We stayed on the sidelines for the first few weeks, but with the dust starting to settle, it's time to jump into the fray!

This Saturday, the Illinois Fighting Illini host the Chippewas of Central Michigan. Illinois is coming in off of one of its biggest wins in recent memory, a victory over top-25 Kansas. Central Michigan, meanwhile, turned the ball over six times in an embarrassing blowout loss to Florida International at Pitbull Stadium.

The Illini represent yet another poor matchup for the MAC stalwarts. CMU quarterback Joe Labas was responsible for five interceptions and goes up against a defense anchored by corner Xavier Scott, who earned Big Ten Defensive Player of the Week honors for his performance against the Jayhawks. On the other side, Illinois moved the ball well against a tough Kansas defense, and to steal a phrase from my horse racing jargon, this spot represents significant "class relief."

18 1/2 isn't a small spread, but I don't think this game is a close one. Give me the Illini here in a game I see as pretty one-sided (especially if Labas and company once again have trouble taking care of the football).