2 weeks Ago
No rest for the victorious. No. 20 Illinois just handily dispatched reigning champ Michigan for the first time since 2009.
Their reward? A trip to play No. 1 Oregon as massive underdogs in one of the rowdiest stadiums in the nation this season. Eugene isn’t typically listed among the wildest venues in the sport, but the big games Oregon has hosted in 2024 have been a scene .
Illinois will be walking into a high-energy thresher to face an Oregon team without many, if any, weak spots. Advertisement Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer has been a miracle worker, posting a top-10 EPA per pass despite having a turnstile offensive line. The junior is pressured on 40 percent of his dropbacks, and Illinois is ranked 124th in tackles for a loss allowed.
Oregon’s daunting pass rush should make a meal out of Altmyer’s protection detail. The Ducks are 18th in sacks and 16th in quarterback pressure, causing 111 hurries so far this season. But the Illini have a highly credible defense of their own, coming in at 22nd in points allowed per game (18.
6). The lone blemish was a surprising overtime shootout against Purdue , which saw the Illini surrender 49 points and 536 yards of offense against a first-time starting quarterback. However, they’ve been wide open to rushing attacks lately, which means Oregon’s Jordan James could be in line for some resume-boosting stats.
Oregon quarterback Dillon Gabriel has all of the spotlight currently, but James is averaging 5.9 yards a carry and has eight touchdowns. That’s more than enough talent to punish a shaky run-stopping unit.
Altmyer will have to consistently put points up to cover the sizable spread, but if the Ducks get rolling early, the underdog Illini could get swallowed up by the moment in a hurry. All odds from BetMGM . Looking for college football tickets? Find them here.
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