Northern Illinois (1-0) at Northwestern (0-1) Sept. 6, 2:30, BTN

Here's The Deal: Northwestern found just about every way to lose last year, but against Cal, it found a whole new level. The Wildcats forgot the season started and were down 17 in the first half and 31-7 in the second before the offense woke up and scored 17 unanswered points. It wasn’t enough, and now it’s make-or-break time for a season that could all but be over before it gets going. Meanwhile, it was business as usual for Northern Illinois as it steamrolled past Presbyterian 55-3 in a perfect warm-up act. With road games at UNLV and Arkansas ahead, it could be a rough stretch, but the Huskies can make a bit of a statement for a conference that desperately needs to come up with something splashy.

Why Northern Illinois Might Win: Cal came out fast, efficient and effective, taking advantage of Northwestern mistakes and mixing things up just enough offensively to keep the chains moving. Defensively, the Bears were able to keep Northwestern from doing anything deep, holding Trevor Siemian and the passing game to just 5.5 yards per pass. NIU has to keep everything underneath.

Why Northwestern Might Win: No way, no how Northwestern comes out flat at home for a second game in a row. The defensive back seven is far better than it looked against the Bears, and it should be able to load up and slow down an NIU running game that was great without Jordan Lynch against Presbyterian, but will need to prove the downfield passing game can be consistent. Cal only averaged 2.5 yards per carry against the Cats.

Who To Watch Out For: No one’s asking for Matt McIntosh to be another Lynch, but he was effective and keeping the NIU offense moving last week hitting on 10-of-14 passes for 87 yards and a score. He led Joel Bouagnon and Akeem Daniels to do the work with the two combining for 215 rushing yards with Bouagnon scoring four times. If the Huskies are going to pull this off, there has to be a balance, but the running game has to control the game and the clock. It’s going to take several players to do that.

What’s Going To Happen: Northwestern will win, but no one will be doing cartwheels over its performance. The offense is going to be sluggish, but it’ll do enough to pull away in the fourth.

Prediction: Northwestern 31 … Northern Illinois 17

Who cares what they think? You know they're going to pick the P5 team.

NIU's only going to score 17? Haha, okay.

(09-03-2014 09:22 AM)7 Wrote:  NIU's only going to score 17? Haha, okay.

Well because NU only gave up 2.5 ypc against Cal's vaunted rushing attack. lol

(09-03-2014 09:27 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  

(09-03-2014 09:22 AM)7 Wrote:  NIU's only going to score 17? Haha, okay.

Well because NU only gave up 2.5 ypc against Cal's vaunted rushing attack. lol

Which the TV announcers even said that Cal had no running game plan other than their 2nd QB.

I used to read CFN but after NIU's strong run the past few yeas and STILL the incredible lack of respect, I won't be visiting their website anymore.. I'm a homer...but I am fine with them picking NW to win... what I don't care for is their condescending tone they address all none P5s with..its incredible

What a joke.

I don't expect CFN to make sense anymore, they live in their own anti-NIU world, where NIU is #84 in the country and Purdue is #80.

With the way the review is written their final prediction seems really out of left field.

(09-03-2014 09:10 AM)NIU007 Wrote:  Who cares what they think? You know they're going to pick the P5 team.

Clucko the Chicken is usually spot on for his bowl picks though.

CFN is probably down on the Huskies because the way the season ended last year. I don't mind, it will just make winning even sweeter.

http://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com...-mac-team/

Many seem to have fallen on the Northwestern bandwagon in recent years. After this weekend, they may be found jumping off the bandwagon as it bursts into flames and goes crashing off the highway.

CFN is already a third rate publication, so I think that there are bigger fish to fry (like the Mildcats!)

(09-03-2014 10:04 AM)timxlydon Wrote:  CFN is probably down on the Huskies because the way the season ended last year. I don't mind, it will just make winning even sweeter.

No, they're down on the Huskies every year. We always start the year ranked 80+. And the last straw is Purdue of all teams being ranked ahead of us. It's so pathetic it's funny. I used to look at that website for the info but I don't want to give that site any more hits. I give up.

Welp...hope we prove them wrong.

We sucked b*llz at the end of last year...losing to BGSU (who just got KILLED to start the year) and looked like crap in the bowl game...can't really blame folks, we crapped the bed. Then we lose Lynch and Ward, what do you want people to think?

Huskies have ample chance to change the perception over the next 3 weeks.

(09-03-2014 10:25 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  Welp...hope we prove them wrong.

We sucked b*llz at the end of last year...losing to BGSU (who just got KILLED to start the year) and looked like crap in the bowl game...can't really blame folks, we crapped the bed. Then we lose Lynch and Ward, what do you want people to think?

Huskies have ample chance to change the perception over the next 3 weeks.

(09-03-2014 10:25 AM)17Huskies Wrote:  Welp...hope we prove them wrong.

We sucked b*llz at the end of last year...losing to BGSU (who just got KILLED to start the year) and looked like crap in the bowl game...can't really blame folks, we crapped the bed. Then we lose Lynch and Ward, what do you want people to think?

Huskies have ample chance to change the perception over the next 3 weeks.

Can't argue with anything said there.

It is important to remember that last year BG and Utah St had some of the better defenses, not just in their conferences, but in the country. No shame in losing those games. Having picked NU by 10, I cant really go after them too much on the prediction, although I think they are dismissing NIU as the "one-trick pony" a bit too much. Lynch is gone but if they took a deeper list at the roster, they would see the cupboard is far from bare. They give NU that benefit of the doubt and not NIU, it is what it is. I have a bigger issue with them having NIU at 84. I know for certain there are not 83 better teams in college football than NIU.

(09-03-2014 11:15 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  It is important to remember that last year BG and Utah St had some of the better defenses, not just in their conferences, but in the country. No shame in losing those games. Having picked NU by 10, I cant really go after them too much on the prediction, although I think they are dismissing NIU as the "one-trick pony" a bit too much. Lynch is gone but if they took a deeper list at the roster, they would see the cupboard is far from bare. They give NU that benefit of the doubt and not NIU, it is what it is. I have a bigger issue with them having NIU at 84. I know for certain there are not 83 better teams in college football than NIU.

And there aren't 50 teams worse than Purdue.

(09-03-2014 11:15 AM)MaddDawgz02 Wrote:  It is important to remember that last year BG and Utah St had some of the better defenses, not just in their conferences, but in the country. No shame in losing those games. Having picked NU by 10, I cant really go after them too much on the prediction, although I think they are dismissing NIU as the "one-trick pony" a bit too much. Lynch is gone but if they took a deeper list at the roster, they would see the cupboard is far from bare. They give NU that benefit of the doubt and not NIU, it is what it is. I have a bigger issue with them having NIU at 84. I know for certain there are not 83 better teams in college football than NIU.

You are doing the same thing though by predicting a 10 point NU win. NIU beat Iowa and Purdue last season, and so far it doesn't appear that NU has gotten any better since last season. Why can't you give NIU the benefit of the doubt that they are still capable of beating a B1G team?