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Illinois vs. Maryland Prediction and Pick, Week 9 2026

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Data updatedOct 31, 2026
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Picks two teams at random. Any FBS team can come up.

How we picked it

How we picked it

Three ratings look at a team in three different ways. The numbers' pick is the team at least two of them favor.

Where the game is won

Where the game is won

Each row puts one team's unit against the unit it faces, by national rank out of all FBS teams. An edge is a gap of 25 spots or more.

Ratings: SP+ via CFB Update; PRIME via primecfb.com. Box and play stats computed from CollegeFootballData.com play data (via the public cfbfastR files), FBS games only for scoring. Rushing yards here exclude sacks, so they run higher than official totals. Ranks are out of 138 FBS teams.

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Illinois at Maryland

Week 9, Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 PM ET, SECU Stadium.

The numbers say: Illinois, 72% to win.

The game

KickoffSat, Oct 31, 12:00 PM ET
TVFS1
WhereSECU Stadium
Weather57°, cloudy, wind 4 mph
LineIllinois −2.5, total 54.5
Line movementOpened Illinois −3; moved 0.5 points toward Maryland. Total opened 52.5, up 2.
SeriesTied 2–2
Last meetingIllinois 24–6 in 2025
Illinois injuriesKatin Houser (QB), doubtful

The ratings and the line

MarginWin chanceTotal
SP+Illinois by 6.468%61
PRIMEIllinois by 7.270%
EloIllinois79%
The lineIllinois −2.5, opened −354.5, opened 52.5

Margins include home field. SP+ is Bill Connelly's rating; Sources has PRIME and Elo. Line and total from DraftKings, as of Fri, Oct 30, 7:43 PM ET.

Who wins, Illinois or Maryland?

The numbers say: Illinois. 72% chance to win

Which matchups decide Illinois vs. Maryland?

All three ratings favor Illinois, by 6.4 to 7.2 points. Illinois' best matchup is its scoring offense, 58th in points per game, against Maryland's scoring defense at 127th. Maryland's way back in is its pass protection, 9th in sacks allowed per dropback, against Illinois' pass rush at 127th. We left out the edges built on Ca'Lil Valentine, who's out.

Illinois with the ball

Maryland with the ball

Who's out for Illinois and Maryland?

Illinois

Maryland

How Illinois and Maryland compare, in charts

Each chart puts all 138 FBS teams on two stats; Illinois and Maryland are lit. Dashed lines are the FBS averages, and up and right is better. Ranks in parentheses. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How Illinois' and Maryland's players compare

The scatter charts show the top 40 FBS players at the position by both stats combined, plus the players lit here. Dashed lines are the averages; up and right is better. Ranks are among every FBS player at the position with enough snaps. Takeaways are interceptions plus fumble recoveries. Games through Oct 24, 2026.

How do SP+, PRIME and Elo rate Illinois and Maryland?

On a neutral field, SP+ has Illinois 8.9 points better (47th to 81st). PRIME also has Illinois ahead, by 9.7. Elo, which only sees results, also has Illinois ahead (55th to 109th).

IllinoisMaryland
SP+ overall6.8 (47th)-2.1 (81st)
SP+ offense31.7 (36th)26.6 (70th)
SP+ defense25.5 (63rd)28.7 (89th)
SP+ special teams0.5 (4th)-0.1 (80th)
PRIME net6.3 (39th)-3.4 (86th)
PRIME offense7.72 (25th)-1.54 (77th)
PRIME defense-2.36 (91st)-1.56 (86th)
PRIME SOS-0.7 (51st)1.9 (27th)
PRIME SOR0.4 (54th)-1.2 (101st)
Elo1580 (55th)1294 (109th)

Opponent-adjusted power ratings. These drive the projection.

Who's better once you adjust for the schedule?

