Duke vs. Illinois prediction: Why Illinois is favored to win in college football Week 2 [2026]

Using powerful machine learning and data, we have re-simulated the result of Duke vs. Illinois, forming part of our college football predictions coverage.

Our leading predictive model currently gives Illinois a 72.8% chance of defeating Duke. Our predicted final score has Illinois winning 29-22. According to our model, Illinois (-5.5) has a 55.7% chance of covering the spread, while the 51.5-point over/under has a 51.0% chance of going over.

Latest betting odds

We have researched the best college football odds in America for this game, which are listed here:

• Spread: Duke +5.5 (+100) / Illinois -5.5 (-113)
• Moneyline: Duke +200, Illinois -215
• Total: Over/Under 51.5 (-110/-108)

All odds are correct at the time of publication and are subject to change.

Model picks and best bet

After matching our probabilities against the best current odds, we can reveal our picks for each of the major markets in this matchup. Plus, find our best bet for the game below:

• Spread: Illinois -5.5 @ -113 via BetRivers
• Moneyline: Illinois @ -215 via BetRivers
• Total: Over 51.5 @ -110 via Caesars

According to our college football best bets, the top play to make on this game is Illinois to win.

These picks are based on our probabilities matched against the implied probabilities from the current available odds.

Game info & kickoff details

Saturday's college football game between Illinois and Duke at Gies Memorial Stadium is scheduled to start at 3:30 PM ET.

• Who: Duke vs. Illinois
• Date: Saturday, September 12, 2026
• Time: 3:30 PM ET/12:30PM PT
• Venue: Gies Memorial Stadium

College football Week 2 promos

Make the most of Dimers' Duke vs. Illinois predictions by exploring the Underdog Fantasy offfer below

Conclusion

We predict Illinois, with a 72.8% win probability, will likely beat Duke in Saturday's college football matchup.

Additional tools and information for betting safely can be found in our Responsible Gambling hub.

This article's predictions and probabilities are generated by Dimers' proprietary College Football prediction model. Our editorial team reviews the resulting content for accuracy and presentation before publication.