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Staff Predictions: Michigan vs. Illinois

Fifth-Year senior receiver Amara Darboh and the Michigan offense look to improve on their 50-points per game so far this year.
Fifth-Year senior receiver Amara Darboh and the Michigan offense look to improve on their 50-points per game so far this year. (USA TODAY)

Head coach Lovie Smith brought hope to an Illinois program still fondly remembered around the Big Ten as “that team that hired Ron Zook.” The honeymoon lasted until about Sept. 17, when Western Michigan destroyed the Pillow-Fightin’ Illini 34-10 in Champaign.

Granted, the Broncos are no joke this year under head coach P.J. Fleck, currently the second-best program in the state (one notch ahead of Central Michigan). But getting destroyed by a MAC program in the non-conference is not what Illinois fans envisioned, especially from a guy who once led a team to a Super Bowl.

Three weeks later it got even worse when Purdue, the state of Indiana’s second-best program (just behind Indiana), pulled out a 34-31 win over the Illini, one that forced the Boilermakers’ administration to keep head coach Darrell Hazell for another week.

Michigan opened as a 24.5-point favorite against the Illini, and that has risen … and risen … to get to a whopping 40 points as of Oct. 21. According to the News-Gazette, that’s the biggest line ever for an Illinois underdog if it stays that way through kickoff.

Illinois was a 39-5-point dog Nov. 1997 at Ohio State before losing 41-6 (so they covered. Small victories …). The Illini were 36.5-point dogs at OSU in 1998 and lost 41-0. Even worse, they gave up 300 passing yards to Joe Germaine.

Michigan fumbled 10 times and turned the ball over six total in a 22-22 tie vs. Illinois in 1992, a game in which U-M was favored by 28. It says here U-M could lose seven turnovers and still cover that margin against the Illini, though we don't expect the Wolverines to dig that kind of hole Saturday.

Congratulations to Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, which didn’t have to give away the store last week during the bye. For those who missed it, the restaurant is offering a discount based on Michigan margin of victory – Harbaugh himself took advantage of it with a steak and a big glass of milk following a 78-0 win at Rutgers.

Fortunately for Smith and the Illini, the discount has been capped at 50 percent, so Harbaugh just might let off the gas a bit when this one starts to get out of hand.

This week’s winner receives a coupon for buy one Big Mac, get one free at the McDonald’s down the road from Ruth’s Chris.

The picks:

CHRIS BALAS: Michigan is a hated Illinois rival, while the Illini have been an annoyance over the last several years. Two of their six wins since 1959 (!) came during the Rich Rodriguez years and deserve asterisks. MICHIGAN 45, ILLINOIS 10

JOHN BORTON: Forgive our friends from Illinois for feeling all Lovey-dovey about Rutgers. While others skewer the Scarlet Knights for appearing sub-awful and having no place in the Big Ten, the Fighting Illini don’t feel that way at all. They go to bed hitting their little Illini knees in gratefulness that Rutgers exists.

Otherwise, they might not have registered a Big Ten win this season. If you whiff on Purdue (at home), you’d better kick Chris Ash & Co. And they did, before reality sets in. MICHIGAN 49, ILLINOIS 9

BRANDON BROWN: Michigan is actually projected to beat Illinois by more than they were projected to beat Rutgers by. Obviously that game got out of control quickly and the same thing could happen on Saturday. Michigan should send Lovie and the Illini home in a bad, bad mood. MICHIGAN 52, ILLINOIS 3

DOUG SKENE: Michigan shakes off a thin layer of rust from the week off and rolls toward Spartan week. MICHIGAN 42, ILLINOIS 3

LELAND “The Intern” MITCHINSON: Michigan returns home and will take care of business against Illinois. MICHIGAN 49, ILLINOIS 7

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