The unbeaten Penn State Nittany Lions will take on the Illinois Fighting Illini in College Football action on Saturday. The Nittany Lions come into the game fresh off back-to-back blowout wins. The Nittany Lions beat up West Virginia 38-15 and then smoked Delaware 63-7.
For Illinois, after narrowly escaping with a home against Toledo, the Illini went to Lawrence and got rocked by Kansas in their second game. The Nittany Lions are looking for revenge for the last time these two teams played. That was in 2021, and Illinois won 20-18. It’s time for our Penn State vs. Illinois picks & parlays:
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Odds
Before our Penn State vs. Illinois picks & parlays, take a look at some of the best NCAAF odds for this game on the NCAAF schedule:
- Spread: Penn State Nittany Lions -14, Illinois Fighting Illini +14
- Total: 48.5
- Moneyline: Penn State Nittany Lions -724, Illinois Fighting Illini +490
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Picks & Parlays
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Pick
- Illinois Fighting Illini +14
We will find out quickly if the Illini are any good or not. They were rocked by a talented, experienced Kansas Jayhawks team. Can they bounce back from that and give the Nittany Lions a run for their money? We think so.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Parlay
- Illinois Fighting Illini +14
- OVER 48.5
We know that Penn State can put points on the board. Look for a few long plays to keep the Orange and Blue in this game. In the end, the Nittany Lions win, but the OVER hits.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Information
Penn State Nittany Lions vs Illinois Fighting Illini
Date & Time: September 16th, 2023; 11:00am CST
Location of the game: Memorial Stadium; Champaign, IL
Where to Watch: FOX
Their previous matchup was on October 23rd, 2021, the Penn State Nittany Lions lost to the Fighting Illini of Illini by a score of 20-18.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Analysis
The Path to Victory: Nittany Lions Must Win Every Game
The Penn State Nittany Lions odds are usually them being favorites, as they are one of the teams in the national title picture. The key for Penn State, though, is that they must beat Ohio State and Michigan in the same season.
But before they do that, they have to win the other games as well. The Nittany Lions take on Ohio State in Columbus on October 21st, then host the Michigan Wolverines on November 11th.
Drew Allar is in charge of the offense. The signal-caller has thrown for 529 yards with four touchdown passes. His top target has been KeAndre Lambert-Smith. He has caught ten passes for 197 yards and two touchdowns. Katron Allen has anchored the run game. Allen is averaging over 75 yards pre-game on the ground and has scored a touchdown.
Penn State, allowing just 22 total points on the season, puts them in the Top 20 of College Football defensively. The Nittany Lions will want to ensure they don’t look ahead, as they have a big home game on September 23rd against Iowa on the NCAAF schedule.
A Critical Win: The Lifeline for Illinois in 2023
Brett Bielema was none too pleased with the play of his team at Kansas. They will need a short memory, as they have the Nittany Lions in town. The Illini have Florida Atlantic next on the 2023 schedule.
The Illini signal-caller has been Luke Altmyer, with 408 yards and three touchdowns. He is also the top runner, with 139 yards on the season. Illinois misses Chase Brown, who was one of the top running backs in College Football a season ago. He is now with the Cincinnati Bengals.
In the season-opening win, Caleb Griffin nailed a field goal as time expired to seal the deal on the win over Toledo. Without that win, the Illini are off to an ugly 2023 start. It’s going to be tough to make Illinois Fighting Illini picks without a true stud running back.
Penn State Nittany Lions vs. Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Picks
Time to make one of our NCAAF Picks: The final score prediction for this Big Ten tilt is the Penn State Nittany Lions 34-24 over the Fighting Illini of Illinois. The Nittany Lions move to 3-0 on the season, while the Illini drop to 1-2.
The passing game for the Nittany Lions separates them from Illinois in the win, but the Orange and Blue score enough to survive and cover. Our final Penn State vs. Illinois picks & parlays: Take Illinois +14 and the OVER 48.5.
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