Western Michigan Broncos vs Northern Illinois Huskies November 6th 2024
ESPN2 will be covering the Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Western Michigan Broncos matchup, set to kick off at 7:00 ET from Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo. The Huskies are the slight -1.5-point road favorites, with the over/under line currently at 52.5 points. Northern Illinois has a 4-4 record this season, while Western Michigan comes in at 5-3. The money line odds are -122 for the Huskies and +102 for the Broncos.
Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan Key Information
- Teams: Huskies at Broncos
- Where: Waldo Stadium Kalamazoo
- Date: Wednesday, November 6th
- Betting Odds NILL -122 | WMICH +102 O/U 52.5
The Huskies Can Win If…
Northern Illinois enters Week 11 with a 4-4 record and an 88.4% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. They are ranked 90th in our power rankings and have gone 2-2 on the road this season.
The Huskies have a +5.8 average scoring margin and are 3-2-1 against the spread. They are 3-1 ATS on the road but have gone 0-2-1 as the favorite.
This week’s over/under line is 52.5 points, compared to an average line of 45 points for Northern Illinois games. Their over/under record is 2-4, with games averaging 41 points.
Northern Illinois has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 17th nationally in rushing attempts per game, with an average of 42.8 carries. This has translated into 207 rushing yards per game, placing them 30th in the country. Antario Brown leads the team with 516 rushing yards, four touchdowns, and an average of 4 yards per carry.
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Overall, the Huskies are averaging 23.4 points per game, and we have them ranked 108th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 11. Quarterback Ethan Hampton has thrown for 1,100 yards, with nine touchdowns and five interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 84. Cam Thompson leads the receiving corps with 372 yards and three touchdowns.
Despite their recent 25-23 loss to Ball State, Northern Illinois’ defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 12th nationally by allowing just 17.6 points per game. In the game, they gave up 25 points, including 222 passing yards and two touchdowns, while holding Ball State to 170 rushing yards on 40 carries.
Opponents have averaged 111.9 rushing yards per game against Northern Illinois, ranking them 28th in the nation. Through the air, the defense has allowed just 164.6 passing yards per game, which is the 15th-lowest in college football, with quarterbacks completing 56.7% of their passes.
- Over their last three regular season games, the Northern Illinois Huskies have gone 1-2 straight up. Their record against the spread in this stretch is 1-2 to go along with an over-under mark of 1-2.
- The Northern Illinois Huskies have gone 6-4 over their last ten regular season games. The team’s record vs the spread was just 5-4-1, in addition to an over-under mark of 4-5-1.
The Broncos Can Win If…
Western Michigan enters Week 11 with a 5-3 record, ranked 105th in our power rankings. They have a 92.4% chance of becoming bowl-eligible. At home, they are 2-0, while their road record stands at 2-3.
The Broncos are 4-3 against the spread, going 2-0 at home and 2-3 on the road. They’ve been favored in three games, with a 2-1 ATS record as the favorite.
Western Michigan’s over/under record is 5-2, with their games averaging 67.8 points. Their average over/under line is 54.5, and this week’s line is set at 52.5 points.
Western Michigan’s offense is averaging 34 points per game heading into week 11, ranking 25th in the nation. They are also 27th in rushing, with 212.4 yards per game. Jaden Nixon has rushed for 752 yards, averaging 7 yards per carry, and has scored 10 touchdowns. We have them ranked 38th in our offensive power rankings.
Quarterback Hayden Wolff has thrown for 1,586 yards, with a passer rating of 115. He has 15 touchdown passes and three interceptions, completing 68.8% of his passes. Western Michigan ranks 11th in passer rating and 15th in completion percentage. Anthony Sambucci leads the team with 319 receiving yards and two touchdowns.
Western Michigan’s defense has struggled this season, allowing 33.8 points per game. They rank 124th nationally in rushing yards allowed, giving up 174.1 yards per game, and 141st in passing yards, surrendering 257.5 yards per game. Opposing quarterbacks have a 100.4 passer rating and a 63.1% completion rate against the Broncos.
In their recent game against Kent State, Western Michigan’s defense gave up 21 points but allowed just 250 total yards. They held Kent State to 136 rushing yards on 39 attempts and 114 passing yards, while also forcing two interceptions.
- Western Michigan will look to keep things rolling as they have put together a mark of 3-0 over their past three games. In addition, their ATS record over this stretch is 2-1 while posting a 3-0 over-under mark.
- The Western Michigan Broncos have gone 7-3 over their last ten regular season games. Against the spread, Western Michigan went 6-4 in these games and finished with an over-under mark of 6-4.
The Lean
The over/under line for this matchup is set at 52.5 points, and with our projected score of 46 points, the under looks to be the best bet.
Currently, the Northern Illinois Huskies are -1.5 point favorites on the road. We expect them to cover the spread as they come into this game with a 26-20 projected win over Western Michigan.