Illinois Missouri Spead, Line & Predictions


August 28, 2008 | Posted By Larry Cook

After posting one of the best seasons in school history, big expectations are here for the 2008 Missouri Tigers ranked No. 6 in the nation.  They’ll take on the No. 20 Illinois Fighting Illini Saturday, who were one of the biggest surprises in college football last season.  Head coach Ron Zook feels his teams could be even better this season.  Get Info Plays opinion on this game as well as the Illinois Missouri spread below.

Think the Tigers can cover the 9-points spread?  Take your opinion and prosper by betting the Missouri Tigers -9 at Sportsbook.com here!  Can Ron Zook’s club put up a fight and stay within the spread?  If you think the Fighting Illini can pull off the upset than Bet Illinois +9 at BetUs here!

Both programs are in for an early test in this contest played at the Edward Jones Done in St. Louis.  The Tigers are led by Heisman Tropy finalist Chase Daniels.  He helped Missouri compile 12 wins and a No. 4 ranking in the final poll last season.  The only two losses by the Tigers last season came at the hands of Oklahoma.  But after losing 38-17 to the Sooners in the Big 12 Championship, the Tigers bounced back with an impressive 38-17 win over Arkansas in the Cotton Bowl, setting expectations at an all-time high for Missouri heading into 2008.

The Tigers are picked to win the Big 12 North, and their hopes of making a BCS game could quickly vanish if Missouri can’t get past a tough Big Ten opponent Saturday.  The Tigers won a very entertaining 40-34 dog fight with Illinois in their season opener, and it likely won’t come easy this season either.  The Fighting Illini fought back from 24 points down with six minutes to go in the third quarter.  Missouri needed an interception on the 1-yard-line with less than one minute remaining in the game to cap off the win.

Daniel completed 37-of-54 passes for 359 yards and three touchdowns against Illinois last year.  He thrives in Missouri’s no-huddle, spread attack offense.  Daniel threw for 4,306 yards and 33 touchdowns to lead an offense that finished eighth in the FBS in scoring at 39.9 points/game.  Just like Missouri, the Fighting Illini are looking to build off of last season’s accomplishments.

Illinois won just eight games from 2003 to 2006, but a 9-4 last season in Zook’s third year as the head man brings optimism back to Illinois football.  A 49-17 loss to USC in the Rose Bowl shows how down the Big Ten was last year, but that shouldn’t take way from what this team achieved.  Juice Williams is back to lead the team at quarterback, with Illinois picked to finish third in the conference.  Williams evolved as more of a pocket passer as the season progressed.  He was also second on the team with 755 rushing yards, showing his versatility.  But Williams averages just 134 passing yards/game last year which ranked last among Big Ten quarterbacks.  He’ll have to improve mightily on those passing numbers if the Illini are to take another step forward this season.

Arrelious Benn will be his go-to receiver again this year after catching 54 balls for 676 yards as a freshman last season.  The Illini allowed the fifth-most yards in the Big Ten at 376.8 yards/game.  But they were stingy in the red zone which is what counts.  Illinois was fifth in the league in scoring at 21.8 points/game last year.  Zook believes the defense will be one of the strengths of the team this year.  We doubt the Illini’s defense will look good against Missouri in the season opener, but the Tigers will likely make every defense they face look foolish this season.

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