Nebraska vs. Illinois odds, spread, time: 2024 college football picks, Week 4 predictions by proven model

SportsLine's model just revealed its college football picks for the Illinois Fighting Illini vs. Nebraska Cornhuskers on Friday

While USC and Michigan are the featured Big Ten matchup of the weekend, there's an enticing appetizer on Friday between another pair of ranked squads. The No. 22 Nebraska Cornhuskers will host the No. 24 Illinois Fighting Illini, as both teams will begin Big Ten play. Both teams are 3-0, with each having a win over an FCS school, versus a Group of Five team, and against a Big 12 program. This will be the second-ever ranked matchup between Nebraska and Illinois, with the Cornhuskers winning the first back in 1985.

Kickoff from Memorial Stadium in Lincoln, Neb., is at 8 p.m. ET. Nebraska is 3-0 against the spread this season, while the Fighting Illini are 2-0-1 ATS. The Cornhuskers are 7.5-point favorites in the latest Illinois vs. Nebraska odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 43. Before entering any Nebraska vs. Illinois picks, you'll want to see the college football predictions from the advanced computer model at SportsLine.

The model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a profit of over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It is also coming off a profitable 13-9 season on top-rated spread picks and is off to a 5-2 start on over/under picks this season. Anyone who has followed it has seen strong returns.

The model has set its sights on Illinois vs. Nebraska. You can head to SportsLine to see its picks. Here are several college football betting lines for the Illinois vs. Nebraska game:

• Nebraska vs. Illinois spread: Nebraska -7.5
• Nebraska vs. Illinois over/under: 43 points
• Nebraska vs. Illinois money line: Nebraska -330, Illinois +257
• Nebraska vs. Illinois picks: See picks at SportsLine

Why Nebraska can cover

True freshman quarterback Dylan Raiola has lived up to the hype as the No. 1 quarterback prospect in his class. He ranks eighth in the nation with a 73.8% completion percentage and has a 5:1 TD:INT ratio. Raiola is also backed by an elite running game as the Cornhuskers are averaging over 170 rushing yards per game, while giving up just 70.3 rushing yards per contest. Nebraska has a trio of running backs who bring something different to the table, which makes it hard for any defensive coordinator to game plan for.

At 6-foot-2, 225 lbs, Dante Dowdell uses his size and power to anchor Nebraska's run game as he leads the team in both yards and touchdowns. He's complemented by Emmett Johnson, at 5-foot-11, 200 lbs, who has the home-run ability and leads the team with 9.5 yards per carry. Finally, there's Rahmir Johnson, who is a pass-catching threat as he ranks third on the team in rushing yards but second in receptions. The three of them should be a problem for an Illinois defense that has given up an average of 160 rushing yards over its last two games. See which team to pick here. 

Why Illinois can cover

Illinois won't be fazed by the hostile environment that Memorial Stadium will present as it has had previous success at the venue. The Illini emerged victorious in their last two games at Nebraska in 2020 and 2022. Illinois won both by double-digits, also covering in each. Additionally, coach Bret Bielema always has his teams ready for road tests. Since he took over the Fighting Illini program in 2021, Illinois is 11-4 ATS in away games. Just five teams in all of FBS have a better cover percentage in road games over that span.

The Fighting Illini haven't allowed a touchdown in two of their three games, and they also held the then-No. 17 Kansas Jayhawks to only 17 points in a Week 2 victory. A big reason for their defensive success stems from taking the ball away from the opponent, as Illinois has forced nine turnovers this season, one shy of the most in college football. See which team to pick here. 

How to make Nebraska vs. Illinois picks

The model has simulated Illinois vs. Nebraska 10,000 times and the results are in. The model is leaning Under, projecting 42 combined points. It's also generated a point-spread pick that is hitting in well over 50% of simulations. You can only see the pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Nebraska vs. Illinois, and which side of the spread is hitting well over 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the Illinois vs. Nebraska spread to jump on, all from the advanced computer model that's up over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks since its inception, and find out.