Illinois vs. Maryland prediction: Why Illinois is favored to win in college football Week 9 [2026]

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

Our independent predictive model currently gives Illinois a 57.3% chance of defeating Maryland. Our predicted final score has Illinois winning 28-25. According to our model, Illinois (-2.5) has a 51.2% chance of covering the spread, while the 52.5-point over/under has a 53.2% chance of going over.

Latest betting odds

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

• Spread: Illinois -2.5 (-104) / Maryland +2.5 (+102)
• Moneyline: Illinois -127, Maryland +125
• Total: Over/Under 52.5 (-115/+108)

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

Model picks and best bet

After matching our predictions 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 -2.5 @ 51¢ via Novig
• Moneyline: Illinois @ 56¢ via Novig
• Total: Over 52.5 @ 53¢ via Novig

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 Maryland and Illinois at SECU Stadium is scheduled to begin at 12:00 PM ET.

• Who: Illinois vs. Maryland
• Date: Saturday, October 31, 2026
• Time: 12:00 PM ET/9:00 AM PT
• Venue: SECU Stadium

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Conclusion

We predict Illinois, with a 57.3% win probability, will likely beat Maryland 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.