Illinois' offense ranks 29th in adjusted EPA per play, and the Maryland defense it faces ranks 89th in EPA per play allowed. Maryland's offense ranks 116th against Illinois' 136th-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is Illinois' offense against Maryland's defense. The biggest edge on the board is Maryland's big plays: 23rd in adjusted explosiveness, against Illinois' 107th-ranked defense. That's a mismatch.

IllinoisMaryland
EPA per play (adjusted)+0.17 (29th)+0.03 (116th)
EPA per pass (adjusted)+0.22 (43rd)+0.07 (134th)
EPA per rush (adjusted)+0.10 (40th)+0.07 (63rd)
Success rate (adjusted)46.6% (19th)38.6% (110th)
Success rate, standard downs (adjusted)49.7% (30th)43.9% (119th)
Success rate, passing downs (adjusted)33.6% (16th)29.3% (98th)
Explosiveness (adjusted)0.95 (41st)0.96 (23rd)
Line yards per carry (adjusted)3.14 (15th)2.74 (125th)
Open-field yards per carry (adjusted)1.22 (39th)1.05 (95th)
EPA per play allowed (adjusted)+0.25 (136th)+0.13 (89th)
EPA per pass allowed (adjusted)+0.32 (131st)+0.21 (80th)
EPA per rush allowed (adjusted)+0.14 (123rd)+0.09 (88th)
Success rate allowed (adjusted)46.6% (123rd)42.6% (83rd)
Explosiveness allowed (adjusted)0.96 (107th)0.94 (82nd)
Line yards allowed per carry (adjusted)3.03 (95th)2.88 (44th)
Open-field yards allowed per carry (adjusted)1.07 (53rd)1.13 (72nd)

The same efficiency numbers, adjusted for the offenses and defenses each team has faced (CollegeFootballData.com). A good number against a soft schedule shrinks; one against a hard schedule grows.

Who's more efficient, Illinois or Maryland?

Illinois is about as good throwing (43rd in EPA per pass) as running (47th). Maryland is better running (74th in EPA per rush) than throwing (119th). Illinois' run defense ranks 109th, so that's an edge.

IllinoisMaryland
EPA per play+0.21 (35th)+0.04 (111th)
EPA per pass+0.30 (43rd)+0.03 (119th)
EPA per rush+0.14 (47th)+0.09 (74th)
EPA per 3rd-down play+0.45 (71st)+0.08 (133rd)
EPA per play allowed+0.27 (133rd)+0.15 (98th)
EPA per pass allowed+0.38 (125th)+0.22 (84th)
EPA per rush allowed+0.15 (109th)+0.11 (92nd)
EPA per 3rd-down play allowed+0.37 (57th)+0.38 (62nd)

Expected points added per play, from CollegeFootballData.com. EPA measures how much each play changes the points a team can expect from the drive. Zero is break-even; +0.20 is very good. Not adjusted for opponents.

Who scores more, Illinois or Maryland?

Illinois outscores FBS opponents by 5.0 a game, and Maryland is outscored by 5.0. Illinois' offense ranks 58th in scoring, and the Maryland defense it faces ranks 127th in points allowed. Maryland's offense ranks 71st against Illinois' 79th-ranked defense. The matchup that decides it is Illinois' offense against Maryland's defense.

IllinoisMaryland
Points scored30.3 (58th)28.3 (71st)
Points allowed25.3 (79th)33.3 (127th)

Per game, FBS opponents only.

Which offense has the edge?

Illinois' best matchup is early downs: its offense ranks 37th in SUPLEX, and Maryland's defense ranks 105th in SUPLEX allowed. That's a mismatch. Maryland has no clear edge here. Its best is success rate, 113th, against a defense ranked 129th in success rate allowed.

