Fresh off a thrilling comeback over Purdue, Rutgers now faces a tough road test at Illinois as double-digit underdogs in a pivotal Big Ten showdown.
Following a hard-fought victory over Purdue, Rutgers now turns its attention to its next major test. According to FanDuel, the Scarlet Knights open as 11.5-point underdogs against Illinois, with the over/under set at 60.5. Kickoff is scheduled for Saturday, November 1, at noon ET at Memorial Stadium in Champaign.
Rutgers to Face One Of Their Hardest Match Ups
Rutgers ended its four-game losing streak with Jai Patel’s game-winning field goal against Purdue, securing the program’s 17th fourth-quarter comeback under coach Greg Schiano and keeping their bowl aspirations intact. Illinois, on the other hand, enters the matchup following a 42-25 defeat to Washington. This will be the 10th meeting between the two programs, with the Illini holding a 6-3 series advantage — including a 38-31 victory at Rutgers last season.
Although Rutgers enters the matchup as the underdog, home-field advantage still gives them a slight edge in overall confidence. According to FanDuel, Illinois is listed as a -465 favorite to win outright, while Rutgers sits at +350. The spread opened at 11.5 points and has remained steady, though some sportsbooks have moved Illinois to -12.5.
The Scarlet Knights impressed offensively against Purdue, racking up 543 total yards — their highest output in a Big Ten game since 2015. Quarterback Athan Kaliakmanis threw for 359 yards and a touchdown, marking his fourth 300-yard performance of the season.
Kaliakmanis currently leads the Big Ten with 2,223 passing yards. Wide receiver KJ Duff delivered a breakout performance with 241 yards on six receptions — the second-highest total in program history and the best single-game mark by any Big Ten player this year.
Rutgers ranks second in the conference in both passing offense (286.5 yards per game) and time of possession (33:31). Running back Antwan Raymond added 116 rushing yards and his 10th touchdown of the season. Defensively, despite some inconsistencies, the Scarlet Knights limited Purdue to just 1-of-9 on third-down conversions and forced a crucial fumble that set up Patel’s game-winning field goal.
Illinois, meanwhile, leans on a powerful ground attack and a flexible defense. Quarterback Luke Altmyer threw for 199 yards and two touchdowns against Washington, while also rushing for 48 yards. The Illini’s trio of running backs — Kaden Feagin, Ca’Lil Valentine, and Aiden Laughery — each average more than four yards per carry, which could challenge Rutgers’ vulnerable edge run defense.
Receivers Hank Beatty and Collin Dixon are also expected to test a Rutgers secondary that has struggled to contain explosive plays this season. Up front, the Scarlet Knights’ injury-depleted offensive line will need to protect Kaliakmanis and create running lanes for Antwan Raymond and Ja’Shon Benjamin.
For Rutgers to pull off the upset, Kaliakmanis will need to capitalize on Illinois’ secondary, especially through his connection with Duff. On defense, the Scarlet Knights must contain the run and limit third-down conversions. As Coach Greg Schiano has often said, the team doesn’t have to be perfect — they just need to find a way to get the job done.
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