The 2024 season for Northern Illinois was looking great at the beginning.
The Huskies first won decisively over Western Illinois before defeating No. 5-ranked Notre Dame. But things haven’t gone as well for NIU since then.
The Huskies are 5-4 overall and 2-3 against MAC teams. Though they likely won’t be making the conference championship, they still have a shot to earn bowl-eligibility with three games remaining in the regular season.
NIU could accomplish that tonight at home against Akron, which is 2-7 overall and 1-4 in conference play.
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Akron vs. NIU Betting Odds
Akron is a +14.5 college football betting odds underdog against Northern Illinois, with the Over/Under being 43.5.
The moneyline for Akron is +475, while it’s -650 for Northern Illinois.
Akron vs. NIU On TV
The matchup between Akron and Northern Illinois will be televised on CBSSN.
The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET on Wednesday, Nov. 13. The contest is taking place at Huskie Stadium in Dekalb, Illinois.
Akron vs. NIU Prediction
I predict Northern Illinois will win and cover the spread at +14.5. I also project the game will go Under 43.5 total points.
The Huskies may not be where they thought they’d be at this point of the season following their win over Notre Dame. But they can still make it to a bowl game, and with tougher games against Miami (Ohio) and Central Michigan after this, NIU might want to get that sixth win now.
I’m optimistic about how NIU’s defense is playing recently. The Huskies allow an average of 18.8 points per game this season. They also give up 287.7 yards per game. Both of those numbers are No. 1 in the MAC.
The Huskies’ offense hasn’t been fantastic, but they have scored 23 or more points in each of their last two outings. I think that level of play will be enough for the Huskies to win by three possessions against an Akron team that has struggled on offense throughout the year.