IllinoisMaryland
Pass yards / game234.0 (65th)253.4 (43rd)
Rush yards / game172.0 (60th)137.6 (104th)
Yards per play6.19 (65th)5.60 (108th)
Yards per carry5.82 (29th)4.96 (82nd)
Yards per attempt6.74 (106th)6.16 (119th)
Completion %57.6% (97th)56.3% (108th)
Success rate45.3% (53rd)39.3% (113th)
Explosive play rate12.0% (77th)12.1% (72nd)
3rd down conversion40.7% (69th)31.0% (128th)
Sack rate (taken)3.6% (28th)2.4% (9th)
INT rate (thrown)1.7% (39th)2.1% (56th)
SUPLEX59.8% (37th)52.0% (98th)

Per game and per play, from play-by-play.

Which defense has the edge?

Illinois' defense is best placed to stop the run: it ranks 47th in yards per carry allowed, and Maryland's offense is middle of the pack in yards per carry (82nd).

IllinoisMaryland
Pass yards allowed / game249.3 (113th)220.1 (91st)
Rush yards allowed / game137.7 (54th)142.1 (58th)
Yards per play allowed6.50 (110th)6.32 (99th)
Yards per carry allowed4.50 (47th)4.81 (72nd)
Yards per attempt allowed8.90 (119th)8.66 (115th)
Success rate allowed49.2% (129th)46.1% (113th)
Explosive plays allowed11.3% (75th)11.0% (70th)
3rd downs allowed44.6% (111th)44.0% (106th)
Sack rate (generated)3.5% (127th)8.3% (22nd)
INT rate (generated)1.0% (126th)3.4% (33rd)
SUPLEX allowed59.3% (104th)59.4% (105th)

What opponents managed against them.

Who wins up front?

Illinois has the better number in 8 of 12. The biggest gap is stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line), where Illinois ranks 8th and Maryland 129th.

IllinoisMaryland
Big Uglies: offensive line60.7 (7th)44.9 (112th)
Big Uglies: defensive front43.3 (115th)51.3 (60th)
Line yards per carry3.30 (26th)2.60 (130th)
Line yards allowed per carry2.89 (67th)2.76 (51st)
Second-level yards per carry1.09 (66th)0.98 (101st)
Open-field yards per carry1.59 (26th)1.46 (38th)
Stuff rate (runs stopped at or behind the line)12.1% (8th)23.2% (129th)
Stuff rate (defense)16.8% (94th)18.4% (76th)
Power success (short yardage)73.1% (64th)65.2% (113th)
Power success allowed72.2% (80th)80.7% (121st)
Front-seven havoc allowed5.4% (9th)8.2% (42nd)
Front-seven havoc7.7% (116th)10.1% (55th)

The lines. Big Uglies is our rating for each offensive line and each defensive front: adjusted line yards (30%), stuff rate (20%), power success (15%), sack rate (20%) and front-seven havoc (15%), against every FBS team. 50 is average, and every 10 points is a standard deviation. Line stats from CollegeFootballData.com, garbage time out.

Who wins the turnover battle?

Maryland is +0.4 in turnover margin a game and Illinois is −0.1. At about five points a turnover, that's roughly a 3-point edge for Maryland. Turnover margin rarely holds from one month to the next, so don't count on it.

IllinoisMaryland
Interceptions thrown / game0.57 (40th)0.86 (84th)
Fumbles lost / game0.14 (3rd)0.14 (3rd)
Giveaways / game0.71 (18th)1.00 (36th)
Interceptions / game0.29 (119th)0.86 (45th)
Fumbles recovered / game0.29 (94th)0.57 (51st)
Takeaways / game0.57 (126th)1.43 (41st)
Turnover margin / game-0.1 (82nd)+0.4 (32nd)

Per game, from play-by-play.

Which team has more talent?

Maryland has the more talented roster (46th in the 247Sports talent composite; Illinois is 51st). But Illinois plays further above its talent: +4.2 points of SP+ beyond what its roster predicts, to Maryland's −5.7.

