Northern Illinois started the season off on a high note with a lopsided victory over Western Illinois. But will NIU, which could be in the hunt for a MAC Championship at the end of the season, keep the momentum going this week?
The Huskies are playing at Notre Dame, which is ranked fifth in the Associated Press Top 25. The Fighting Irish have a good shot of making the College Football Playoff, but stumbling against NIU would severely affect those hopes.
In other words, Notre Dame needs a win.
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Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame Betting
Notre Dame is a -28.5 college football betting odds favorite against NIU, with the Over/Under being 44.5.
Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame On TV
The matchup between Northern Illinois and Notre Dame will be televised on NBC and Peacock.
The game will kick off at 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Sept. 7. The contest is taking place at Notre Dame Stadium in Notre Dame, Indiana.
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Northern Illinois vs. Notre Dame Prediction
I predict Notre Dame will win but Northern Illinois will cover the spread at +28.5. I also project this game will go Over 44.5 total points.
After beating Texas A&M last week, Notre Dame showed it is ready to compete for a CFP spot. The Fighting Irish defense should ultimately help them prevail.
However, I do think Northern Illinois has enough talent on offense to make this interesting early on. Antario Brown is a star running back in the MAC, and wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph is coming off a strong performance after catching four passes for 104 yards and a touchdown last week.
The Huskies may fall by double digits. But I don’t think they’ll lose by more than four touchdowns.
