The Illinois Fighting Illini take on the Central Michigan Chippewas at Memorial Stadium on Saturday at noon ET on Peacock.
Illinois enters this Week 3 contest as an 18.5-point favorite on the spread, while the total sits at 49.5.
So, where's the betting value here? Let's dive into my College Football Week 3 Preview, Picks and Predictions For Central Michigan vs Illinois.
My Illinois vs Central Michigan Picks
- Central Michigan vs Illinois Picks: Central Michigan +18.5
My Central Michigan vs Illinois best bet is on Central Michigan to cover the spread, with the best line currently available at DraftKings, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Central Michigan Chippewas vs Illinois Fighting Illini Odds, Spread, Over/Under
| C. Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+21 -110 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | +800 |
| Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-21 -110 | 49.5 -110o / -110u | -1400 |
- Central Michigan vs Illinois Point Spread: Central Michigan +21 (-110) · Illinois -21 (-110)
- Central Michigan vs Illinois Total: Over/Under 49.5
- Central Michigan vs Illinois Moneyline: Central Michigan +800 · Illinois -1400
College Football Week 3 Preview For Saturday, September 14
Central Michigan Chippewas Betting Preview: Turnover Woes
Will the real Central Michigan please stand up?
The Chippewas opened the season by completely slaughtering Central Connecticut, winning 66-10. Then they laid an egg in Week 2 against Florida International, in one of the more embarrassing results of the young season, losing 52-16.
Turnovers were the story in that disaster, as CMU gave the ball away six times to FIU's zero. Starting quarterback Joe Labas threw a whopping five interceptions and finished with a QBR of 5.7.
It is tough to tell exactly what went wrong for Labas, considering Labas had never thrown an interception in his two previous starts. There is at least a chance that the Week 2 performance was an aberration, and it will be hard to replicate that many mistakes even if he tried.
As crazy as it sounds, Central Michigan was not outplayed as badly against FIU as it looked. They outgained FIU by 60 yards for the game and held FIU to 3-of-11 on third down.
They will need to limit turnovers to have a chance in this one, which is easier said than done against an aggressive, physical Illinois defense.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview: Winning the Turnover Battle
The big question for Illinois football heading into Week 3: Can it avoid the sandwich spot?
Last week, Illinois earned a hard-fought, emotional victory at home under the lights against a very talented Kansas squad. How did they do it? Forcing turnovers.
Illinois capitalized on a pick-six from Jalon Daniels just before halftime, and all in all, the Illini defense forced four turnovers for the second straight game in the win. On the season, Illinois has forced an incredible eight turnovers and given the ball away just once on offense.
It will be interesting to watch how the Illini recover from last week's enormous win. They will need to keep their concentration as their schedule heats up quickly the following week, when they travel to Nebraska for a primetime game in Lincoln.
Against Kansas, Illinois struggled to establish the run, finishing with just 79 yards rushing on 2.3 yards per carry. That will need to improve to feel confident in this outing. They should feel confident it will, as Central Michigan is giving up over five yards per carry to opposing teams.
One trend to watch is that these teams have typically trended in opposite directions in these types of games. Under Jim McElwain, Central Michigan is 6-3 against the spread in nine games vs. Power Four opponents. On the contrary, Illinois is only 2-4 against the spread in six games vs. non-Power Four teams under Bret Bielema.
How to Make College Football Picks for my Central Michigan vs Illinois Prediction
While Illinois has certainly looked the part through two weeks and earned its results, it is hard to imagine their 8-to-1 turnover ratio will hold up much longer. Central Michigan's quarterback cannot play worse than he did last week, and with some added emphasis on taking care of the football, this could be an inflated line. It is always tough to come down from a big win, and it is even tougher to take care of business the week before a big game. Illinois will deal with both emotions this weekend, and McElwain always gets his teams to show up against quality opponents.
Illinois should be expected to win, but Central Michigan to cover is the right bet.
Central Michigan vs Illinois Prediction: Central Michigan +18.5
How to Watch Illinois vs Central Michigan Live: Streaming, Channel, Time
| Location: | Champaign, Illinois |
| Date: | Saturday, Sept. 14 |
| Kickoff Time: | 12 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | Peacock |
Central Michigan vs Illinois Betting Trends
- 84% of the bets and 42% of the money are on Central Michigan to cover the Central Michigan vs. Illinois point spread.
- 68% of the bets and 71% of the money are on the Over.
Betting trends data courtesy of our live NCAAF Public Betting & Money Percentages page.
Central Michigan vs Illinois Weather
Get the latest coverage on NCAAF Weather.