IllinoisMaryland
Talent composite704.0 (51st)719.6 (46th)
Blue-chip ratio10.4% (67th)17.9% (44th)
Players on roster116 (34th)108 (87th)
Rated by 247Sports96 (6th)78 (70th)
5-star players0 (37th)1 (24th)
4-star players10 (58th)13 (46th)
3-star players84 (3rd)64 (56th)
Below 3-star2 (68th)0 (113th)
2026 transfers in20 (76th)14 (118th)
Transfer share20.8% (106th)17.9% (116th)
SP+ vs. talent+4.2 (42nd)-5.7 (103rd)
Returning production21.1% (98th)54.0% (51st)
Returning passing production3.2% (101st)86.6% (49th)
Returning rushing production34.2% (76th)141.8% (6th)
Returning receiving production31.3% (79th)26.4% (89th)
2026 recruiting class (national rank)24 (24th)43 (43rd)
Recruiting rank, last four classes39.0 (35th)35.8 (29th)

247Sports team talent composite and 2026 transfer portal class. Star counts cover only the players 247Sports rates, not walk-ons, so they add up to less than the full roster. Ranks are out of all 138 FBS teams.

Which roster costs more?

Maryland's roster is valued at $23.0M, Illinois' at $19.7M. Dollar for dollar, Illinois plays better: +1.9 points of SP+ above what its payroll predicts, to −10.3 for Maryland.

IllinoisMaryland
Roster value$19.7M (57th)$23.0M (31st)
Roster cost per win$4.9M (26th)$11.5M (69th)
Projected wins per $1M0.31 (28th)0.17 (65th)
SP+ vs. payroll+1.9 (30th)-10.3 (64th)

NIL roster value from The NIL Standard (power-conference teams plus Boise State and Oregon State). Ranks are out of 70 teams with a valuation.

Where did each team's wins come from?

Illinois is +0.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is coaching (+0.5). Maryland is −1.5 wins against a .500 team; the biggest piece is schedule (−0.7).

IllinoisMaryland
RECEIPTS (total)+0.5 (57th)-1.5 (115th)
Schedule RECEIPTS0.0 (89th)-0.7 (123rd)
Roster RECEIPTS+0.2 (57th)+0.4 (45th)
Coach RECEIPTS+0.5 (47th)-0.7 (97th)
Luck RECEIPTS-0.3 (85th)-0.5 (99th)

Where the wins came from. Every team starts as a .500 team. Then each win (or loss) goes to the schedule, the roster, the coaching or luck, and the four add up to the real record. Wins above or below a .500 team.

Illinois at Maryland: questions people ask

Illinois vs. Maryland prediction: who will win?

The numbers pick Illinois, 72% chance to win. All three ratings favor the same team. Illinois' best matchup is its scoring offense, 58th in points per game, against Maryland's scoring defense at 127th.

Where can I watch Illinois vs. Maryland, and what time is it?

Sat, Oct 31, 12:00 PM ET at SECU Stadium. It's on FS1.

What's the projected score of Illinois vs. Maryland?

SP+ projects Illinois 34–27. That's from this season's SP+ offense, defense and special teams ratings, with home field worth 2.5 points.

What's the line for Illinois at Maryland?

DraftKings has Illinois −2.5, total 54.5. The numbers pick winners, not bets.

What's the Illinois vs. Maryland series history?

It's tied 2–2. Last meeting: Illinois won 24–6 in 2025.

Who are the players to watch in Illinois vs. Maryland?

Illinois: Katin Houser (1,468 passing yards), Aidan Laughery (514 rushing yards) and Collin Dixon (679 receiving yards). Maryland: Malik Washington (1,676 passing yards), DeJuan Williams (275 rushing yards) and Chris Durr Jr. (602 receiving yards). Season totals through Oct 24, 2026.

Who are the quarterbacks in Illinois at Maryland?

Illinois' is Katin Houser (1,468 passing yards this season); Maryland's is Malik Washington (1,676 passing yards this season).

Who's out for Illinois at Maryland?

Illinois: Katin Houser (QB), doubtful.

More on this game

Numbers through the games of Oct 24, 2026. SP+ as of Oct 27, 2026. Updated every week.

Illinois and Maryland: team pages with every stat and national rank. Compare any two teams.