[h=1]Illinois 2018 Betting Preview: New QB, Up-Tempo System Could Save Illini[/h]Collin WilsonJul 16, 2018 / 8:16 AM EDT
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[FONT="][h=2]Illinois 2018 Betting Odds[/h]
[h=2]Illinois 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 3.2
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Illinois Win Total Under 4 -130
My projections mathematically make the Illinois win total 3.2, but beyond the first two games, it’s tough to see a third win on this schedule. Kent State is in my bottom five for FBS power ratings. Western Illinois is an interesting game, as it made the FCS playoffs and actually finished higher in USA Today’s Sagarin ratings than Illinois last season. The Leathernecks have a new coach and some notable player turnover, but the upset is certainly on my radar.
The X-factor for the Illini is quarterback Cam Thomas, a three-star dual threat from the Chicago area. He got some playing time in 2017 and showed flashes of what a functional Illinois offense can do — something we haven’t seen since 2014.
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Lovie Smith has long been a defensive-minded guy, even before his days as the Chicago Bears’ coach. He’s handed the offensive play-calling to new offensive coordinator Rod Smith. FootballScoop.com named it one of the 15 most important hires of the offseason.
Although Smith’s name may not ring a bell, some of the players he has coached might. They include Denard Robinson (Michigan), Pat White (West Virginia) and Khalil Tate (Arizona). Smith spent years in the Rich Rodriguez system, but now finds himself at Illinois with some talent he should be familiar with coaching.
We are cautiously going to take the Under 4 on the Illinois win total. While there is not a clear third victory on this schedule, the Illini have plenty of depth on the offensive line and skill positions, so a skilled dual-threat quarterback like Thomas could make some noise. There should be a hedge situation for the season-ending game against Northwestern, as Lovie Smith could be coaching for his job while the Wildcats may have wrapped up bowl eligibility.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Illinois[/h]Illinois has taken in some money in a Westgate Game of the Year. Specifically, the Penn State -28.5 opener has moved to -27. I have the game power-rated at 24, so any Illinois number above +24 deserves consideration. The Under 4 mentioned above should be safe, but there is potential for Illinois to vastly improve and be competitive in conference play. Grab the current Illinois +27 against Penn State if you stop by the Westgate.
[h=2]Useless Trend[/h]
[h=2]Ohio State 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 10.8
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Ohio State Over 10.5 Wins
Since Urban Meyer’s arrival in Columbus, the Buckeyes have lost five regular-season games in six seasons. Two of those losses came last year to Iowa and Oklahoma. The loss to the Hawkeyes was especially painful, as the Buckeyes went on to be a two-loss Big Ten champion left out of the playoff.
This season, the East Division may be the most competitive it’s been since Meyer took over in Columbus. Since 2012, Ohio State is 15-2 straight-up against Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan, which again will be the Buckeyes’ three biggest hurdles. Those three games will likely have a point spread under a touchdown. Ohio State will be favored by more than a TD in its nine other contests.
The schedule sets Ohio State up nicely for an uncontested run to the Big Ten championship game. Although the Buckeyes only have one bye week (before hosting Nebraska), there is plenty of fluff in between tough games.
Additionally, a game against Penn State on Sept. 29 is the Buckeyes’ first trip to an opponent’s home stadium. That tango in Happy Valley is cushioned between Tulane and Indiana, and the Buckeyes play Maryland in between their tilts with Michigan State and Michigan. In short, there are no scheduling disadvantages from a lookahead or hangover standpoint.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Ohio State[/h]Lay some extra cheddar on a Dwayne Haskins Heisman bet (currently +2800). Like Haskins, the ticket could have plenty of legs in the beginning of December.
You can certainly argue that Haskins taking over for longtime Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett is a good thing for the Buckeyes. In his limited playing time, Haskins displayed the ability to improve the Buckeyes’ 81st ranking in explosiveness on passing downs. That was Ohio State’s Achilles’ heel on offense the past two years.
Looking for a Game of the Year wager? Ohio State -12 over TCU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, could be all Buckeyes. Not only will Haskins be on full display against a TCU defense that ranked 119th in Passing explosiveness, the Buckeyes’ defensive line should feast. TCU lost four of its best offensive linemen from 2017 and will have its hands full with Nick Bosa and Dre’Mont Jones.
[h=2]Useless Trends[/h]
[h=2]Nebraska 2018 Betting Odds[/h]
[h=2]Nebraska 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 5.1
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Nebraska Win Total Under 6.5
The love for a coach can sometimes drive a betting market in your favor. UCF hired Scott Frost after a winless 2015 and ended with a New Year’s Six Peach Bowl victory over Auburn two years later. Now he’s at Nebraska, his alma mater.
