by Rod Pearson
Monday, Nov 09, 2026
Game Time: 9:00 pm ET, Friday, November 13, 2026
Venue: Rose Bowl Stadium, Pasadena, CA
Where to Watch: FOX
Opening Odds at USA Sportsbooks
DraftKings: Point Spread: Illinois +10, UCLA -10; Over/Under: 46.5 points
Bet365: Point Spread: Illinois +10, UCLA -10; Over/Under: 46.5 points
BetMGM: Point Spread: Illinois +10, UCLA -10; Over/Under: 46.5 points
Season Record
Illinois Fighting Illini: 6-3 (4-2) (8th place, Big Ten)
UCLA Bruins: 9-0 (6-0) (1st place, Big Ten)
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Recent Form
Illinois Fighting Illini: won their last game at home against the Nebraska Cornhuskers 24-13.
UCLA Bruins: won their last game on the road against the Minnesota Golden Gophers 34-20.
Illinois Fighting Illini vs UCLA Bruins Preview and Analysis
Illinois is entering this game with a 6-3 record overall and they have a 4-2 record in their conference games too. They are 4-2 in their home games, 2-1 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be on the road for this game. They won their last game against Nebraska 24-13. Katin Houser was the starting QB and he completed 22/36 passes for 292 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 0 interceptions. Aidan Laughery led the team in rushing yards with 55. Collin Dixon led the receivers with 129 receiving yards on 8 receptions and 2 TDs. Matthew Bailey led the defense in that game with 11 tackles while Mason Muragin led the defense in sacks with 1. No one on the defense came away with an interception for them in that one.
UCLA is entering this game with a 9-0 record overall and they have a 6-0 record in their conference games too. They are 5-0 in their home games, 4-0 in their road games, and they are also 0-0 in their neutral site games this season, but they will be at home for this game. They won their last game against Minnesota 34-20. Ty Dieffenbach was the starting QB and he completed 8/16 passes for 303 passing yards, 3 touchdowns, and 1 interception. Wayne Knight led the team in rushing yards with 109 and 1 TD. Aidan Mizell led the receivers with 150 receiving yards on 2 receptions and 2 TDs. Jalen Woods led the defense in that game with 11 tackles while no one on the defense recorded a sack for them. Scooter Jackson came away with the only interception for them in that one.
Illinois vs UCLA Prediction
The current betting odds have UCLA listed as a 10 point favorite in this game according to Draftkings Sportsbook. UCLA has looked great in their games this season with their 9-0 record overall and their 6-0 record overall which has them right at the top of the Big Ten. They have looked great on their home field too with their 5-0 home record this season. Meanwhile, Illinois has looked good in their games this season with their 6-3 record overall and their 4-2 conference record which has them in the top half of the Big Ten. They have been a good road team too with their 2-1 road record this year. Illinois is coming off a 24-13 win over Nebraska in their last one and they are starting to put the pieces back together after a terrible start to the season. They find themselves climbing towards the top of the Big Ten, but they have also had a pretty weak schedule all season and they really haven't looked great in a lot of their wins lately. They have had trouble against some bad opponents this year and now they are taking on the only undefeated team left in the conference. UCLA has been rolling this year with their new head coach and they are ranked inside the top 10. They are coming off a 34-20 road win over Minnesota in their last one and they continue to find ways to win games with ease. They have looked even better in their home games too and they have one of the best defenses in the Big Ten, not giving up many points over the last few weeks. Their offense hasn't looked great at times, but they do have a great rushing attack and can still throw the ball efficiently when needed. Illinois has looked a lot better lately, but they have been building themselves up against bad opponents and they are going to get a real wake up call here on the road against what might be the best team in the Big Ten. The best way to place a bet here is on UCLA to cover the spread in this game.
Illinois UCLA Prediction: Our NCAAF Pick for Friday, November 13, 2026 (9:00 pm ET start time) is UCLA 28 Illinois 10.
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NCAAF Betting Trends
Illinois Fighting Illini: 7-1 ATS as an underdog of 3.5 to 10 points. 11-3 ATS off a win against a conference rival. 10-5 ATS when playing against a team with a winning record. 11-3 UNDER off a win against a conference rival. 9-5 UNDER vs. good offensive teams - scoring 31 or more points/game.
UCLA Bruins: 15-28 ATS as a home favorite of 7.5 to 14 points. 19-32 1H ATS in a home game where the total is between 42.5 and 49. 6-3 UNDER after 3 or more consecutive wins against the spread. 7-2 UNDER as a home favorite. 9-5 UNDER after playing their last game on the road.
Key Injuries
Illinois Fighting Illini: J. Platt (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Eberhart (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. J. Forster (RB) Questionable - Knee. J. Harvey (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. W. Vala III (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. N. Rankin (WR) Questionable - Leg. K. Alston (WR) Questionable - Undisclosed. G. Smith (TE) Out - Undisclosed. B. Thurman (TE) Out - Foot. A. Perry (WR) Out - Shoulder. T. Hollinger (TE) Out - Undisclosed.
UCLA Bruins: N. Iamaleava (QB) Out - Leg. R. Pleasant (CB) Out - Undisclosed. J. Davis (OG) Out - Undisclosed. J. Phifer (TE) Questionable - Undisclosed. S. Yoon (OG) Questionable - Undisclosed. M. Matthews (WR) Out - Undisclosed.
Notable Quotes
“A 9-3 team can get into the playoffs." - Bret Bielema after his team’s win against Nebraska in their last game.
“I told our guys, ‘Don’t worry about watching this four-week drama series that’s going to be this new show that they’re going to put out there.’ That’s not what we’re here for.” - Bob Chesney after his team’s win against Minnesota in their last game.
Starting Lineups
Illinois Fighting Illini
WR Dixon, Collin
WR Clement, Hudson
WR Trimble, Brayden
TE Abney, Christian
QB Houser, Katin
RB Laughery, Aidan
UCLA Bruins
WR Rowe Jr., Brian
WR Ellis, Landon
WR Morgan, Semaj
TE Loftin, Brayden
QB Dieffenbach, Ty
RB Knight, Wayne
Statistical Leaders
Illinois Fighting Illini
Passing: Katin Houser (1,955)
Rushing: Aidan Laughery (615)
Receiving: Collin Dixon (910)
Touchdowns: Collin Dixon (12)
UCLA Bruins
Passing: Ty Dieffenbach (986)
Rushing: Wayne Knight (789)
Receiving: Semaj Morgan (469)
Touchdowns: Wayne Knight (15)
Coaches:
Illinois Fighting Illini: Bret Bielema (6th season)
UCLA Bruins: Bob Chesney (1st season)
Rod Pearson
About the Author:
Rod Pearson has been a rabid sports fan his entire life. He grew up in Ontario, and was skilled in both hockey and baseball, and pitched in an elite baseball league for many years. In 2022, Rod decided to hang up his glove, so that he could write about the sports he loves -- but from a gambling perspective. Join Rod every day as he breaks down the games to find the best betting value.
