Brandon Peters and the Illinois Fighting Illini will match up with Chase Garbers and the California Golden Bears in the 2019 Redbox Bowl. Justin Wilcox's team finished the season with three wins in the last four games, while Lovie Smith and the Fighting Illini lost their final two contests. Kickoff is at 4 p.m. ET on Monday at Levi's Stadium.

Sportsbooks list California as a six-point favorite, off a half-point from the opener, while the Over-Under, or total number of points Vegas thinks will be scored, is up to 46.5 in the latest California vs. Illinois odds. Before you make any Cal vs. Illinois picks or 2019 Redbox Bowl predictions, see what SportsLine's advanced computer model has to say.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Over the past four-plus years, the proprietary computer model has generated a stunning profit of almost $4,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. It also went a sizzling 8-2 on all picks against the spread during Championship Week. Anyone who has followed it has seen HUGE returns.

California vs. Illinois odds

Now, the model has set its sights on California vs. Illinois. We can tell you that the model is leaning Under, and it's also generated a strong against the spread pick that is hitting in almost 60 percent of simulations. You can head to SportsLine to see it. Now, here are several college football lines for California vs. Illinois.

  • California vs. Illinois spread: California -6
  • California vs. Illinois over-under: 46.5 points
  • California vs. Illinois money line: California -245, Illinois +200
  • CAL: Golden Bears were 3-1 ATS in their last four games
  • ILL: Fighting Illini have covered in six of the last seven games

Why Illinois can cover

The model knows Illinois finished the season on a sour note, losing its final two games. However, Illinois has a clear edge in the special teams battle, finishing within the top 10 nationally in overall efficiency. Given that California finished outside the top 100 in special teams, hidden yardage could be key for Illinois and that provides an under-the-radar advantage.

The Illini can also lean on a slightly above-average defense, especially considering that California often struggled to generate consistent offense. In the last eight games of 2019, the Golden Bears topped 24 points on only two occasions, setting the stage for a potential slug-fest that could favor Illinois. 

Why Cal can cover

Just because the Fighting Illini have a few edges doesn't mean they'll cover the California vs. Illinois point spread in the Redbox Bowl 2019. California ended the season in encouraging fashion. The Golden Bears held opponents to 21 points or fewer in nine of 12 games this season. Illinois' offense is not as effective on a baseline level than most of the competition in the Pac-12 and, even with the Fighting Illini presenting a better defense than Cal is used to, moving the ball is always the question with the Golden Bears.

Redshirt sophomore Chase Garbers has been a superior option at quarterback this season, and his presence also helps inspire belief that the offense can function at a high level. Cal also has a default advantage with a virtual home-field edge, given that Levi's Stadium is only a stone's throw from Berkeley.

So who wins California vs. Illinois in the Redbox Bowl 2019? And which side of the spread hits in nearly 60 percent of simulations? Visit SportsLine now to find out which side of the California vs. Illinois spread you need to jump on Monday, all from the model that has generated a stunning profit of almost $4,000 for $100 players on top-rated picks.