2025 Illinois Fighting Illini Week 2 Betting Lines
The Illinois Fighting Illini have much to prove in 2025. That is because they proved so much in 2024. The challenge for head coach Bret Bielema and his Illinois team is to put together two strong seasons in succession. Last week, Illinois routed FCS Western Illinois in a paycheck home game. This week, Illinois has a tricky matchup against the Duke Blue Devils. Head coach Many Dia had a strong first year in 2024, but, like Bielema, must prove that he can build a consistent winner and maintain success. Duke is coming off its own paycheck home win over Elon. Thus, Saturday’s matchup is something of a real season opener after a preseason cream puff.
Illinois at Duke Week 2 Betting Lines
Spread: Illinois -3
Total: 50
Money Line: Illinois -148, Duke +127
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Illinois Fighting Illini Weekly Matchup
On Saturday, September 6, 2025, the Illinois Fighting Illini will host the Duke Blue Devils at Wallace Wade Stadium in Durham, NC. Kickoff time is noon ET, with television coverage on ABC or ESPN.
In their last game, the Duke Blue Devils won 45-17 against Elon as 36.5-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 51.
Darian Mensah threw for a career-high 389 yards in his Duke debut, helping the Blue Devils survive a first-half scare and pull away with a win over Elon in their season opener Thursday night in Durham, N.C. The Tulane quarterback transfer lived up to the hype, throwing three second-half touchdowns while completing 27 of 34 passes with no turnovers. Mensah completed passes to nine different players, with Harvard transfer Cooper Barkate leading the way with 117 receiving yards and Sahmir Hagans catching a pair of touchdowns.
The Blue Devils scored touchdowns each of the five times they touched the ball in the second half to distance themselves from what was a 10-10 game at halftime.
Even before the offense fully woke up, Mensah got off to a strong start to his 2025 campaign. His 216 passing yards accounted for the vast majority of Duke’s 250 first-half yards.
While the Blue Devils had nearly 100 more first-half yards, the game was tied at halftime because of a dropped touchdown by Peyton Jones, a missed field goal by Todd Pelino and a red-zone fumble on a bungled handoff with under two minutes left in the half recovered by Elon’s Dillon Pardue.
Illinois Fighting Ilini Weekly Recap
Last game, the Illinois Fighting Illini won 52-3 against Western Illinois as 48.5-point home favorites. The game went over the total of 62.5.
Luke Altmyer threw for 217 yards and three touchdowns, and No. 12 Illinois scored on its first five possessions to trigger a 52-3 season-opening victory over Western Illinois on Friday night in Champaign, Ill.
Altmyer completed 17 of 21 passes for the Illini, who played with an AP Top 25 ranking in their opener for the first time since 2008. Aidan Laughery rushed for 101 yards and two scores on nine carries, Justin Bowick snagged two touchdown passes, and Hank Beatty caught five passes for 108 yards while delivering Illinois’ first punt return for a score since 2013.
Chris Irvin hit 14 of 29 passes for 134 yards for the FCS-level Leathernecks, who managed just 29 yards on the ground. Demari Davis posted four receptions for 65 yards.
After stuffing Western Illinois on fourth-and-6 on the game’s first possession, Illinois marched 59 yards for a score. Altmyer capped it with a 3-yard flip to wide-open tight end Tanner Arkin.
On the next play from scrimmage, NFL prospect Gabe Jacas (two sacks) hit Irvin from the blind side and forced a fumble that Kaleb Patterson recovered at WIU’s 26. Six plays later, Altmyer tossed a 3-yarder to Bowick for a 14-0 lead. Illinois owned a 235-87 advantage in total yards at the break.
2025 Illinois Fighting Illini Football Schedule
| DATE |
OPPONENT |
SCORE |
RECORD |
| Aug 29 |
vs. Western Illinois Leathernecks |
W 52-3 |
1-0 |
| Sep 6 |
at Duke Blue Devils |
- |
- |
| Sep 13 |
vs. Western Michigan Broncos |
- |
- |
| Sep 20 |
at Indiana Hoosiers |
- |
- |
| Sep 27 |
vs. USC Trojans |
- |
- |
| Oct 4 |
at Purdue Boilermakers |
- |
- |
| Oct 11 |
vs. Ohio State Buckeyes |
- |
- |
| Oct 18 |
OFF |
| Oct 25 |
at Washington Huskies |
- |
- |
| Nov 1 |
vs. Rutgers Scarlet Knights |
- |
- |
| Nov 8 |
OFF |
| Nov 15 |
vs. Maryland Terrapins |
- |
- |
| Nov 22 |
at Wisconsin Badgers |
- |
- |
| Nov 29 |
vs. Northwestern Wildcats |
- |
- |
Once upon a time, the Illinois Fighting Illini were a perennial power and a national championship program. The Fighting Illini won the Natty in 1914, 1919, 1923, 1927, and 1951. But since those ancient days of glory, Illinois has been a historically mediocre program. Once every 20 years or so, Illinois explodes for a big year. But then they revert to the back of the pack just as fast. The last landmark season in Illini history was in 2007, when Ron Zook took the program to the Rose Bowl. It was Illinois' first run for the roses since coach Mike White took them to Pasadena in the 1983 campaign.
Two of the biggest names to play for Illinois are Dick Butkus and Red Grange. Both players had their numbers retired and went on to star for the Chicago Bears in the NFL. In fact, the founder of the Bears, Georgia Halas, was an end for the Fighting Illini. Another NFL Hall of Famer who played for the University of Illinois was the famed Green Bay Packers linebacker Ray Nitschke. That was also true for NFL Hall of Fame running back Bobby Mitchell.
2025-2026 College Football Schedule
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