Illinois head coach Bret Bielma hasn't been one to let his team ease into the season, which has often been bad news for early season non-conference opponents. The Fighting Illinois slammed the door on Western Illinois, Duke and Western Michigan in 2025 before starting Big Ten play.
Meanwhile UAB is hoping to establish an identity and some momentum with a coach-quarterback duo who were thrust into the spotlight last year. QB Ryder Burton and head coach Alex Mortensen are hoping to turn the Blazers into a competitor in the AAC.
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 BetMGM.
UAB vs. Illinois game odds
All college football odds via BetMGM
- Spread: UAB +28.5 (-110), Illinois -28.5 (-110)
- Money Line: UAB +1875, Illinois -5000
- Over-Under: Over 55.5 (-110), Under 55.5 (-110)
UAB vs. Illinois prediction, pick:
Illinois quarterback Katin Houser transferred
to the Fighting Illini after having played his last two seasons at East Carolina. Interestingly, East Carolina is also in the AAC, but Houser never faced them, so Mortensen and his staff never got to see him live.
It's going to be interesting to see how Houser is used at Illinois; he rushed for nine touchdowns a year ago at East Carolina, but didn't exactly rack up a ton of yards while doing so.
Illinois should be able to have their way in this contest, but it wouldn't be surprising to see the Blazers make it closer than the bookmakers think it will be given Houser's reintroduction to the Big Ten(he played at Michigan State before East Carolina).
Prediction: Illinois 40, UAB 20
Best Bet: UAB +28.5
UAB vs. Illinois, start time, streaming:
Time: 9 p.m. ET
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: Fox One app, FuboTV
Watch UAB vs. Illinois on FuboTV (Free Trial)
Get more betting analysis and predictions at Sportsbook Wire.
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This article originally appeared on College Sports Wire: UAB vs. Illinois: Week 1 Betting Odds, Prediction
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