College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Indiana vs. Illinois (9/2)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 1 odds, picks, and predictions for this week’s game: Indiana vs. Illinois.

And check out our other game previews and picks for Week 1 of College Football:

• TCU vs. Colorado
• Western Michigan vs. Michigan State
• Old Dominion vs. Virginia Tech
• New Mexico State vs. Minnesota
• Georgia State vs. South Carolina
• Nevada vs. Texas State
• Western Kentucky vs. Hawaii
• North Carolina State vs. East Carolina
• Clemson vs. Georgia Tech
• Boise State vs. Oregon State
• Arizona vs. San Diego State
• Utah State vs. Alabama
• Middle Tennessee vs. James Madison
• Cincinnati vs. Arkansas
• Florida State vs. LSU
• Utah vs. Florida
• Colorado State vs. Michigan
• Rice vs. USC
• Oregon vs. Georgia
• Louisiana-Monroe vs. Texas
• Notre Dame vs. Ohio State

College Football Week 1 Odds, Picks & Prediction: Indiana vs. Illinois

This game is going to be UGLY! Illinois was really impressive in their Week Zero win against Wyoming, scoring in every quarter and piling up over 250 rushing yards. That task won't be as easy this week in a road matchup against Indiana, as the Hoosiers return six starters, including two All-Conference players. Illinois also has the advantage on defense because they played together last week and held Wyoming to 212 total yards and two field goals.

Indiana is only returning three starters, but they all are on the line. My concern is that the starting QB, the top two RBs, and the No. 2 WR are all transfers. I feel this game will be two struggling offenses slugging it out. Illinois is struggling against a strong defense, and Indiana is struggling due to a lack of live reps together. In this picture I've painted, it benefits to take the team getting the points and the under, so we'll do that in an early season slugfest!

Bet: Illinois +4.5

What is Betting Against the Spread?

Betting "against the spread" refers to the act of choosing the winning team based on a numeric handicap placed on the team that oddsmakers believe is superior, rather than picking the outright winner. For example, if the Rams face the Bengals, and oddsmakers set the spread at Rams -3.5, you would need Los Angeles to win by 4 or more points in order to cash your Rams bet.

What is an Over/Under Bet?

Over/Under is a wager based on how many points you think will be scored in a specific game. Oddsmakers set the total, and bettors decide whether the final score will be higher or lower than that number. If an Over/Under is set at 44.5 points and you bet Over, you will need the combined score of both teams to be 45 points or higher to win your bet.

What is a Moneyline Bet?

A moneyline bet involves choosing which team you believe will win a specific matchup. The moneyline favorite carries a minus designation, like -130. This means that you need to wager $130 to earn a $100 profit. Conversely, the underdog carries a plus designation, like +110. This means that you win $110 in profit on a $100 bet.

Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | Google Podcasts | Stitcher | RadioPublic | Breaker | Castbox | Pocket Casts

Whether you’re new to sports betting or a betting pro, our How To Bet and Sports Betting Strategy and Advice pages are for you. You can get started with our Sports Betting 101 Section - including 10 Sports Betting Tips for Beginners - or head to more advanced sports betting strategies - like Key Numbers When Betting Against the Spread - to learn more.