Illinois vs. Nebraska Prediction, Tonight: Week 4 Picks & Odds
A Big Ten battle between Illinois and Nebraska is the highlight of our Week 4 college football predictions on Friday.
- In one of the few AP Top 25 matchups this week, our Illinois vs. Nebraska prediction breaks down why the Cornhuskers are the team to back
- The winner of this matchup could get a serious bump to its College Football Playoff odds
- Will a strong outing from Dylan Raiola start to create buzz for the freshman's Heisman Trophy odds?
As these two Big Ten foes do battle, only one will stay undefeated on Friday night.
Illinois vs. Nebraska odds movement
Nebraska opened as an 8.5-point favorite at our college football betting sites. The line has seen plenty of movement throughout the week, dipping to as low as -7.5 before jumping up to -9.5 as kickoff approaches.
Only 41% of the money is on Nebraska to cover with 59% backing Illinois. The Over has 55% of bettors backing it.
Best Illinois vs. Nebraska picks
College football picks based on the odds from our best college football betting sites. Odds subject to change.
- Against the spread pick: Nebraska -7.5 (-110 via BetMGM) vs. Illinois ⭐⭐⭐
- Player prop pick: Dylan Raiola Under 8.5 rushing yards (-133 via Caesars) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Illinois vs. Nebraska against the spread prediction: Week 4
Illinois to cover the spread: +7.5 (-110) ⭐⭐⭐
Illinois vs. Nebraska opening odds:
- Illinois: +8.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
- Nebraska: -8.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
Nebraska opened as an 8.5-point favorite at our best sportsbooks before Circa released a 10-point spread Sunday afternoon. The market quickly brought the line down to -7.5, where it has settled.
If this line touches the key number of seven, I recommend laying the points with the home team as a four-star prediction.
Mini-Mahomes magic
Nebraska's true freshman quarterback, Dylan Raiola, is doing his best to impersonate Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes. Raiola walks, acts, and does pregame warmups like Mahomes.
Raiola also happens to be an electric player, too.
Through three games, Raiola is 59-for-80 for 670 yards with five touchdowns and one interception with a PFF grade of 76.8.
Rhule rules
Matt Rhule’s teams typically take a jump in his second season coaching the program. Temple went from 2-10 to bowl-eligible in 2024, while Baylor leaped from 1-11 to 7-6 in 2018.
The Cornhuskers appear on track for a similar jump.
Nebraska has covered the spread in all three wins. The Cornhuskers crushed UTEP, 40-7, as 27.5-point favorites in the opener before winning by 18 as 6.5-point favorites against Colorado. Nebraska also covered -30 in a 34-3 win over UNI last weekend.
The Cornhuskers have the coaching and quarterback advantage on Friday. Don’t overthink it. This being a tight game also plays into my Illinois vs. Nebraska early pick.
Best odds: -110 via BetMGM | Implied probability: 52.38%
Illinois vs. Nebraska prop pick for Week 4
Our NEW college football player prop odds tool can help you find the best odds on any market across legal sportsbooks in your area!
Dylan Raiola Under 8.5 rushing yards (-133) ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Unlike Mahomes, Raiola isn’t looking to make plays with his legs. PFF has credited him with one scramble through three weeks, which occurred on a 12-yard run against Colorado.
Even in that game, he finished with seven rushing yards after getting sacked multiple times.
Sacks counting as negative rushing yards gives us some wiggle room to cash this Under, even if Raiola does decide to scramble on Friday. Illinois ranks 15th in the country in PFF pash rush grade, meaning this team should get to the Nebraska QB a few times.
If you wish to parlay this Under with Nebraska’s moneyline, Caesars offers +164 odds on that SGP. A $10 bet would net a $16.40 profit.
Best odds: -133 via Caesars | Implied probability: 57.08%
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Illinois vs. Nebraska odds
See all of this week's college football odds and NCAAF scores.
Illinois vs. Nebraska game info
- When: Friday, Sept. 20
- Kickoff: 8 p.m. ET
- Where: Memorial Stadium, Lincoln, Neb.
- How to watch: FOX Sports
- Weather: 79 degrees, 40% chance of precipitation, 11 mph winds SE
- Favorite: Nebraska -7.5 (-110 via BetMGM)
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