Wrigley Field should suit Illini

If not for the unique venue, today's Illinois-Northwestern matchup would get ignored nationally. But the game means something because college football returns to Chicago's Wrigley Field after a 72-year absence.

The Wrigleyville Classic will feature Big Ten and in-state rivals, as the Illini are 7½-point favorites over the Wildcats in one of baseball's most hallowed shrines.

Although both teams will be forced to run their offenses to the west toward the third-base dugout because of configuration issues, a football game at Wrigley on the third Saturday in November stirs the emotions of many sports purists.

Illini coach Ron Zook, whose hot seat at the start of the season might have cooled to lukewarm, acknowledged the stadium configuration issues could have been handled better and perhaps earlier, but he said playing at Wrigley is "exciting" and his players are pumped about it.

Northwestern (7-3) and Illinois (5-5) have bowl hopes, but the teams are coming off far different outcomes.

Struggling Minnesota, a 21-point underdog, stunned Illinois in Champaign last week, 38-34.

Northwestern, a 9-point underdog, beat Iowa, 21-17. But the win was costly for the Wildcats, who lost quarterback Dan Persa for the season to an Achilles injury on the final play.

Backup quarterback Evan Watkins is an unknown quantity with little experience.

With Northwestern off one of the program's most significant victories in recent years and forced to replace Persa with an untested redshirt freshman, take the Fighting Illini and lay the points.

Eight more plays for today (home team in CAPS):

■ TENNESSEE (-9) over Vanderbilt -- The Commodores' offense has averaged 11 points in the past five games. The Volunteers, who own this in-state rivalry, are showing incremental improvements over the course of a trying season.

■ IOWA (+3) over Ohio State -- This Big Ten showdown sets up nicely for the technical handicapper who will be impressed by the Hawkeyes' point-spread performance off a straight-up loss (28-12 against the number since the start of the 2000 season) and as an underdog (28-16 during the same span).

■ Stanford-CALIFORNIA (Under 50½) -- Unlike nine previous Oregon opponents, the Golden Bears' defense made the Ducks' fast-break, quick-fire offense look ordinary last week. Cal might do the same against Stanford. Inexperienced Bears quarterback Brock Mansion, meanwhile, has consistently misfired since taking over for injured Kevin Riley.

■ Notre Dame (-8) over Army -- The Golden Knights' most impressive victory probably was last week's 45-28 win at Kent State. Notre Dame has played a much more testy schedule and should bring its full level of emotional energy to Yankee Stadium.

■ TEXAS A&M (+2½) over Nebraska -- Since losing three straight outright to Oklahoma State, Arkansas and Missouri, the Aggies have covered and won four consecutive games in impressive fashion. Texas A&M defensive coordinator Tim DeRuyter, who migrated to College Station from Air Force, has improved that unit by leaps and bounds in his first season.

■ Southern California (-3) over OREGON STATE -- For most of the past three seasons, Oregon State's offense has revolved around the talents of brothers Jacquizz and James Rodgers. With James Rodgers lost for the season because of injury, the Beavers' offense becomes a one-trick pony.

■ SAN DIEGO STATE (+2½) over Utah -- The Utes' season probably reached its zenith, while San Diego State continues to make great strides under second-year coach Brady Hoke, who is 11-3 against the spread as an underdog of six points or fewer.

■ Florida Atlantic (+21½) over TEXAS -- The Longhorns have covered two of their past 13 games and could be reserving any potential premium effort for Thanksgiving night against Texas A&M. The Owls' defense is among the Sun Belt Conference's top units, and it is difficult to envision the Longhorns scoring a bevy of points against any opponent.

Last week: 3-6 against the spread

Season: 34-43-3

Texas-based handicapper Paul Stone of Vegassportsauthority.com is providing college football analysis for the Las Vegas Review-Journal.