Turning the Huskers around will not be easy in Year Zero, as they rank 71st in overall returning production. Most noteworthy, a handful of freshmen and walk-on candidates will compete for the starting quarterback position. The player who wins that job will run Frost’s up-tempo, new-school-option offense.
Luckily, the defense will stick to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, who served in the same role at Central Florida. For the fast-paced offensive scheme Frost wants to run, it was important to keep continuity with his defensive coordinator.
SpreadOffense.com@SpreadOffense
Nice design by Scott Frost (UCF), shift to 4x1, QB design run off quick screen. Watch the 2 gap Fold block by the LT. #spreadoffense
2:08 PM - Oct 4, 2017
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The schedule is brutal, especially when you factor in the situations. Wisconsin and Ohio State will both be coming off bye weeks before playing Nebraska. Michigan is another cross-division game on the road. Illinois and Purdue do come to Lincoln, but the Huskers may need a season-ending win against Iowa just to make a bowl.
Nebraska is a 6-point dog or more in six games, according to my projections. So the Cornhuskers will need to win every game in which they are listed as a favorite and sneak in a dog victory at some point to cash an over ticket. This may be the last year for some time to have an under on Nebraska’s win total, but I am rolling that way, with eyes on 2019 and beyond for the Huskers.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Nebraska[/h]The game where Frost can sneak up on a top-tier Big Ten team: Michigan State on Nov. 17. The tough Spartans defense struggled in 2017 with high-tempo teams that tried to dictate pace, suffering losses to Ohio State and Northwestern. Frost will attempt to do the same, as the Spartans will come to Lincoln on hangover alert after playing Ohio State.
[h=2]Useless Trends[/h]
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[FONT="][h=2]Illinois 2018 Betting Odds[/h]
- To win the National Title: +750000
- To win the Big Ten: +20000
- To win the Big Ten West: +4000
- Win Total: 4 (under -130)
[h=2]Illinois 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 3.2
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Illinois Win Total Under 4 -130
My projections mathematically make the Illinois win total 3.2, but beyond the first two games, it’s tough to see a third win on this schedule. Kent State is in my bottom five for FBS power ratings. Western Illinois is an interesting game, as it made the FCS playoffs and actually finished higher in USA Today’s Sagarin ratings than Illinois last season. The Leathernecks have a new coach and some notable player turnover, but the upset is certainly on my radar.
The X-factor for the Illini is quarterback Cam Thomas, a three-star dual threat from the Chicago area. He got some playing time in 2017 and showed flashes of what a functional Illinois offense can do — something we haven’t seen since 2014.
Twitter Ads info and privacy
Lovie Smith has long been a defensive-minded guy, even before his days as the Chicago Bears’ coach. He’s handed the offensive play-calling to new offensive coordinator Rod Smith. FootballScoop.com named it one of the 15 most important hires of the offseason.
Although Smith’s name may not ring a bell, some of the players he has coached might. They include Denard Robinson (Michigan), Pat White (West Virginia) and Khalil Tate (Arizona). Smith spent years in the Rich Rodriguez system, but now finds himself at Illinois with some talent he should be familiar with coaching.
We are cautiously going to take the Under 4 on the Illinois win total. While there is not a clear third victory on this schedule, the Illini have plenty of depth on the offensive line and skill positions, so a skilled dual-threat quarterback like Thomas could make some noise. There should be a hedge situation for the season-ending game against Northwestern, as Lovie Smith could be coaching for his job while the Wildcats may have wrapped up bowl eligibility.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Illinois[/h]Illinois has taken in some money in a Westgate Game of the Year. Specifically, the Penn State -28.5 opener has moved to -27. I have the game power-rated at 24, so any Illinois number above +24 deserves consideration. The Under 4 mentioned above should be safe, but there is potential for Illinois to vastly improve and be competitive in conference play. Grab the current Illinois +27 against Penn State if you stop by the Westgate.
[h=2]Useless Trend[/h]
- Illinois is 6-0 to the under after a bye since 2014
- To win the National Title: +800
- To win the Big Ten: +150
- To win the Big Ten East: +105
- Win Total: 10.5 (over -120)
[h=2]Ohio State 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 10.8
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Ohio State Over 10.5 Wins
Since Urban Meyer’s arrival in Columbus, the Buckeyes have lost five regular-season games in six seasons. Two of those losses came last year to Iowa and Oklahoma. The loss to the Hawkeyes was especially painful, as the Buckeyes went on to be a two-loss Big Ten champion left out of the playoff.
