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Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction 11/1/2025 Today’s College Football Picks
Pick details
Rutgers (4-4) vs Illinois (5-3)
November 1, 2025 at 12:00 PM EDT
The Line: Betting Odds: Illinois -10.5 — Over/Under: 60.5
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights and the Illinois Fighting Illini meet Saturday in college football action from Memorial Stadium Champaign. Here’s a Rutgers vs Illinois prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Rutgers vs Illinois pick. We will examine:
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights recent form and player performance
The Illinois Fighting Illini recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Illinois Fighting Illini
Recent betting trends in games played between Rutgers and Illinois
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Rutgers vs Illinois game
The Scarlet Knights got off to a nice start this year, taking wins over Ohio, Miami-Ohio and Norfolk State in their first three outings. Rutgers would hit the skids after that however, falling versus Iowa, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon in the next four games. In the 56-10 blowout loss at home versus Oregon on October 18, the Knights were only able to gain 202 yards, 2.9 yards per play, 12 first downs and 5-of-18 on third-down tries alongside three turnovers. Rutgers gave up a whopping 750 yards on the other side.
In their matchup with Purdue last weekend, Rutgers was down 10-0 by the end of the first quarter. The Knights rallied with 27 points over the final three quarters however, ending up with a comeback 27-24 win. QB Athan Kaliakmanis was 19-of-27 for 359 yards and a touchdown while topping the rush was Antwan Raymond on 29 carries for 116 yards and a TD. KJ Duff had a career day as the team’s leading receiver, notching six grabs for 241 yards and a touchdown along the way in the big road win.
Over on the Illinois side, they opened up the year with three straight wins over Western Illinois, Duke and Western Michigan. Game four was an embarrassing road blowout loss 63-10 versus rival Indiana, but the Illini recovered with wins over USC and Purdue in the next pair. Illinois would fall back into the loss column 34-16 on October 11 versus Ohio State, though. In that one the Illini posted just 47 rushing yards, 4-of-14 on third-down conversion attempts and three turnovers on offense during a pretty rough outing.
Matched up against Washington on Saturday the Illini continued to skid. Illinois was down 21-17 by the end of the half, then got outscored 21-8 the rest of the way in a 42-25 road loss. QB Luke Altmyer was 22-of-34 for 199 yards, two scores and two picks while leading the rush with seven totes for 48 yards. Hank Beatty added six catches for 73 yards in the losing effort, and Cole Rusk chipped in with four catches for 56 yards.
Heading into Week 10, Kaden Feagin leads Illinois for touchdowns (6) this season.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Player Prop Facts
Heading into Week 10, Antwan Raymond leads the Big Ten Conference for rush attempts (149) this season.
Illinois ranks T126th among FBS teams for interceptions this season (2).
Illinois ranks 126th among FBS teams for red zone percentage against this season (93.3).
Rutgers ranks T131st among FBS teams for average point differential in third quarters this season (-5.0).
Rutgers ranks 6th among FBS teams for time of possession per game this season (33:32).
I’ll lean toward Illinois but I’m probably staying away. The Illini really need a kick in the proverbial pants after that listless loss on the road to Washington last weekend. Illinois did pretty well on offense statistically with 337 yards total, 22 first downs and a 9-of-12 success rate on third-down tries, but also had two interceptions and eight total penalties. On defense Illinois gave up 449 total yards, 6.7 yards per play, 27 first downs and 9-of-12 on third-down tries with no takeaways. The Illini have now lost three of their last five games and they’ve given up 27 or more points in all five of those outings.
As for Rutgers, they held Purdue to just 1-of-9 on third downs and 14 first downs total in their comeback road win last weekend. It was the Knights’ highest points total (27) since posting 28 versus Minnesota on September 27. This weekend is going to be another tough road matchup though, and I don’t think Rutgers will keep pace if Illinois can get it together.
The Rutgers Scarlet Knights recent form and player performance
The Illinois Fighting Illini recent form and player performance
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Rutgers Scarlet Knights
Recent betting trends and streaks involving the Illinois Fighting Illini
Recent betting trends in games played between Rutgers and Illinois
A summary that ties it all together and produces a favorable betting outcome for the Rutgers vs Illinois game
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Betting Preview
The Scarlet Knights got off to a nice start this year, taking wins over Ohio, Miami-Ohio and Norfolk State in their first three outings. Rutgers would hit the skids after that however, falling versus Iowa, Minnesota, Washington and Oregon in the next four games. In the 56-10 blowout loss at home versus Oregon on October 18, the Knights were only able to gain 202 yards, 2.9 yards per play, 12 first downs and 5-of-18 on third-down tries alongside three turnovers. Rutgers gave up a whopping 750 yards on the other side.
In their matchup with Purdue last weekend, Rutgers was down 10-0 by the end of the first quarter. The Knights rallied with 27 points over the final three quarters however, ending up with a comeback 27-24 win. QB Athan Kaliakmanis was 19-of-27 for 359 yards and a touchdown while topping the rush was Antwan Raymond on 29 carries for 116 yards and a TD. KJ Duff had a career day as the team’s leading receiver, notching six grabs for 241 yards and a touchdown along the way in the big road win.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
Over on the Illinois side, they opened up the year with three straight wins over Western Illinois, Duke and Western Michigan. Game four was an embarrassing road blowout loss 63-10 versus rival Indiana, but the Illini recovered with wins over USC and Purdue in the next pair. Illinois would fall back into the loss column 34-16 on October 11 versus Ohio State, though. In that one the Illini posted just 47 rushing yards, 4-of-14 on third-down conversion attempts and three turnovers on offense during a pretty rough outing.
Matched up against Washington on Saturday the Illini continued to skid. Illinois was down 21-17 by the end of the half, then got outscored 21-8 the rest of the way in a 42-25 road loss. QB Luke Altmyer was 22-of-34 for 199 yards, two scores and two picks while leading the rush with seven totes for 48 yards. Hank Beatty added six catches for 73 yards in the losing effort, and Cole Rusk chipped in with four catches for 56 yards.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights @ Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Trends: Week 10
Illinois Fighting Illini Player Prop Facts
Heading into Week 10, Kaden Feagin leads Illinois for touchdowns (6) this season.
Rutgers Scarlet Knights Player Prop Facts
Heading into Week 10, Antwan Raymond leads the Big Ten Conference for rush attempts (149) this season.
Matchup/League Facts
Illinois ranks T126th among FBS teams for interceptions this season (2).
Illinois ranks 126th among FBS teams for red zone percentage against this season (93.3).
Rutgers ranks T131st among FBS teams for average point differential in third quarters this season (-5.0).
Rutgers ranks 6th among FBS teams for time of possession per game this season (33:32).
Rutgers vs Illinois Prediction
I’ll lean toward Illinois but I’m probably staying away. The Illini really need a kick in the proverbial pants after that listless loss on the road to Washington last weekend. Illinois did pretty well on offense statistically with 337 yards total, 22 first downs and a 9-of-12 success rate on third-down tries, but also had two interceptions and eight total penalties. On defense Illinois gave up 449 total yards, 6.7 yards per play, 27 first downs and 9-of-12 on third-down tries with no takeaways. The Illini have now lost three of their last five games and they’ve given up 27 or more points in all five of those outings.
As for Rutgers, they held Purdue to just 1-of-9 on third downs and 14 first downs total in their comeback road win last weekend. It was the Knights’ highest points total (27) since posting 28 versus Minnesota on September 27. This weekend is going to be another tough road matchup though, and I don’t think Rutgers will keep pace if Illinois can get it together.
