Northern Illinois pulled off one of the most memorable Group of Five-Power Four upsets last year when the Huskies defeated Notre Dame.
Will the Huskies manage to pull off another P4 upset this year? It certainly won’t be easy.
NIU, which is expected to be one of the top teams in the MAC in 2025, will face Maryland on the road in Week 2.
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Northern Illinois vs. Maryland Betting Odds
Maryland is a -17 college football betting odds favorite against Northern Illinois, with the Over/Under being 46.5.
The moneyline for Northern Illinois is +600, while it’s -900 for Maryland.
Northern Illinois vs. Maryland On TV
The matchup between Northern Illinois and Maryland will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
The game will kick off at 7:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Sept. 5. The contest is taking place at SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland.
Northern Illinois vs. Maryland Prediction
I predict Maryland will win but Northern Illinois will cover the 17-point spread. I also project the game will go Under 46.5 total points.
Some might see NIU’s performance last week, a 19-17 win over FCS Holy Cross, and think that the Huskies won’t be able to keep this one close. But I think NIU will be scrappy and competitive.
NIU’s offense wasn’t spectacular a week ago, but I believe the Huskies will fix some of their mistakes and will be a little more balanced in this one. At the very least, I expect NIU to sustain some drives thanks to its rushing attack.
Chavon Wright led NIU with 77 yards and one touchdown on 11 carries while Telly Johnson Jr. added 67 yards on 21 rushing attempts against Holy Cross. I think those two will perform well enough to frustrate the Maryland defense.
And on the other side of the ball, NIU allowed just 217 yards to Holy Cross, which was 3 of 12 on third downs. If the Huskies can run the ball and play well defensively, this matchup with Maryland could be decided by 10 points or less.
