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The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Ohio State Buckeyes in Columbus, Ohio. Kickoff is set for 12 p.m. ET on FOX.
Ohio State is favored by -27.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -5000. The total is set at 53.5 points.
Here’s my Illinois vs. Ohio State prediction and college football pick for Saturday, September 26.
Illinois vs Ohio State Prediction
- Illinois vs. Ohio State Pick: Ohio State 1Q -6.5 (-135) · Jeremiah Smith 100+ Yards + Anytime Touchdown SGP (+110)
My Ohio State vs. Illinois best bet is on the Buckeyes to cover the first-quarter spread and Jeremiah Smith to post 100+ yards and score a touchdown. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Illinois vs Ohio State Odds
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+27.5 -110 | 53.5 -115o / -110u | +1650 |
| Ohio State Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-27.5 -110 | 53.5 -115o / -110u | -5000 |
- Illinois vs Ohio State point spread: Ohio State -27.5 (-110), Illinois +27.5 (-110)
- Illinois vs Ohio State over/under: 53.5 (-115o / -110u)
- Illinois vs Ohio State moneyline: Illinois +1650, Ohio State -5000
Illinois vs Ohio State College Football Preview
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
The Illinois Fighting Illini enter Saturday’s matchup with a 2-1 record following a blowout victory over FCS Southern Illinois.
However, it's going to require a perfect performance to come into Columbus to take down a motivated Ohio State team in front of a hostile crowd at "The Horseshoe."
The Illini are a nearly four-touchdown road underdog in what will definitely be their toughest challenge of the season thus far.
Illinois head coach Bret Bielema enters his fifth season in Champaign and had quite the offseason in the transfer portal.
Getting Katin Houser from East Carolina to play quarterback was a huge addition with Luke Altmyer moving on, and he's made an immediate impact, throwing for 758 yards and eight touchdowns.
Houser ranks 11th in the nation with an 87.3 QBR, largely thanks to the play of wide receiver Collin Dixon, who's quickly established himself as one of the best wideouts in all of college football and leads the nation with seven touchdowns.
On the other side of the ball, the Illini hired Bobby Hauck to take over the defense after he served as Montana’s head coach for eight seasons. He has introduced an aggressive new 3-3-5 scheme.
The defense also had to dip heavily into the transfer portal but is still anchored by returning contributors like Matthew Bailey, Juice Clarke and Xavier Scott.
Illinois will need contributions from all three phases to keep this game within the number.
Ohio State Buckeyes Betting Preview
It's been an up-and-down start to the 2026 campaign for Ryan Day and the Buckeyes, who blew a 20-point fourth-quarter lead in Week 2 to Texas.
Despite completely throwing away what would've been arguably the best win any team would have this season, expect Day’s squad to be well prepared for Saturday’s matchup vs. a far inferior Illinois bunch.
Ohio State QB Julian Sayin has been phenomenal, airing it out for 839 yards with six touchdowns and just one interception over the Buckeyes' first three contests.
The same can be said of superstar wideout Jeremiah Smith, who just broke the Buckeyes' all-time receiving yards record this past weekend against Kent State.
This is truly an incredible feat for Smith, who's still early in his junior campaign. That's even more true given the outrageous WR prospects that have come out of Columbus recently, including Jaxon Smith-Njigba, Chris Olave, and Marvin Harrison Jr.
Smith already has 21 receptions for 400 yards and three touchdowns this season, and you can bet on another remarkable performance this weekend against an Illinois pass defense that ranks 99th in success rate.
The Buckeyes also have balance with running back Bo Jackson leading an elite Ohio State rushing attack. He's already rushed for 230 yards on the ground this season.
Despite losing several key members from last year, Ohio State's defense has allowed less than 10 points per game to its opponents over its first three outings.
Illinois vs Ohio State Pick, Betting Analysis
Despite Illinois’ impressive start to the season, Bielema’s Illini are in for a rude awakening on Saturday.
The Buckeyes boast superior units on both sides of the football and have the luxury of playing in front of a home crowd.
So, let's take a unique approach to betting this Big Ten battle by backing the Buckeyes to cover the 6.5-point first-quarter spread.
Next, there's a ton to love about Smith having another monster performance on Saturday. Let's take a shot on the Buckeye phenom to record at least 100 receiving yards, while also finding the end zone in a +110 SGP presents a ton of value.
Pick: Ohio State 1Q -6.5 (-135) · Jeremiah Smith 100+ Yards + Anytime Touchdown SGP (+110)
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