A ranked matchup in the Big Ten is part of the Week 8 college football schedule as the No. 22 Illinois Fighting Illini (5-1) host the No. 24 Michigan Wolverines (4-2) on CBS and Paramount+. Michigan was off last week, but dropped its Week 6 matchup against Washington, a rematch of last year’s national title game, 27-17. Illinois outlasted Purdue 50-49 last week, though the Illini didn’t come close to covering as 22.5-point favorites. Michigan leads this head-to-head series 72-23-2 and has won six straight against the Illini. 

Kickoff from Memorial Stadium is set for 3:30 p.m. ET. After opening at -1.5, the spread has steadily moved in Michigan’s favor and now Wolverines are 4.5-point favorites in the latest Michigan vs. Illinois odds via SportsLine consensus. The over/under is 44.5, up four points from the opener. Before making any Illinois vs. Michigan picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from the SportsLine Projection Model.

Saturday’s game can be seen live on CBS and streamed live on Paramount+, which you can now get for a 7-day free trial. Sign up right here.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It’s also on a 12-5 run on top-rated college football picks over the past three weeks. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns at sportsbooks and sports betting apps. 

Now, the model has dialed in on Michigan vs. Illinois and just revealed its coveted betting picks and predictions. You can head to SportsLine now to see the model’s picks. Here are the college football odds for the Illinois vs. Michigan:

• Michigan vs. Illinois spread: Michigan -4.5
• Michigan vs. Illinois over/under: 44.5 points 
• Michigan vs. Illinois money line: Michigan -187, Illinois +153
• Michigan vs. Illinois picks: See picks at SportsLine
• Michigan vs. Illinois streaming: Paramount+ (Get 7 days free)

Why Michigan can cover

Michigan has struggled to move the ball, especially though the air, this season. However, the Wolverines might’ve found some answers at Washington when they turned to quarterback Jack Tuttle over Alex Orji in the middle of that game. After scoring no points and averaging 2.9 yards per play with Orji at quarterback, Michigan scored 17 points and averaged 5.2 yards per play with Tuttle. Both could see the field again since Orji remains a strong running threat, though Tuttle has been named the starter for this week.

The Wolverines are elite against the run, leading the Big Ten with just 458 yards given up on the ground. The secondary has struggled more than expected this season, but if Michigan can make Illinois one-dimensional, the Wolverines should have a great chance to get pressure on Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer. See picks at SportsLine.

Why Illinois can cover

Head coach Bret Bielema went 3-2 against Michigan when he was at Wisconsin and he’s been strong against the spread this year, leading Illinois to a 4-1-1 ATS mark. The Illini have also covered all three times they’ve been underdogs this season. 

The Wolverines have some clear flaws on both sides of the ball that Illinois can exploit. The Illini don’t have a particularly strong rushing attack, so they’ll likely be content to air it out against a Michigan passing defense that ranks No. 111 nationally. Michigan hasn’t scored more than 30 points this season, whereas Illinois has cleared that total three times, so Illinois is well-positioned to cover or pull off the minor home upset. See picks at SportsLine.

How to make Illinois vs. Michigan picks

SportsLine’s model is going Over on the total, projecting 47 combined points. It also says one side of the spread hits in over 50% of simulations. You can see the model’s pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Michigan vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread hits over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread to jump on, all from the advanced model that is up well over $2,000 on top-rated spread picks since its inception, and find out, and don’t forget to stream the game on Paramount+.