709 passing yards and eight touchdowns for the year. He is spreading the ball rather well and I think Illinois will continue to balance the attack between the passing and ground game.

Indiana is also a ranked team, and they also enter today’s contest with high hopes and a 3-0 record. Although they are undefeated, I’m not overly confident that this team will be considered one of the best in the Big 10 by the end of the season. There are currently 10 teams in the Big 10 with a 3-0 record, and you know that Ohio State and Penn State are better than Indiana (and Illinois, for that matter). The three wins for Illinois have come against Old Dominion, Kennesaw State, and Indiana State. None of those teams are even remotely close to talented teams. It does seem like the Indiana offense has continued to improve each game, but that could be due to the opposing defenses being worse each game. For the season Indiana has outscored their opponents 156-23. The majority of that is because of the beating they just handed Indiana State, crushing them 73-0. Fernando Mendoza, their quarterback, has pretty much been step-for-step with Altmyer, racking up 708 passing yards and 9 touchdowns.

Illinois should prove to be a significantly tougher test for Indiana than anyone the Hoosiers have faced to this point in the season. However, Indiana will also be the toughest team that Illinois has faced this year. The only difference is that Illinois has been tested by Duke and rolled them. I feel like Illinois has more of a spread out offense whereas Indiana is focused on one receiver. I also like the Illinois defense more than Indiana’s. I’m backing Illinois to cover the spread, I do think the over hits, and I wouldn’t be surprised if Illinois wins this game outright.

For more sports betting information and plays, follow David on X/Twitter: @futureprez2024