The UAB Blazers take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, Illinois, on Thursday, Sept. 3. Kickoff is set for 9 p.m. ET on Big Ten Network.
Illinois is favored by -27.5 points on the spread with a moneyline of -7000. UAB, meanwhile, enters as a +27.5 underdog and is +2000 on the moneyline to pull off the upset. The over/under sits at 54.5 total points.
Here’s my UAB vs. Illinois prediction and college football picks for Thursday, September 3.
UAB vs Illinois Prediction
- UAB vs. Illinois Pick: Illinois -27.5
My Illinois vs. UAB best bet is on the Illini to cover the spread. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
UAB vs Illinois Odds
| UAB Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+27.5 -105 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | +2000 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-27.5 -115 | 54.5 -110o / -110u | -7000 |
- UAB vs Illinois point spread: Illinois -27.5 (-115), UAB +27.5 (-105)
- UAB vs Illinois over/under: 54.5 (-110o / -110u)
- UAB vs Illinois moneyline: UAB +2000, Illinois -7000
UAB vs Illinois College Football Betting Preview
UAB Blazers Betting Preview: Mortensen Takes Over
Finally, UAB's long national nightmare is over, as the Trent Dilfer era is officially in the books. UAB promoted offensive coordinator Alex Mortensen to head coach, and he will continue to call the offense.
Though inconsistent, the Blazers' offense has been a bright spot under Mortensen, but the unit starts from scratch in 2026. Just two starters return from last year's team, both on the interior offensive line.
Quarterback Ryder Burton saw enough action last year to convince Mortensen to keep him around. However, he ranks just 120th in The Athletic FBS QB tiers, ranked by personnel administration and general managers.
Zero starters return on the defensive side of the ball, a necessary turnover for a unit that was the single worst of any last year, offense or defense. Its 3.72 points allowed per drive was alarming, to say the least.
That unit is made up of journeymen transfers — three are multi-time transfers — combined with productive small-school players and unproven power conference transfers.
There's almost certainly nowhere to go up, but the new DC is Todd Grantham, picked right from the school of "How Does He Keep Getting Hired State."
Expect a backfield-by-committee approach, as Georgia transfer Roderick Robinson II leads the running back room while ULM transfer Bam McReynolds converts to the backfield and adds a pass-catching threat.
Center Adam Lepkowski and guard Calib Perez give the offensive front a decent foundation, but the three other rising starters combine for just two FBS starts. It's a decent-sized line, but its output is anyone's guess due to the inexperience.
A serious concern comes with the size, or lack thereof, on defense.
Only one projected starter, APEX Marlin Deal, stands taller than 6-foot-3. This could be a step backward to move forward, as UAB likely doesn't repeat its upset of Memphis (+21.5) or Tulsa (+8.5) again this year.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview: Another Nonconference Blowout?
The job Bret Bielema has done at Illinois cannot be understated. A historically .500 program, Illinois is 19-7 in its last two seasons and has won eight-plus games in three of Bielema's five seasons.
But 2026 could be a rebuilding year. Illinois loses its veteran playmaker at quarterback and its entire disruptive front seven. Only nickel Matthew Bailey returns, and two smaller-school transfers look to be Day 1 starters.
Bielema made a dramatic hire at defensive coordinator after the departure of Aaron Henry to Notre Dame. He poached Montana head coach Bobby Hauck, who will install his 3-3-5 defense in Champaign.
Going from a four-man to a three-man front presents a lot of benefits, particularly along the defensive line, where you field one fewer player and build depth because of it.
The secondary is plenty experienced and should improve over what was a terrible pass unit last season.
East Carolina quarterback Katin Houser transfers in after throwing for over 5,300 yards in two seasons. He's not as mobile as Luke Altmyer and doesn't have the uncanny escapability, but Houser has a quick trigger and is extremely accurate.
Barry Lunney Jr. is one of the better offensive play-callers in the Big Ten. and perhaps the most underrated in the country.
With the team's top three rushers and a handful of experienced tight ends back, this offense should be pretty good once again, though its No. 19 finish in Points Per Drive is lofty.
The biggest concern comes up front on the offensive line, where three new starters need to be named. Among them are a JUCO transfer, a Colorado State transfer and an Idaho transfer — not exactly three Big Ten-caliber programs.
However, both tackles stand at 6-foot-7, and the unit as a whole is lean and athletic. How it holds up against the bull rush of a Big Ten schedule remains to be seen, but Illinois has three games before it gets there.
UAB vs Illinois Pick, Betting Analysis
The total on this game saw movement toward the under after opening at 56.5. It moved through a critical number (55), where it sits just under.
The forecast for Champaign calls for excessive heat, with highs in the 90s and dew points pushing 70 degrees — even at 8 p.m. local time, things could be pretty steamy.
Over the last four years, Bielema hasn't held back against inferior opponents. Since 2022, Illinois has gone 5-2-1 ATS against non-power conference foes.
Last year, the Illini blanked 10-win Western Michigan, 38-0 (-27.5), and beat FCS Western Illinois, 52-3 (-48.5). Of course, this year's roster isn't as proven and talented as last season's, but it has plenty of horsepower and size to overpower UAB.
Houser led East Carolina to 17 wins against a pretty stout American schedule.
The Illinois receiving corps is banged up — FAU transfer Jayshon Platt is out for this game, and FIU transfer Alex Perry is out for the season — but the run game behind Ca'Lil Valentine and Aidan Laughery (plus RB-turned-TE Kaden Feagin) makes for a physical approach.
Hauck's defense will have growing pains, but Burton and a brand-new skill corps for UAB isn't the unit to exploit that.
This is all Illinois, as the environment works against the talent-deficient UAB front on both sides. Plus, the Illini tote one of the most veteran and accurate passers in the country. UAB could be a one- or two-win team this year.
Pick: Illinois -27.5 (Play to -28)
UAB vs Illinois Betting Trends
