Posted on
10/12/2007 7:56:22 PM
College Football Betting - Illinois vs. Iowa
By Charles Jay
College football bettors have had a good time backing the University of Illinois this season. The Illini, who had languished in mediocrity for years, are now starting to bear the fruit of coach Ron Zook's rebuilding efforts, and at the moment they are the #18-rated team in the Associated Press poll. On Saturday (12 PM ET start), Illinois seeks to continue its momentum as it visits the University of Iowa to play the Hawkeyes. On the betting line at BetUS, Illinois is listed at -4.5 points.
Illinois currently sports a record of 5-1 SU (straight-up) and 4-1 ATS (against the spread). The Illini has also played four of its five games over the posted total. The team, which has benefited from great recruiting classes on the part of Ron Zook, is averaging 30.2 points and 422.5 total yards a game. And it is coming off scintillating back-to-back wins over Penn State and Wisconsin which have stamped the program as a definite Big ten contender.
Iowa's season has been disappointing. The Hawkeyes is just 2-4 SU and 2-3-1 ATS, with five unders in six games. Iowa is barely outscoring its opponents (17.3 points for, 16.7 against) and that's only because they caught a weak Syracuse team in the season opener and won by a 35-0 score.
In the HEAD-TO-HEAD betting trends:
* Iowa has won seven of the last nine meetings SU
* Iowa is 4-2 ATS in the last six meetings
* the last three meetings have gone under the total
* Iowa has won four consecutive games SU against Illinois, all by double digits
Iowa has lost four straight games, scoring just 53 points combined in the four. At Penn State last Saturday, the Hawkeyes managed just 194 yards in total offense in a 27-7 defeat. The Nittany Lions, fresh off a loss to Illinois, outgained them by nearly 300 yards. Also:
* Iowa is 4-13-1 ATS in its last 18 games
* Iowa has played six unders in its last seven games
* Iowa has dropped four of its last five home games ATS
* Iowa has scored a SU win in 20 of the last 25 at home
Illinois' offense is led by the estimable Rashard Mendenhall, one of the nation's top running backs. Mendenhall has rushed for 772 yards and 6.8 yards a carry, scoring 10 TD's. Quarterback Juice Williams (who is listed as questionable for this game) has improved his completion percentage to 55% this season and ran for 92 yards against Wisconsin. Prized freshman wide receiver Arrelious Benn has caught 29 passes for 337 yards. Also:
* Illinois is 7-18 SU in its last 25 games
* Illinois has covered five of its last six road games
* However, Illinois is also 8-15 ATS its last 23 road games
* Illinois is 3-19 SU in its last 22 as the visitor
* Illinois has played 12 unders in its last 14 road games
The technical numbers are not altogether pretty for either team, but they do seem to favor a win at home for Iowa, the 4.5-point underdog on the BetUS betting line. However, Illinois is proving itself to be one formidable foe.
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(Charles Jay of TotalActionExtra.com loves to help people pick winners. He is a regular contributor to the BetUS.com Locker Room)