Michigan vs Illinois Line and Picks Against the Spread

Saturday, October 12, 2019

Memorial Stadium

Memorial Stadium is the site where Matt Robinson and the Illinois Fighting Illini will play the Michigan Wolverines on Saturday. Michigan opens this matchup as 19.5-point favorites. The Wolverines are 2-3-0 ATS and 3-2-0 when betting on the total. The Fighting Illini are 2-3-0 when wagering on the over/under and 2-3-0 against the spread.

Key Michigan Wolverines Injuries

10/06/19 DL Kwity Paye Leg left last game, is questionable Saturday vs Illinois
09/30/19 TE Sean McKeon Leg is out indefinitely
08/26/19 OL Andrew Stueber ACL is out for season

Key Illinois Fighting Illini Injuries

10/06/19 DL Isaiah Gay Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 RB Jakari Norwood Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 DL Jamal Woods Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 DL Kenyon Jackson Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 DB Stanley Green Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 QB Brandon Peters Upper Body left last game, is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 WR Trevon Sidney Leg left last game, is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
10/06/19 QB Isaiah Williams Undisclosed is questionable Saturday vs Michigan
09/02/19 RB Mike Epstein Knee is out for season
08/22/19 CB Marquez Beason Knee is out for season
07/08/19 DL Bobby Roundtree Back is out for season

The last time they took the field, the Michigan Wolverines played the Iowa Hawkeyes and notched a win by a score of 10-3. Zach Charbonnet paced the team in rushing for that contest. He tore off a long run of 7 yards and he notched 1 touchdown for the game. He racked up a total of 42 yards via 13 carries which meant he averaged 3.2 yards per run. Nico Collins was the receiving yardage leader by racking up 63 yards on 3 receptions. He averaged 21.0 yards per catch for that contest. Leading the way at QB for the Wolverines was Shea Patterson who went 14/26 with 147 yards through the air but wasn't able to throw a ball for a TD. He tossed 1 pick on the day. The Wolverines ran the ball 32 times and added 124 yards which gave them an average of 3.9 yards per rush. Overall, the Wolverines earned a total of 13 first downs and they totaled 4 penalties for 35 yards which tells us that they had an average outing in terms of discipline. For the game, they finished with a total of 58 plays for 271 yards. In terms of defense, Michigan allowed 23 catches on 42 tries for a total of 260 yards, and a completion percentage of 54.8%. On the day, they conceded 261 yards and forced 4 takeaways. In the running game, the Wolverines allowed 1 yards on 30 attempts which gave the opponent an average of 0.0 yards per carry allowed.

The Wolverines step onto the field holding a record of 4-1 for this season. They are in the middle of the pack in regard to scoring in the nation with an average of 28 points per contest, putting them 74th in college football. As a unit, they are averaging 129.2 yards on the ground per game which is 11th in the Big Ten Conference. For total yards, they are currently ranked 10th in the Big Ten and 96th in college football with 1,839 yards. The Wolverines have one of the best defenses in Division 1, giving up 16 points per contest which has them at 5th in the conference. When talking about yards on the ground, Michigan is giving up 135 yards per contest ranking them 9th in the Big Ten and 50th in college football. They are allowing teams to run for an average of 3.3 yards per carry which has them at 6th in the Big Ten and 33rd in the country overall. In total, they have allowed 675 rushing yards through 5 games. When it comes to yards through the air, the Wolverines have conceded 1,193 yards. Teams are completing 63.3% of the passes they throw against them and averaging 6.0 yards per try.

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In the last game they played, the Illinois Fighting Illini played the Minnesota Golden Gophers and took the loss by a score of 40-17. Leading the way at QB for the Fighting Illini was Matt Robinson who went 15/29 with 125 yards through the air but didn't get a passing TD in the game. He finished the game without throwing an interception. Reggie Corbin led the team on the ground for the game. He had a long run of 21 yards but he wasn't able to rush for a TD on the day. He rushed for 68 yards via 14 carries which had him averaging 4.9 yards per run. Trevon Sidney was the receiving yardage leader with a total of 50 yards on 5 receptions. He had an average of 10.0 yards per reception for the game. The Fighting Illini ran the football 27 times and racked up a total of 91 yards which earned them an average of 3.4 yards per attempt. For the contest, the Fighting Illini got 14 1st downs and they totaled 8 infractions for 80 yards which shows us that this team didn't have their heads in this game. Overall, they finished with a total of 66 plays which added up to 248 yards. In terms of defense, Illinois allowed 9 catches on 17 attempts for a total of 155 yards, and a completion percentage of 52.9%. Against the run, the Fighting Illini allowed 333 yards on 51 carries which gave them an average of 6.5 yards per run allowed. In the game, they gave up a total of 488 yards and earned 2 takeaways.

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The Fighting Illini head into this matchup 2-3. Illinois has built a respectable ground game this year by averaging 163.8 rushing yards per contest, putting them 63rd in the nation. As a unit, they have a total of 819 yards rushing through 5 games, so they'll look to the run game to try to keep the opponents off balance so they'll have open receivers. The Fighting Illini average 354.4 yards per game overall which has them at 103rd in the country and 12th in the Big Ten Conference. The Fighting Illini are conceding 28.4 points per game which puts them at 12th in the Big Ten and 80th in the nation. Their pass defense is one of the mediocre units in the nation. They are allowing 240.2 passing yards per contest. For passing yards allowed per game, the Fighting Illini currently sit at 12th in the conference. When talking about points allowed, they have allowed 142 points in total. When it comes to rushing yards, they are giving up 186.8 yards per game ranking them 98th in Division 1 and 13th in the Big Ten Conference. This year, they have conceded a total of 934 yards on the ground and 7 rushing TDs.

Who will win tonight's Wolverines/Fighting Illini college football game against the spread?

Tony's Pick: Take the Wolverines -19.5

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