Illinois Football surprisingly Open as Underdogs vs Indiana Hoosiers

Illinois Football may be a top-10 team, but oddsmakers aren’t fully sold on the Illini just yet.

According to ESPN, Bret Bielema’s No. 9 crew opens as a 4.5-point underdog for Saturday’s showdown in Bloomington (IN), against Curt Cignetti and the No. 19 Indiana. Undoubtedly, it’s a matchup that already feels like one of the early turning points of the season for both teams — fueled by growing tension between two similar border rival programs on the rise, under confident head coaches with a proven track record of success.

The Illini are coming off a 38-0 shutout of Western Michigan, but the final score masked some early struggles with the offensive line, injuries, and more. Even Bielema was very vocal following the game, criticizing aspects of the Illini’s play-calling and the overall effort from his veteran roster during a poor first-half performance. In fact, a goal-line stand on the 1-yard line, with seconds remaining, was the only thing that stood between a 10-7 ballgame at the break.

Bielema said it took a fiery halftime regroup to ignite the second-half turnaround that eventually unfolded.

While the response was much better, concerns certainly remain for Illinois. If they come out flat again in Bloomington—against a fired-up opponent in a sold-out, rocking environment—climbing back won’t be nearly as easy against the Hoosiers, coming off a 73-0 blowout of Indiana State (FCS).

A statement road win over a ranked Big Ten opponent with momentum from an 11-2 season and a College Football Playoff appearance would not only validate Illinois’ top-10 position, but also give their College Football Playoff resume a major early boost. However, another slow start for the Illini could be disastrous against a team that wants to beat them, chasing playoff hopes of their own.

ESPN shows the #Illini as 4.5-point underdogs at Indiana. pic.twitter.com/WJiuKIN7JO

— Glenn Kinley (@glenn_kinley) September 14, 2025

How to Watch/Listen: #9 Illinois Football at #19 Indiana

Illinois Football will kick off at No. 19 Indiana on Saturday, September 20th. The game will start at 6:30 PM CST at Memorial Stadium in Bloomington, IN.

WATCH: Additionally, you can watch the game on NBC.

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