Illinois vs. Washington Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for College Football Week 9

Both teams have fallen by the wayside in the competitive Big Ten.

Demond Williams Jr. and Washington are favored against Illinois on Saturday. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

No. 23 Illinois and Washington are far from average, but both are middle-of-the-road teams in the Big Ten ahead of Week 9. The Fighting Illini and Huskies are set to face off on Saturday at Husky Stadium and the visitors are 4.5-point underdogs despite being the only ranked team in this matchup.

Illinois has only lost to the top-two teams in the country and is 5-2 on the year while Washington has only lost to No. 1 Ohio State and No. 25 Michigan. Should the Huskies be favored after their abysmal showing against the Wolverines?

Here’s our full betting preview ahead of kickoff.

Illinois vs. Washington Odds, Spread and Total

Spread

• Illinois: -4.5 (-110)
• Washington: +4.5 (-110)

Moneyline

• Illinois: +146
• Washington: -178

Total: 55.5 (Over -112/Under -108)

Odds courtesy of FanDuel Sportsbook

Illinois vs. Washington How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, October 25
• Game Time: 3:30 PM EST
• Venue: Husky Stadium
• How to Watch (TV): Big Ten Network
• Illinois Record: 5-2
• Washington: 5-2

Illinois vs. Washington Key Players to Watch

Illinois

Luke Altmayer: Altmayer has thrown 13 touchdown passes with just one interception this season. He posted 248 passing yards against one of the Big Ten’s best pass defenses his last time out. The Fighting Illini’s run game has been poor, so Altmayer’ arm will likely have to do some heavy lifting on offense.

Washington

Demond Williams Jr.: Williams needs a big bounce-back game after throwing three picks with no touchdowns against Michigan. He can depend on Jonah Coleman to support him in the backfield, but has also contributed with four rushing scores of his own this season. It’ll be hard for Washington to come out on top if Williams struggles in this contest.

Illinois vs. Washington Prediction and Pick

It’s understandable that Washington is a home favorite given home field advantage and the explosiveness of its offense, but its record against the spread isn’t encouraging. The Huskies are 3-4 against the spread overall and have failed to cover by wide margins in both of their games against ranked teams this season.

Illinois, on the other hand, is a strong 5-2 against the spread. Only the top two teams in the country have been able to stop the Fighting Illini from winning outright and covering in 2025. Their 16 points against Ohio State speaks volumes, as the Buckeyes are giving up a measly 5.9 points per game to opposition teams and held Washington to six points earlier this year.

Illinois has a chance to win this game outright, but bettors can still get plenty of value in betting on the underdogs to cover this weekend. The Fighting Illini have put on stronger performances against quality opponents and are 2-1 against the spread on the road.

PICK: Illinois +4.5 (-110 at FanDuel Sportsbook)

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Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.

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