Nebraska vs. Illinois Prediction, Odds and Key Players to Watch for Saturday, Dec. 13

Iain MacMillan | 3 Hours Ago

Illinois is a double-digit favorite against Nebraska on Saturday. / Joseph Maiorana-Imagn Images

The Nebraska Cornhuskers have gotten off to a hot start to their season, rocking a 10-0 undefeated record with wins against the likes of Kansas State, Creighton, and Wisconsin. They have their toughest challenge to date on Saturday afternoon when they take on the Illinois Fighting Illini, who are fresh off back-to-back wins against Tennessee and Ohio State.

Let's dive into the odds and my best bet for this Big Ten showdown.

Nebraska vs. Illinois Odds, Spread, and Total

Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook

Spread

• Nebraska +10.5 (-115)
• Illinois -10.5 (-105)

Moneyline

• Nebraska +430
• Illinois -600

Total

• OVER 154.5 (-110)
• UNDER 154.5 (-110)

Nebraska vs. Illinois How to Watch

• Date: Saturday, December 13
• Game Time: 4:00 pm ET
• Venue: State Farm Center
• How to Watch (TV): Peacock
• Nebraska Record: 10-0 (1-0 in Big Ten)
• Illinois Record: 8-2 (1-0 in Big Ten)

Nebraska vs. Illinois Betting Trends

• Nebraska is 10-4 ATS in its last 14 games
• Illinois is 9-1 straight up in its last 10 games vs. Nebraska
• Nebraska is 7-0 ATS in its last seven games played in December
• The UNDER is 7-1 in Illinois' last eight games
• Illinois is 5-1 ATS in its last six games vs. Big Ten opponents

Nebraska vs. Illinois Key Player to Watch

• Rienk Mast, F - Nebraska Cornhuskers

Rienk Mast has been fantastic so far this season, averaging 18.0 points per game, along with 6.5 rebounds and 3.1 assists. He's coming off a performance where he put up 17 points in Nebraska's 30-point win against Wisconsin. Can he have another strong performance on Saturday?

Nebraska vs. Illinois Prediction and Pick

It's time to stop underrating Nebraska. The Cornhuskers are undefeated this season and currently rank 28th in effective field goal percentage and 23rd in defensive efficiency. They rank higher than Illinois in both of those metrics.

Nebraska also does a great job of not turning the ball over, sporting a turnover rate of just 13.9%, which is the 35th lowest rate amongst all teams. That's going to play a big role in the Cornhuskers keeping the score of this game in the single digits.

Nebraska may not win this game outright, but I trust the Cornhuskers to cover this double-digit spread.

Pick: Nebraska +10.5 (-115) via FanDuel

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