Week 2 · College Football

Duke vs Illinois prediction

The TailgateNinjas model gives Illinois a 75% chance to beat Duke in this College Football matchup. Updated August 29, 2026.

#70 Atlantic Coast Conference

Duke

4% to make the 12

@

#29 Big Ten Conference

Illinois

14% to make the 12

The model's read

SpreadIllinois −10.5Model
Projected scoreDuke 21 — Illinois 31

Illinois should handle it: 10.5-point edge, 75% to win.

Chaos meter50 · LEAN
50/ 100
CalmMayhem

Duke

25%

to win

Illinois

75%

to win

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Tale of the tape

2025 efficiency · ranks
Duke
vs
Illinois
#25Offense · EPA/play#39
#113Defense · EPA/play#98
#26Explosiveness#117
#31Success rate#15
18%Returning production53%

National ranks from last season (1 = best). The 2026 outlook builds on this.

Series history

3 meetings all-time

Illinois leads 2–1

Last met 2025 · Duke 19–45 Illinois— Illinois won

Both sidelines

via Google News

What Duke is hearing

What Illinois is hearing

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