Western Illinois vs Indiana Odds
| Western Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+42 -110 | 52.5 -105 / -115 | N/A |
| Indiana Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-42 -110 | 52.5 -105 / -115 | N/A |
A clash between the Western Illinois Leathernecks and the Indiana Hoosiers is perhaps the best showdown of school nicknames we'll have all season.
I don’t even know what a Leatherneck is, let alone a Hoosier. Aren't college sports the best?
But you don’t need to be an etymology expert to analyze a matchup between a rising Indiana program and one of the worst programs in all of D-I. The Hoosiers are heavily favored in this clash.
Curt Cignetti, the author of James Madison’s stunningly successful transition into the FBS, is in his second contest as Indiana’s head football coach. He brought a horde of talented JMU players to patch into his new roster.
Will the Hoosiers have gelled enough to cover their largest spread all season?
Let’s get into my Western Illinois vs. Indiana prediction for Friday, Sept. 6.
Western Illinois vs Indiana Prediction
- Pick: Indiana -42 (Play to -45)
My Western Illinois vs Indiana best bet is on the Hoosiers to cover the spread. Check out the best line on our live NCAAF odds page.
Western Illinois vs Indiana Preview
Western Illinois Leathernecks Betting Preview: The Nadir of College Football
The Leathernecks are at the very nadir of FCS football.
They finished last year in the cellar of the Missouri Valley Conference. Although, they hopped over to the more manageable Big South-Ohio Valley Conference starting this season. The program finished last in the FCS in total offense and defense in 2023.
They have not won a game since 2021, a close one against Youngstown State. Last week, they were destroyed by Northern Illinois. The Huskies ranked 123rd in preseason SP+ on offense, and yet they put 706 total yards and eclipsed the half-century mark on the Leathernecks.
The program does have a new head coach, Joe Davis. He was previously an offensive coordinator for Eastern Illinois and Albany and had good results at both. Perhaps, over time, he will bring some new blood to the offense.
But in the meantime, he presides over a program on a 25-game losing streak that last year allowed 50 more touchdowns than it scored.
Indiana Hoosiers Betting Preview: Google Him
Curt Cignetti is a winning coach – Google him.
The new head man for the Hoosiers has won at every stop, including a recent five-year stretch at James Madison, where he went 52-9. He made it to the playoff semifinals in his three years in FCS and finished first in the Sun Belt East both years in FBS.
And now, at 63, he can prove himself in a Power conference school.
He took over an Indiana program that went 3-9 last season and is sparking it to life. His roster is built with Indiana holdovers, productive veterans from other schools, and a heap of James Madison’s finest players from last year.
Last week, his new-look Hoosiers took down FIU 31-7. Ohio transfer Kurtis Rourk threw for 180 yards and a score; he will only continue to improve in Cignetti’s offense, which is like playing in easy mode for quarterbacks.
The running game was imposing. The three-headed backfield monster of Elijah Green (UNC), Justice Ellison (Wake Forest) and Ty Son Lawton (James Madison) combined for 224 yards on the ground.
All told, the offense accounted for 0.19 EPA per Play, which the Hoosiers didn't achieve even once last year, even in wins against Akron or FCS Indiana State. To do that in Cignetti’s first game shows how much he has improved this team.
The defense was also excellent, infusing some of the Tom Allen era holdovers with JMU’s stars like Aidan Fisher, D’Angelo Ponds, and big #99 himself, James Carpenter. They held FIU under 200 total yards.
Western Illinois vs Indiana Pick & Prediction
If you’ve followed Cignetti’s work, you know he coaches with a chip on his shoulder. His itinerant career has infused him with a bulldog mindset, and he is not afraid to hang a large number on the scoreboard.
He was on fire until the final gun against FIU, coaching and calling plays in a manner that betrayed his knowledge of the spread and desire to cover it.
The Hoosiers have their conference opener after this one, an extremely winnable game against UCLA. Cignetti will need his squad fine-tuned. I believe his team will play hard to the final gun as he continues to fiddle with the knobs to lock in his lineups.
Even if he gives more time to the backups, there is still enough depth in the running game to score at will against this moribund opponent.
I like Indiana to hang their most lopsided win over the season and would play it to -45.
Pick: Indiana -42 (Play to -45)
How to Watch Western Illinois vs Indiana Live: Start Time, TV Channel, Location
| Location: | Memorial Stadium, Bloomington, IN |
| Date: | Friday, Sept. 6 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | Big Ten Network |
Western Illinois vs Indiana Betting Trends
- Western Illinois is 0-1 SU and ATS this season after losing 54-15 to Northern Illinois as 35.5-point underdogs in Week 1.
- Indiana is 0-1 SU and ATS this year after beating FIU 31-7 as 25.5-point favorites in Week 1.
Western Illinois vs Indiana Weather
