Wisconsin vs. Illinois: Odds, TV info, live stream, prediction

Wisconsin football kicks off the Big Ten season vs. Illinois football on Friday night.

Big Ten football returns on Friday night, as No. 14 Wisconsin football hosts Illinois football.

A lot of us can’t believe it’s finally here. After what has been a tumultuous offseason to say the very least, the Big Ten will commence its 2020 college football season this weekend, beginning with a primetime affair between the Illinois Fighting Illini and the No. 14 Wisconsin Badgers. While Illinois isn’t excepted to do much in 2020, Wisconsin is the favorite to win the Big Ten West again.

Here is how to watch Illinois vs. No. 14 Wisconsin online.

Date: Friday, Oct. 23
Time: 8:00 p.m. ET
Location: Madison, Wisconsin
Venue: Camp Randall Stadium
Betting Odds: Wisconsin -19, O/U: 51.5
TV Info: Big Ten Network
Live Stream: BTN, SportSurge

Kickoff from Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin will be at 8:00 p.m. ET, 7:00 p.m. CT on Friday, Oct. 23. The Big Ten Network will have the telecast of the Big Ten West football game. The available live streams for this game can be found on BTN and on SportSurge. Make sure you have the Big Ten Network in your cable package. If not, feel free to hit up SportSurge to get your stream.

Wisconsin enters play as a sizable 19-point home favorite over the visiting Illini. The associated money lines for this game are Wisconsin -1100 and Illinois +650. This game’s over/under comes in at a combined 51.5 points. The line has moved slightly with Wisconsin having to lay an additional half point at home over the Fighting Illini in this one. Odds are from Odds Shark.

Let’s be real. If Wisconsin wants to convince us the Badgers belong in the College Football Playoff mix, they will need to come out of the gates with a commanding victory over Illinois at home. Wisconsin may not be the favorite to win the Big Ten, but the Badgers are projected to get to Indianapolis out of their division. They need to assert their dominance over the Illini on Friday.

While Wisconsin covers the 19-point spread, this game goes under ever so slightly, as it will be a bit of a feeling out process in the first game of the season for both teams. Illinois will keep it close for a while, but a pair of fourth-quarter rushing touchdowns will be more than enough to propel the Badgers to a good, but not great season-opening victory over the visiting Fighting Illini.

Prediction: Wisconsin 35, Illinois 14

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