the wisconsin badgersranked 18th in the preseason top 25 poll, will host the Illinois State Red Birds in the season opener on Saturday for both teams.
Illinois State, a member of FCS, the oldest public university in Illinois, will make the 200-mile trip north to take on the perennial Big Ten Power Wisconsin for the first time in football.
Here you’ll find everything you need from a betting perspective on the Illinois State-Wisconsin game, from point spread, money line, over/under total and Geoff Schwartz’s expert pick (odds via FOX Bet ):
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State of Illinois at Wisconsin (7 p.m. ET Saturday FS1)
Point difference: No line available at FOX Bet
money line: no line available
Total score over/under: no line available
Wisconsin (9-4 overall, 6-3 at Big Ten West in 2021) is roughly a 33-point favorite at sportsbooks that have posted lines in the game. The team is 175-36-8 all-time against non-FBS teams.
The Badgers went 6-7 against the spread (ATS), 1-3 in non-conference games and 3-4 ATS as home favorites in 2021 and finished unranked in consecutive seasons for the first time since 2002-03.
Wisconsin returned the fewest starters of any team in the Big Ten and took a huge hit on defense, losing three starting linebackers and all four starters in the secondary. On the coaching front, the team has a new offensive coordinator, former Penn State star and NFL receiver Bobby Engram.
The Redbirds (4-7 in 2021) struggled offensively in 2021, averaging 127.5 rushing yards (3.6 yards per carry) and completing 51.8% of their passes, averaging 124 .8 passing yards per game. Illinois State averaged 18.4 points per game, 106 in FCS.
The State of Illinois is turning to Zack Annexstad, a transfer from Minnesota. Annexstad started seven games and played in eight overall as a freshman in 2018 for the Minnesota Golden Gophers.
Since the 2012 season, Illinois State has three wins against FBS schools (Eastern Michigan in 2012, Northwestern in 2016, and Colorado State in 2018).
Illinois State won two of its first three games last season but finished 2-6 in the Missouri Valley Conference.
Choose through FOX Sports Betting Analyst Geoff Schwartz:
“I’m going to go with the Badgers here because they’re going to control the line of scrimmage the entire game,” Schwartz said. “Look for them to add late touchdowns to cover the 33-point spread.
“Wisconsin has the most unknown running back in the country in Braelon Allen. As a true 17-year-old freshman, he rushed for 1,286 yards on 186 carries, good for a whopping 6.8 yards per attempt.”
Braelon Allen is listed at +6000 on FOX Bet (bet $10 to win a total of $610) to win the Heisman Trophy this season.
“Wisconsin’s defense finished second in efficiency last season, which means Illinois State won’t be able to move the ball this entire game,” Schwartz continued.
“The Badgers are more talented and much bigger in the trenches and they will come out on top in this game.”
TO CHOOSE: Wisconsin (-33) wins by more than 33 points
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