The Western Illinois Leathernecks take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in Champaign, Ill. Kickoff is set for 7:30 p.m. ET on Peacock.
Illinois is favored by 45.5 points on the spread. The total is set at 63.5 points.
Here’s my Western Illinois vs. Illinois prediction and college football picks for Saturday, August 29, 2025.
Western Illinois vs Illinois Prediction
- Western Illinois vs. Illinois Pick: Over 63.5 (-110, DraftKings)
My Illinois vs. Western Illinois best bet is on PICK. Find the best line available on our live NCAAF odds page.
Western Illinois vs Illinois Odds
| W. Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+45.5 -110 | 63.5 -110o / -110u | |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-45.5 -110 | 63.5 -110o / -110u | |
- Western Illinois vs Illinois point spread: Illinois -45.5 (-110), W. Illinois +45.5 (-110)
- Western Illinois vs Illinois over/under: 63.5 (-110o / -110u)
Western Illinois vs Illinois Preview
Western Illinois Leathernecks Betting Preview
Every year, it seems like there's a 35-point upset in week one.
Every once in a while, we get an inter-state stunner like Sacramento State over Stanford, and we get to jokingly call the FCS program state champions for a week.
Unfortunately for the Leathernecks, I don't believe this will be one of those games.
Western Illinois comes into this one slated to finish fifth in its conference, off a 4-8 record. The Leathernecks played two FBS teams last year and fared poorly, including a 39-point loss to Northern Illinois and a 74-point loss to Indiana.
That does not bode well against Illinois.
That's not to say there's no hope. The Leathernecks put up 35 or more points in four of their last five games last season. Unfortunately, their defense was weaker, as they allowed 45 or more points in four of their final five games.
The Leathernecks may have some success moving the ball late against the Fighting Illini's second stringers.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
The Illinois Fighting Illini come into this matchup ranked 12th nationally and are no longer an under-the-radar program. They posted their first 10-win season since 2001 last year.
In an era where players leaving dominate headlines, Illinois was able to retain 16 starters from last year's squad, ranking sixth nationally in our Transfer and Returning Production Metric.
Expect the Illini to move the ball with ease on the Leathernecks, with an offense that ranked 41st nationally in Success Rate and 37th in Points Per Opportunity. I would expect Illinois to score on every drive that the starters play.
Quarterback Luke Altmeyer returns, giving a sense of stability under center.
However, the one area this Illinois team needs to find new playmakers is in the receiving core. After losing their top two pass catchers from last season, look for West Virginia transfer Hudson Clement to work his way in as Altmeyer's favorite target on Friday. He averaged 16.7 yards per reception last season, and I don't see that number coming down against a secondary that struggled at a lower level.
This is the most anticipated season for the Illini since the days of Juice Williams, and they should start it off strong against an interstate rival.
The similarities to Indiana last year are striking. Would a 70-point win over an inept FCS team further cement Illinois as a potential CFP contender?
Western Illinois vs Illinois Pick, Betting Analysis
As mentioned, this Illinois team should score a touchdown every time it touches the ball, especially when its starters are on the field.
The big question here is, can the Leathernecks score?
Keeping in mind that Northern Illinois dropped 55 on Western Illinois last year, I feel comfortable saying this total is in range for the Illini themselves.
Expect quite a few big plays from an Illinois team that ranked 43rd in Offensive Explosiveness last year and has a veteran offense.
I expect Altmeyer and Clement to begin developing their downfield chemistry in a significant way on Friday, with multiple big shots off play-action.
Pick: Over 63.5 (-110, DraftKings)
