This is an 8* OPENING DAY BLOWOUT on Illinois.

Does it matter that Wyoming is 1-8-1 against-the-spread in its last ten road games played on a Saturday?

Illinois did finish last in the Big Ten in passing last year, and it only had the 112th overall offense, but with new offensive coordinator Barry Lunney Jr, and new starting QB Tommy DeVito from Syracuse, we can expect some big steps forward this season.

But Wyoming got hit hard by the transfer portal in the offseason. It lots its top WR Isaiah Neyor, as well as its top QB options and a plethora of defensive backs, to just name a few.

Other bigger schools can survive those types of "talent drains," but Wyoming isn't one of those.

Illinois can rely on its run game after going up early, and then grind its way to victory, as Wyoming is simply not going to be able to throw its way back into it.

This is the first time that Wyoming has faced a Power Five program since 2019. The Cowboys are well coached, but they're truly are going through too much of a re-make.

Look for ILLINOIS to pull away in the second half of the comfortable win and cover.

Good luck, NP