College Football HQ

Joel Klatt predicts final score in Illinois vs. Duke game

No. 11 Illinois visits Duke for a non-conference test Saturday.
Patrick Previty|
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt
Fox Sports analyst Joel Klatt | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

No. 11 Illinois visits Duke for a non-conference test Saturday at noon ET on ESPN, the programs’ first meeting since 1965 and only the third all time. In the most recent installment of the Joel Klatt Show, Klatt made his prediction for who will win between Illinois and Duke.

"So, where do I land in this one? Well, Illinois is favored by two and a half," Klatt said. "I think Illinois wins this game fairly low scoring, 21-17 in that game. So, I think they cover the two and a half and it would be huge. They have to win this one."

Illinois (1-0) opened with a 52-3 rout of Western Illinois, piling up 440 yards at 7.5 yards per play. Senior quarterback Luke Altmyer went 17 of 21 for 217 yards and three touchdowns, while Aidan Laughery led the ground game with 101 yards and two scores. Wideout/returner Hank Beatty added 108 receiving yards and set a 102-year-old school record with 133 punt return yards, earning Big Ten Special Teams Player of the Week.

Duke (1-0) handled Elon 45-17 behind Tulane transfer Darian Mensah, who was 27 of 34 for 389 yards with three second-half touchdown passes, including a perfect 11-for-11 after halftime. Harvard transfer Cooper Barkate paced the receivers with 117 yards as the Blue Devils scored 35 after the break.

Illinois returns 16 starters from last season’s 10-3 Citrus Bowl campaign, including nine on offense and an experienced offensive line that entered 2025 ranked No. 4 nationally in games played and No. 2 in career starts. Bret Bielema, in his fifth season in Champaign, is 29-22 with the Illini (126-80 overall).

Luke Altmyer
Illinois Fighting Illini quarterback Luke Altmyer | Ron Johnson-Imagn Images

Duke counters with 14 returning starters (six offense, five defense, three specialists) under second-year head coach Manny Diaz. The Blue Devils seek their first win over a ranked opponent since upsetting No. 9 Clemson to open 2023, and they ride a six-game winning streak against Big Ten opponents dating to 2017 — a run built largely on a four-year series sweep of Northwestern.

Numbers to know: Duke produced 35 second-half points vs. Elon and 548 total yards, while Illinois’ defense logged five sacks and limited WIU to 163 yards. Both teams are 1-0 and ranked/receiving votes (Illinois AP No. 11; Duke RV).

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Patrick Previty
PATRICK PREVITY

In addition to writing for On SI, Patrick is also a site expert for Canes Warning and has previously written for outlets such as Betsided, Orlando Magic Daily and Southbound and Down. He serves as a sideline reporter for ESPN+, covering UCF athletics and the Big 12 Conference. In 2024, he hosted a live, on-site UCF football pregame show that aired on ESPN+. Patrick has interviewed numerous figures in the college sports world, ranging from players to UCF’s athletic director. Recently, he traveled to Mobile, Ala., to cover the 2025 Reese’s Senior Bowl, where he spoke with multiple NFL Draft prospects. Patrick also hosts coverage of the Orlando Magic for Digest Media on YouTube and has become one of the leading voices on the team in the region. Patrick also helps run the social media department for The Voice of College Football Network, focusing on breaking news and digital storytelling. Patrick previously spent time at CNN in the sports department, where he assisted with CNN’s World Sport show and Bleacher Report updates for morning programming. Hailing from the Tampa Bay Area, Patrick is a lifelong fan of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Tampa Bay Rays, Tampa Bay Lightning, Orlando Magic and UCF Knights.

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