The Northern Illinois Huskies were 10-point favorites in their regular season opener and lost in triple overtime to Wyoming. Now there are legitimate questions about where they fit in the college football landscape. The Huskies will aim to turn it around in Week 2 but have a tough test as they travel to face the South Florida Bulls.
South Florida took care of business in its first game and will enter this game as the heavy favorite. Northern Illinois wants to show its season-opening showing wasn’t indicative of its talent level but must play very well to pull the upset.
This matchup in Week 2 of the regular season will take place on Saturday, September 10, 2016, at 4 p.m. ET at Raymond James Stadium.
College Football Odds at BookMaker.eu
Northern Illinois +14.5
South Florida -14.5
Over/Under 57
Odds Analysis
The Bulls are more than two touchdown favorites, and that lofty spread hasn’t shied the bettors away from jumping on that line. South Florida is being chosen to cover the spread 87 percent of the time, so most gamblers foresee a blowout.
The more common choice on the scoring total is the “over,” as 75 percent of the bettors believe the points will surpass the set number of 57.
Player to Watch
South Florida quarterback Quinton Flowers: The dual-threat signal-caller was impressive in his debut last week, throwing for 178 yards and two touchdowns while adding a pair of scores on the ground in a 56-20 blowout of Towson.
The Bulls have a standout running back in Marlon Mack, and if Flowers can keep the Northern Illinois defense honest with his arm, the Bulls’ offense could be tough to stop.
Northern Illinois may have technically given up 40 points in its opener, only 27 of those came in regulation and 13 in overtime. It wasn’t a great showing against a mediocre Wyoming offense, but it wasn’t quite the disaster it looks like with just a glance at the final score.
However, Flowers is dynamic and will be a big challenge for a Northern Illinois defense which is still breaking in many key pieces.
Key Stat
Five. Consecutive regular season wins for South Florida, dating back to last season. The Bulls have found a nice groove and hope to duo of of Flowers and Mack can lead them to solid success this season.
South Florida seems like it has the talent to make a bowl game. The prestige increases the more wins a team gets, so while this is a non-conference matchup, the Bulls would love to secure it.
South Florida has now won the past four regular season games in blowout fashion and will aim to continue that trend against a Northern Illinois team that is a big underdog.
Free ATS Pick
Northern Illinois has long been one of the better small-conference football programs, but the results of the first week don’t bode well. Quarterback Drew Hare had a nice game and his presence gives the Huskies hope.
Additionally, running back Kenny Golladay had six carries for 82 yards, 10 catches for 144 yards and three total touchdowns against Wyoming, so he is a burgeoning star.
There were some bright spots for Northern Illinois last week, but the result was bad in a game it was a big favorite. The Bulls took care of business against Towson and will aim for a 2-0 start.
They should get there, but expect the Huskies to put up a much better effort and cover the spread.
College Football Odds: South Florida 31, Northern Illinois 21
BookMaker offers play-by-play betting odds for live sporting events every day! The user-friendly wagering interface on your smartphone provides an easy way to place bets on the go. Mobile betting lines are updated by the minute, so click here to start gambling on thrilling live action at BookMaker Sportsbook!
