The betting lines for week 9 of college football have opened, and Rutgers is listed as a 12.5 point underdog in their game at Illinois, according to Fanduel.
The Scarlet Knights are coming into this game
one week after winning their first Big Ten game of the season against Purdue, 27-24. They will be looking to avenge their loss from last season, when the Fighting Illini won the game off a last-second touchdown that was made possible by a poorly called timeout from Rutgers Head Coach Greg Schiano on a failed windy field goal attempt.
Illinois is coming into this game looking to get back on track after dropping its last two matchups to Ohio State and Washington. The Illini fell to the Buckeyes 34-16, and fell to the Huskies 42-25.
With their win over Purdue, Rutgers kept its bowl hopes alive with four weeks remaining in the season. An upset win over Illinois would go a long way when it comes to earning bowl eligibility.
Beating Illinois is much easier said than done. The Knights have had several issues stopping the outside run, and the Illini have a stable of running backs consisting of Kaden Feagin, Ca’Lil Valentine, and Aiden Laughery, who are all averaging over 4 yards per carry. On top of that, Illini wide receivers Hank Beatty and Collin Dixon will be a handful for Rutgers’ defensive backs, who have struggled all year. On the flip side, the Illini defense attacks the ball relentlessly and has already recovered 8 fumbles this year.
To be able to keep up with the Illinois offense, Rutgers will need to put up a lot of points of their own. With the availability of wide receiver Ian Strong unclear at the moment, KJ Duff will be leaned on once again to create big plays for Rutgers in the passing game. Duff recorded the second most receiving yards in a single game in Rutgers history against Purdue, racking up 241 yards and one touchdown. Even with Duff’s stellar performance, Strong’s return to the field would be a significant boost to the Knights’ offense, which will need all the help it can get as the competition improves. On top of that, Rutgers’ banged up offensive line will have to keep the pocket clean for quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis to throw the ball effectively, along with opening holes for the running game.
Rutgers and Illinois are set to kick off in Champaign, IL, at noon on Saturday, November 1st. Live coverage will be available on NBC.
