The college football season begins on Saturday, and we’ll get things started with our Wyoming vs. Illinois predictions for Week 0.
The NCAA is giving us a small appetizer with these Week 0 matchups, but this is one of the better games on the board. The Illini step in as 10 point home favorites against a pesky Mountain West opponent that is capable of making things interesting.
We’ll break down those odds while nailing down our Wyoming vs. Illinois predictions for the opening weekend of college football.
Illinois vs. Wyoming Predictions
For my Wyoming vs. Illinois predictions, I’ll be placing these wagers at DraftKings Sportsbook.
New to DraftKings? Check out this strong welcome offer:
Illinois vs. Wyoming Odds
| Team | Spread | Moneyline | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wyoming | +10 (-110) | +340 | O 44 (-110) |
| @ Illinois | -10 (-110) | -425 | U 44 (-110) |
Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of 4 p.m. on Aug. 22.
Game Info
- Date: Saturday, Aug. 27
- Time: 4 p.m. ET
- Location: University of Illinois Memorial Stadium
- TV: Big Ten Network
Illinois vs. Wyoming Trends
Let’s take a look at some relevant betting trends for the Illinois vs. Wyoming:
- Wyoming finished 7-6 overall and 2-6 in the Mountain West in 2021.
- Illinois finished 5-7 overall and 4-5 in the Mountain West in 2021.
- Wyoming HC Craig Bohl is 45-50 in eight seasons with the Cowboys.
- Illinois HC Brett Bielema is 5-7 in one season with the Fighting Illini.
- As of Tuesday afternoon, DraftKings reports that 72% of tickets and 67% of the money are on favorite Illinois against the spread.
- DraftKings also reports that 15% of betting tickets and 72% of the handle have selected Under 39 total points.
Wyoming Breaking In New Offense
Wyoming had a great beginning of the 2021 season, starting 4-0, which included a win against the eventual MAC champions Northern Illinois. Still, they would struggle in conference play, and their six Mountain West losses were the most since 2015.
The transfer portal was not kind to Wyoming, as they lost a lot of players on offense. All but one starting lineman returns, and both 2021 starting quarterbacks Levi Williams and Sean Chambers hit the transfer portal, along with leading rusher Xazavian Valladay and leading receiver Isaiah Neyor.
It looks as if former Utah State transfer Andrew Peasley will get the start in this first week. This will be his first legitimate shot at starting role, but it’s going to be a challenging task as Illinois was a solid passing defense finishing 32nd in average yards per attempt (7.11), and the under new DC Ryan Walters went from allowing 34.9 points-per-game in 2020 to 21.9 last year.
They may need to rely on the ground game, and they have someone capable of being a lead back. Titus Swen finished last year with 785 rushing yards averaging 5.9 yards per carry, and led the team with seven rushing touchdowns.
Can DeVito Lead The Illini?
Illinois finished dead last in passing in the Big Ten last year with Brandon Peters and Art Sitoiwski behind center. They landed a significant player via the transfer portal in former Syracuse QB and four-star recruit Tommy DeVito, and he will be the starter going into this game. This may not be a walk in the park for the DeVito as Wyoming’s secondary finished 12th, allowing just 189.1 yards per game.
The Illini may not rely heavily on Devito’s arm with Chase Brown in the backfield. Brown became the fourth running back in program history to rush for over 1,000 yards, and his 100.5 yards per game were third-best in the Big Ten. With a solid offensive line, they have an excellent opportunity to get a big game from Brown and could be the offensive force.
Illinois vs. Wyoming Predictions
While both sides had some holes to fill, Wyoming is putting a brand new and unproven team on the field. This new offense will have its first test while stepping up in class against a well-coached Illinois defense. Things could get rough for the Cowboys.
Meanwhile, new QB DeVito has the luxury of a solid offensive line and running back in his first game with the Illini. That should help him settle into the offensive and propel Illinois to an early lead. Brown and the running game can take things from there.
Prediction 1: Illinois -10 | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook
While the Illini are the better team, this will be a hard-fought battle in the trenches. This Illinois offense isn’t going to explode for 30, but the defense will make sure Wyoming stays quiet.
Bettors are flocking to the Over, but the sharps are putting the bigger money on the Under for a reason.
Prediction 2: Under 44 total points | -110 at DraftKings Sportsbook