Point spread moving back up a little.
Do you think the weather will help us? NIU stronger running game?

Isnt this the first team besides iowa we are playing with a winning record?

I think this line means that Vegas believes the NIU front four will get into BAllz back field and do some damage early and often.

(11-11-2013 04:00 PM)cartershaw Wrote:  Isnt this the first team besides iowa we are playing with a winning record?

First FBS team. EIU has a winning record.

@EyeOnCFB: This week’s Line Study looks at NIU/Ball St, Oklahoma St/Texas, Georgia/Auburn, Baylor/TxTech & KState/TCU - http://t.co/6ss29bXKJJ

THE GAMES YOU'LL BE WATCHING

Ball State at No. 15 Northern Illinois (-6.5)

Listen, the MAC is filled with a lot of bad teams this season. Many of whom take up plenty of spots in my Best Worst Ten list every week, but on Wednesday night Northern Illinois will put its unbeaten record and BCS hopes on the line against a Ball State team that is most certainly not bad.

Pete Lembo's Ball State team will come to DeKalb on Wednesday night with a 9-1 mark on the season, and an impressive 7-3 mark against the spread this season. Now, that mark against the spread also includes a 4-1 record ATS on the road this season. Also, since Pete Lembo took over the Ball State program, the Cardinals are 8-2 ATS as a road underdog like they will be this Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, while Northern Illinois is a more-than-respectable 6-3 ATS this season, it's only 1-2 at home. In fact, the only team the Huskies managed to cover against at home this season was Eastern Michigan, and Eastern Michigan is terrible. They were not able to cover against Akron -- which is 3-7-- or FCS opponent Eastern Illinois.

So when I look at these trends, I can't help but think that Ball State +6.5 points is the right play here.

(11-11-2013 05:24 PM)HuskieJohn Wrote:  @EyeOnCFB: This week’s Line Study looks at NIU/Ball St, Oklahoma St/Texas, Georgia/Auburn, Baylor/TxTech & KState/TCU - http://t.co/6ss29bXKJJ

THE GAMES YOU'LL BE WATCHING

Ball State at No. 15 Northern Illinois (-6.5)

Listen, the MAC is filled with a lot of bad teams this season. Many of whom take up plenty of spots in my Best Worst Ten list every week, but on Wednesday night Northern Illinois will put its unbeaten record and BCS hopes on the line against a Ball State team that is most certainly not bad.

Pete Lembo's Ball State team will come to DeKalb on Wednesday night with a 9-1 mark on the season, and an impressive 7-3 mark against the spread this season. Now, that mark against the spread also includes a 4-1 record ATS on the road this season. Also, since Pete Lembo took over the Ball State program, the Cardinals are 8-2 ATS as a road underdog like they will be this Wednesday night.

Meanwhile, while Northern Illinois is a more-than-respectable 6-3 ATS this season, it's only 1-2 at home. In fact, the only team the Huskies managed to cover against at home this season was Eastern Michigan, and Eastern Michigan is terrible. They were not able to cover against Akron -- which is 3-7-- or FCS opponent Eastern Illinois.

So when I look at these trends, I can't help but think that Ball State +6.5 points is the right play here.

Crap. We should forfeit.

Massey still likes NIU by 3 over Ball State but also still likes the Rockets 2 over the Huskies.

If NIU brings its best game, is prepared for trick plays and onside kicks and defends the pass well we will win.
This is a real test of our coaches ability to match wits with Pete Lembo.
We have a more talented QB and if our front line plays well, we should be favored to narrowly win a shootout!
If a large crowd shows up in the cold we will have a home field edge,despite the result of recent past years.
A strong wind will force them to rush, and their back-up RB sucks.
If we can cover their two stellar receivers we will win by double digits.
This game is critical for both programs and should be a game for the ages.
If their QB is on form and their top rusher is healthy we might be in for a long night.
Historically BSU builds leads and then we engineer a comeback.

I would guess that NIU wants a win irrespective of the spread.
Then again if everything clicks for Lynch , he will post big numbers to make his best case for the Heisman.

