College football fans love to see teams who are playing their best football match up down the stretch of the season, and this game checks that box. Illinois enters this contest having won four straight, while UCLA has won all nine games this season, and are looking to keep their spot atop the Big Ten for at least another week.
The Bruins made a nice statement last week on the road at Minnesota, where they used early big plays to jump on the Golden Gophers, and maintained their advantage en route to a 34-20 victory.
If you are looking for some betting advice for the matchup, we've got you covered. Here are the latest odds for the game, courtesy of FanDuel.
Illinois vs. UCLA game odds:
All college football odds via FanDuel
- Spread: Illinois +10.5 (-120), UCLA -10.5 (-102)
- Money Line: Illinois +310, UCLA -385
- Over-Under: Over 45.5 (-110), Under 45.5 (-110)
Illinois vs. UCLA prediction, pick:
Some might say Illinois has had a soft schedule recently,
having defeated the likes of Nebraska, Maryland and Michigan State for three of their four wins during this streak. Having said that, the Fighting Illini did beat Oregon a few weeks ago, which looks more impressive as the Ducks continue to ascend in the rankings.
If the Fighting Illini are going to have a shot to pull the upset, they're going to have to find a way to slow down Bruins running back Wayne Knight. He leads the Big Ten in rushing yards and rushing touchdowns, and continues to be the engine of an offense that is using the threat of the run to convert big plays down the field. Last week, quarterback Ty Dieffenbach didn't complete many passes, but the ones he did connect on went for huge yardage.
Interestingly, the Fighting Illini have allowed the most passing yards in the conference, so it's possible Bob Chesney lets Dieffenbach air it more early in this game, but the road to success still starts with Knight. From a betting perspective, it's important to note that Illinois receiver Collin Dixon has 12 touchdown catches this season, so there's a strong case to be made that the over is a good play in this contest.
Prediction: UCLA 31, Illinois 20
Best Bet: Over 45.5
Illinois vs. UCLA channel, start time, streaming:
Time: 9:00 p.m. ET
TV: Fox
Stream: Fox One app, FuboTV
Watch Illinois vs. UCLA on FuboTV (Free Trial)
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: Illinois vs. UCLA: Week 11 Betting Odds, Prediction
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