Last season the big knock on Indiana was their soft schedule, as they did not face a ranked opponent until late in the season on the road against Ohio State. Look for the Hoosiers to be ready to show the country, they can handle a ranked team early in the season as they take on Illinois. The Hoosiers have never lost at home under Coach Curt Cignetti, and have won eleven straight games at Memorial Stadium. Lay the number with the Hoosiers.

This is a spot where I believe if it's a close game, Illinois, due to its experience and roster continuity, is more likely to win outright than cover. Indiana is the more likely to win pulling away. That makes the Illini moneyline a far more attractive play than the spread.

Indiana has yet to face a defense of Illinois' caliber. Their previous opponents have not provided the same level of pass rush pressure or secondary coverage that Illinois brings. The Hoosiers' offensive line will face its biggest season test against Illinois' front seven. Illinois possesses the defensive foundation and offensive balance to keep this game within a touchdown. The line seems a little fishy as I have the game close to the opener of -4. I have to trust my numbers and take the points for 1 unit.

I really like the Illini this season as they're one of the most experienced teams in college football. Plus, they've already played in a semi-tough environment when they stomped Duke a few weeks ago. Meanwhile, Indiana scheduled the biggest joke of a non-conference schedule and takes pride in wrecking these overmatched teams. Remember how they fared against two ranked teams a year ago, OSU and Notre Dame? Blowout city. Now I don't like the way the line movement is trending towards the Hoosiers, but give me the better team who I believe will eventually make the Playoff. Illinois 27, Indiana 23.

Illinois returned 17 starters from last season's team that went 10-3, which includes quarterback Luke Altmyer and the entire starting offensive line. They've won and covered their three games this season, including a 45-19 victory at Duke as 2.5-point favorites. But Indiana is on the brink of doing some special things this season, perhaps even greater than last season's 11-2 team. After three wins, they've ended up with the number one offense, averaging 591 yards per game, while also boasting the number one running game with 307 yards per game. They're led by Junior quarterback Fernando Mendoza, who has thrown 11 touchdowns and no interceptions in his first year at Bloomington after leading Cal last year. This number is short for Indiana at home. Indiana.