FanDuel: Illinois opens as 9.5-point favorite against Purdue
· Yahoo Sports
After a difficult road trip to Columbus, Illinois will return home for a Big Ten matchup with Purdue as both teams search for their first conference win of 2026.
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FanDuel Sportsbook has already released its opening odds for the matchup, and the oddsmakers have Illinois favored by nearly double digits.
Illinois is also a significant favorite on the moneyline at -385, while Purdue is listed at +300.
The over/under for the matchup is set at 59.5 points, with the over priced at -106 and the under at -114. That total implies a projected final score of roughly 35-25 in favor of Illinois. It’s not quite the fireworks (and theatrics) of the 50-49 win Illinois had over the Boilers the last time they played in Champaign in 2024, but still high-scoring!
The Illini enter the matchup at 2-2 following Saturday’s 42-19 loss to No. 7 Ohio State in Columbus when Jeremiah Smith caught a career-high four touchdowns, including three in the first half. Illinois opened the season with wins over UAB and Southern Illinois, while its other loss came against Duke.
Purdue, meanwhile, entered Week 4 with a 1-2 record after opening the season with a win over Indiana State before dropping consecutive games to Wake Forest and UCLA. The Boilermakers then got to host Notre Dame, and the Fighting Irish routed them 49-10.
Illinois has won back-to-back Cannons, including the aforementioned dramatic 2024 showdown and a 43-27 win in West Lafayette last season.
This year’s matchup will be Illinois’ Homecoming game and is scheduled for 3:15 p.m. CT on Saturday, Oct. 3, at Gies Memorial Stadium. The game will be broadcast on the Big Ten Network.
So who are you taking? Do you trust the Illini’s defense enough to get some stops and pull out a win? Or is there big trouble in Champaign? Let us know in the comments!