Western Michigan Broncos (0-2) vs. Illinois Fighting Illini (2-0)
September 13, 2025 7:00 pm EDT
The Line: Illinois Fighting Illini -27.5; Over/Under:
(Get latest betting odds)
The Western Michigan Broncos and the Illinois Fighting Illini meet Saturday in college football action from Memorial Stadium Champaign. Here’s an Illinois vs Western Michigan prediction. We will look at this from a betting perspective and determine the best Illinois vs Western Michigan pick.
Western Michigan Broncos Betting Preview
Western Michigan had a tough road matchup versus Michigan State in their first action of the 2025 season. The Broncos were down 23-0 by the fourth quarter and limped to a 23-6 defeat in the end. Quarterback Brady Jones threw for 97 yards and an interception on an 11-of-23 line. Leading the rushers was Jalen Buckley with nine carries for 21 yards, and Broc Lowry added four totes for 19 yards. Tops in receiving were Baylin Brooks with three catches for 85 yards, and Tallique Williams with six grabs for 74 yards in the defeat.
In game two versus North Texas, Western Michigan went into the break with a 17-7 advantage. The Broncos were outscored 20-10 from there however and eventually lost a tough one 33-30 in overtime. QB Broc Lowry was 5-of-10 for 75 yards and a score (with two rush TDs), while Jalen Buckley carried 30 times for 112 yards. Buckley was also the team’s leading receiver with two grabs for 51 yards and a TD.
Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Preview
Over on the Illinois side, they didn’t have too many issues with Western Illinois in their first matchup of the year. The Fighting Illini put up points in every quarter—including double-digits in three of four—on the way to a pretty easy 52-3 blowout victory. QB Luke Altmyer threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns on a 17-of-21 result. Aidan Laughery carried nine times for 101 yards and two touchdowns, and Kaden Feagin added 13 totes for 74 yards and a score of his own. Hank Beatty caught five balls for 108 yards to lead the receivers, but Justin Bowick had a good day on three grabs for 23 yards and two scores.
Matched up against Duke last weekend, the Illini had a bit of trouble shaking the Blue Devils early. Illinois went into the break with a slim 14-13 lead but got better in the second half (and scored in all four quarters) during a 45-19 victory. Altmyer was 22-of-31 for 296 yards and three touchdowns this time, while Feagin carried 17 times for 48 yards and a TD. Ca’Lil Valentine added six totes for 44 yards and a score of his own, while Beatty led the receivers on eight grabs for 128 yards.
Western Michigan Broncos @ Illinois Fighting Illini Betting Trends: Week 3
Illinois Fighting Illini Player Prop Facts
- Luke Altmyer has recorded a 120.0+ passer rating in two consecutive games – equal-longest streak in the FBS.
Western Michigan Broncos Player Prop Facts
- Heading into Week 3, Jalen Buckley has the most rushing attempts without a rushing touchdown this season (39).
Matchup/League Facts
- Illinois ranks T1st among FBS teams for 4th down conversion percentage this season (100.0).
- Illinois ranks T2nd among FBS teams for average point differential in fourth quarters this season (+14.0).
- Western Michigan has lost the third quarter in each of its last four games – equal-longest active streak in the FBS.
- Western Michigan ranks T1st among FBS teams for red zone percentage this season (100.0).
Illinois vs Western Michigan Prediction
I’ll stick with Illinois but I’m probably not touching this one. It probably won’t be worth it. In any case, the Illini started a bit slowly against Duke in their last outing but eventually caught their stride. Illinois benefitted from five Blue Devils turnovers (four fumbles), and there were some signs of trouble out there like the 356 passing yards allowed and 5-of-13 on third-down tries. All of that said, it was a pretty consistent all-around effort from the offense, who gathered 419 yards (296 passing) and 25 first downs with zero turnovers. I’d like to see a more dominant effort out of Illinois this weekend, instead of watching them play down to lesser opponents—at least initially—like with the Duke game.
As for Western Michigan, they wilted in the second half of their loss to North Texas, eventually committing nine penalties in a sloppy overall game (18 total penalties). The Broncos had 216 rushing yards (303 total) and went 9-of-18 on third-down tries so there are some positives to pull from an obviously tough loss last weekend. Trouble is, it’ll be very difficult to rally for another matchup against a tough Illinois opponent ahead.