BSU remaining schedule is easy, while we dace Toledo the following week.
Expect them to through the kitchen sink at us.

The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

(11-11-2013 09:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

(11-11-2013 10:23 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 09:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

(11-11-2013 10:28 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:23 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 09:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

You forget Pete Lembo's ego.
Getting his top RB injured to crush CMU.
BSU has a history of starting big and croaking.
NIU is not under the microscope.
My biggest concern is that students fail to recognize how important this game is.

The players are well aware of what's at stake. I believe they will perform the way we have wanted them all year. This is what they have been waiting for.

(11-11-2013 10:33 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:28 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:23 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 09:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

You forget Pete Lembo's ego.
Getting his top RB injured to crush CMU.
BSU has a history of starting big and croaking.
NIU is not under the microscope.
My biggest concern is that students fail to recognize how important this game is.

We should be prepared now for a bad turnout, someone said 14k earlier, I think that's probably spot on.

(11-11-2013 10:37 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  The players are well aware of what's at stake. I believe they will perform the way we have wanted them all year. This is what they have been waiting for.

+1.

(11-11-2013 10:39 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:33 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:28 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:23 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 09:42 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  The only thing I don't like about this game is that BSU has every reason to play loose, there is not much pressure on them at all, and Im worried NIU could really come out tight. There is so much on the line for the Huskies. It was pretty amazing to see fathhuskies post advertising the game and just how much their was to play for : MACC, home win streak , conf win streak , BCS , etc

Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

You forget Pete Lembo's ego.
Getting his top RB injured to crush CMU.
BSU has a history of starting big and croaking.
NIU is not under the microscope.
My biggest concern is that students fail to recognize how important this game is.

We should be prepared now for a bad turnout, someone said 14k earlier, I think that's probably spot on.

I am optimistic for a good turnout, despite the cold weather. Huskie Nation shows up 20,000+ for the game. Who is with me on this?

(11-11-2013 10:45 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:39 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:33 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:28 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:23 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  Pete Lembo is playing for his future.
He will lose big time if NIU wins.
BSU is playing for a spot in the top 25 rankings.
I would call that pressure.

Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

You forget Pete Lembo's ego.
Getting his top RB injured to crush CMU.
BSU has a history of starting big and croaking.
NIU is not under the microscope.
My biggest concern is that students fail to recognize how important this game is.

We should be prepared now for a bad turnout, someone said 14k earlier, I think that's probably spot on.

I am optimistic for a good turnout, despite the cold weather. Huskie Nation shows up 20,000+ for the game. Who is with me on this?

I hope you are right, but I don't think so. We are fighting two things: the mid-week game syndrome and frigid night temps. Many people can't/won't do it. If Sean can't understand why we won't come close to having a full house, I'd be glad to explain why to him.

(11-11-2013 10:55 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:45 PM)ChicagoHuskie Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:39 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:33 PM)sterling1man Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:28 PM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  Its pressure but they have largely overachieved this year, the national microscope is not on them yet as much as it will be on the Huskies.

You forget Pete Lembo's ego.
Getting his top RB injured to crush CMU.
BSU has a history of starting big and croaking.
NIU is not under the microscope.
My biggest concern is that students fail to recognize how important this game is.

We should be prepared now for a bad turnout, someone said 14k earlier, I think that's probably spot on.

I am optimistic for a good turnout, despite the cold weather. Huskie Nation shows up 20,000+ for the game. Who is with me on this?

I hope you are right, but I don't think so. We are fighting two things: the mid-week game syndrome and frigid night temps. Many people can't/won't do it. If Sean can't understand why we won't come close to having a full house, I'd be glad to explain why to him.

I don't want to be overly critical of NIU, but I don't think they created the justified hype for this game. I thought it could have been sold much better than it was.

(11-11-2013 10:43 PM)HuskiePride12 Wrote:  

(11-11-2013 10:37 PM)badmoonrising13 Wrote:  The players are well aware of what's at stake. I believe they will perform the way we have wanted them all year. This is what they have been waiting for.

+1.

I know we won't panic if behind early but I would love to see how Ball State handles that position on the road.