This season, the East Division may be the most competitive it’s been since Meyer took over in Columbus. Since 2012, Ohio State is 15-2 straight-up against Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan, which again will be the Buckeyes’ three biggest hurdles. Those three games will likely have a point spread under a touchdown. Ohio State will be favored by more than a TD in its nine other contests.
The schedule sets Ohio State up nicely for an uncontested run to the Big Ten championship game. Although the Buckeyes only have one bye week (before hosting Nebraska), there is plenty of fluff in between tough games.
Additionally, a game against Penn State on Sept. 29 is the Buckeyes’ first trip to an opponent’s home stadium. That tango in Happy Valley is cushioned between Tulane and Indiana, and the Buckeyes play Maryland in between their tilts with Michigan State and Michigan. In short, there are no scheduling disadvantages from a lookahead or hangover standpoint.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Ohio State[/h]Lay some extra cheddar on a Dwayne Haskins Heisman bet (currently +2800). Like Haskins, the ticket could have plenty of legs in the beginning of December.
You can certainly argue that Haskins taking over for longtime Ohio State quarterback J.T. Barrett is a good thing for the Buckeyes. In his limited playing time, Haskins displayed the ability to improve the Buckeyes’ 81st ranking in explosiveness on passing downs. That was Ohio State’s Achilles’ heel on offense the past two years.
Looking for a Game of the Year wager? Ohio State -12 over TCU at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, could be all Buckeyes. Not only will Haskins be on full display against a TCU defense that ranked 119th in Passing explosiveness, the Buckeyes’ defensive line should feast. TCU lost four of its best offensive linemen from 2017 and will have its hands full with Nick Bosa and Dre’Mont Jones.
[h=2]Useless Trends[/h]
- Meyer is 6-0 against the spread as an underdog since 2012.
- Per BetLabs, Meyer is 8-2 ATS as a favorite of 6.5 points or less. This scenario could present itself against Penn State, Michigan State and Michigan.
[h=2]Nebraska 2018 Betting Odds[/h]
- To win the National Title: +25000
- To win the Big Ten: +4000
- To win the Big Ten West: +1200
- Win Total: 6.5
[h=2]Nebraska 2018 Schedule, Betting Odds[/h]The Action Network Projected Wins: 5.1
[h=2]Bet To Watch[/h]Nebraska Win Total Under 6.5
The love for a coach can sometimes drive a betting market in your favor. UCF hired Scott Frost after a winless 2015 and ended with a New Year’s Six Peach Bowl victory over Auburn two years later. Now he’s at Nebraska, his alma mater.
Turning the Huskers around will not be easy in Year Zero, as they rank 71st in overall returning production. Most noteworthy, a handful of freshmen and walk-on candidates will compete for the starting quarterback position. The player who wins that job will run Frost’s up-tempo, new-school-option offense.
Luckily, the defense will stick to a 3-4 scheme under new defensive coordinator Erik Chinander, who served in the same role at Central Florida. For the fast-paced offensive scheme Frost wants to run, it was important to keep continuity with his defensive coordinator.
SpreadOffense.com@SpreadOffense
Nice design by Scott Frost (UCF), shift to 4x1, QB design run off quick screen. Watch the 2 gap Fold block by the LT. #spreadoffense
2:08 PM - Oct 4, 2017
The schedule is brutal, especially when you factor in the situations. Wisconsin and Ohio State will both be coming off bye weeks before playing Nebraska. Michigan is another cross-division game on the road. Illinois and Purdue do come to Lincoln, but the Huskers may need a season-ending win against Iowa just to make a bowl.
Nebraska is a 6-point dog or more in six games, according to my projections. So the Cornhuskers will need to win every game in which they are listed as a favorite and sneak in a dog victory at some point to cash an over ticket. This may be the last year for some time to have an under on Nebraska’s win total, but I am rolling that way, with eyes on 2019 and beyond for the Huskers.
>> Follow Collin Wilson in The Action Network App to get free alerts on all his college football bets during the season.
[h=2]What else you need to know about Nebraska[/h]The game where Frost can sneak up on a top-tier Big Ten team: Michigan State on Nov. 17. The tough Spartans defense struggled in 2017 with high-tempo teams that tried to dictate pace, suffering losses to Ohio State and Northwestern. Frost will attempt to do the same, as the Spartans will come to Lincoln on hangover alert after playing Ohio State.
[h=2]Useless Trends[/h]
- Nebraska is 14-5 to the over as an underdog since 2014.
- Frost went 16-9-1 to the over in his two years as coach at Central Florida.
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