Bowling Green and Northern Illinois meet for the third consecutive year in the MAC Championship game in Detroit. The Huskies blasted the Falcons in last year’s championship game 51-17, but Bowling Green won’t be denied in this year’s rematch.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Northern Illinois Huskies +9.5
Bowling Green -9.5
Over/Under 71
ODDS ANALYSIS
Bowling Green has been bet up to an 11-point favorite and the total has dipped to 69.
Bowling Green won eight of its last nine games while going 7-2 ATS, and despite a slightly inflated line, the Falcons are getting early support from the betting public.
KEY MISMATCH
The Bowling Green passing attack against the Northern Illinois pass defense.
The Falcons air attack is one of the best in the country and led the MAC with 360 passing yards per game. Quarterback Matt Johnson had a sensational senior season passing for over 4,400 yards with 41 touchdown passes and just six interceptions.
He threw 28 touchdowns and completed over 71 percent of his passes in MAC play, and four receivers caught at least 47 passes with over 70 yards per game in eight league contests.
The Northern Illinois pass defense was No. 2 in efficiency behind Bowling Green, and the Huskies 6.2 yards per pass defense and 55 percent completions against is solid. But they still won’t slow this Falcon’s pass attack which will spread the field and run at least 80 plays in this championship contest.
KEY STATS
In MAC games, Bowling Green led the league scoring 46 points per game and tied for the best scoring defense allowing 21 points per game.
Northern Illinois had the league’s worst punting game averaging a dismal 30 yards per punt while Bowling Green punter Joe Davidson was the league’s top punter with a 44 yard average and 41 net.
Bowling Green averaged over 28 first downs per game and a superb 56 percent conversions on third down.
BETTING ANGLE
The Huskies are 5-1-1 ATS in their last seven conference games but 2-8 ATS in their last 10 games played in the month of December.
The Falcons are 6-1 ATS in their last seven conference games.
ANALYSIS AND PREDICTION
The defensive stats are nearly even with both teams allowing near 400 yards and 5.0 yards per play in MAC action. But the Falcons explosive offense won’t be slowed in this redemption rematch in the MAC championship game.
Northern Illinois led the MAC in rushing at 242 yards per game with the most rushing attempts. They will try to control the ball, clock and chains on the ground, but the Falcons run defense is pretty good with each teams rushing defenses nearly even allowing near 150 yards per game and 3.9 yards per rush.
The Falcons rush for nearly 200 yards per game and their 4.9 yards per rush is better than the Huskies. Senior running back Travis Green rushed for 100 yards per game and 6.0 yards per rush in MAC play.
The only thing that can slow the Falcons is penalties, and this team also led the league in interceptions, fewest giveaways and had a league-best plus-10 turnover margin in MAC play.
Despite the inflated line, the Falcons have the weapons to extend and won’t hold back if given the chance following last year’s championship embarrassment to the Huskies.
Fly with the Falcons in the MAC championship.
Bowling Green 44, Northern Illinois 24
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Real-time spreads, totals, props and moneyline odds are all available by clicking here so start betting with BookMaker today! The Northern Illinois Huskies and Bowling Green Falcons square off on Friday, December 4, 2015, at 8:00 p.m. ET at Ford Field in the MAC championship game. You can watch the game live on ESPN2.
