The Rutgers Scarlet Knights will pay a visit to Champaign to take on the Illinois Fighting Illini on Saturday afternoon. The Illini were a ranked team not long ago but have fallen on hard times in recent weeks. They will try to get back on track against a Rutgers team trying to build on its first win in conference play in its last outing. Here, I take a closer look at this contest in the Big Ten and give you my Rutgers vs Illinois prediction for Saturday.
Our Rutgers vs Illinois Pick
- Pick: Illinois -12.5
- Confidence: ★★★★☆
Game Snapshot
- Matchup: Rutgers Scarlet Knights vs Illinois Fighting Illini
- Date & Time: Saturday, November 1, 2025, 12:00 p.m. ET
- Venue: Gies Memorial Stadium, Champaign, Illinois
- Broadcast: NBC
Key Storylines
Illinois enters this contest at 5-3 overall and 2-3 in the Big Ten. They are coming off back-to-back losses to Ohio State and Washington that have effectively ended any serious playoff hopes they may have had. Illinois will try to take advantage of taking on a weaker defensive team in this game after facing two elite defenses in their last two games.
Rutgers comes in at 4-4 overall and 1-4 in the Big Ten. Greg Schiano’s team is coming off a 27-24 win at home over Purdue, which was their first conference win of the season and keeps their bowl-eligibility hopes alive. But the Scarlet Knights face a tougher challenge here on the road against a team with a more explosive offense.
The quarterback matchup is an interesting subplot going into this contest. Both quarterbacks have thrown for over 2,000 yards so far this season and they will try to make their presences felt to give their respective teams the advantage in this contest.
Quarterback Play
Illinois quarterback Luke Altmyer delivered 199 passing yards, two touchdowns, and two interceptions in the Illini’s recent loss to Washington. He has thrown for 2,020 yards, 15 touchdowns, and three interceptions for the season and will try to get back on track when it comes to avoiding turnovers.
Rutgers quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 359 yards and one touchdown in the win over Purdue. He has 2,223 passing yards, 12 touchdowns, and five interceptions on the year. Kaliakmanis has a high ceiling but can be more volatile than Altmyer, especially in the turnover department.
Betting Trends
- Rutgers is 4-4 against the spread going into Saturday’s game.
- Illinois is 5-3 against the spread through its first eight games.
- Rutgers has gone over the total in six of eight games so far.
- Illinois has seen five of seven games go over their totals.
Rutgers vs Illinois Model Projection
Score Projection: Illinois 38 – Rutgers 23
Win Probability: Illinois 80%, Rutgers 20%
Final Thoughts
This is a great spot for Illinois to bounce back after struggling over its last couple of games. The Illini should take advantage of the fact that they are not taking on another stellar defensive group. I’ll lay the points with Illinois as they should secure bowl eligibility with three games left to play.
