The Buffalo Bulls (2-1) face off against the Northern Illinois Huskies (2-0) on Saturday, September 21st. This game will be played at Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium in Dekalb and televised on ESPN+. Both team’s come into this one having won their previous games. Kickoff is set for 3:30 ET.
Buffalo Bulls vs Northern Illinois Huskies
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Buffalo Offense Breakdown
Buffalo’s offense was effective in their 34-3 win, racking up 316 total yards and 15 first downs. The Bulls found success on the ground, rushing for 131 yards and two touchdowns, while their passing game added 185 yards and another score.
Quarterback C.J. Ogbonna completed 63.6% of his passes for 185 yards, resulting in a passer rating of 105.3. On the ground, Lamar Sperling led the way with 86 yards on 16 carries, and JJ Jenkins was the top receiver with 44 yards on two catches.
Northern Illinois Offense Breakdown
Quarterback Ethan Hampton led Northern Illinois to a 16-14 upset over Notre Dame, throwing for 198 yards and one touchdown while completing 52.6% of his passes. Antario Brown was his top target, catching two passes for 126 yards and a touchdown.
The Huskies’ offense totaled 388 yards, with 190 yards coming on the ground. Antario Brown was the leading rusher, gaining 99 yards on 20 carries, and the team added 198 yards through the air.
Buffalo Team Defense
Buffalo’s defense was dominant in their last game, holding UMass to just 3 points and 193 total yards. The Bulls’ secondary was particularly effective, allowing only 121 passing yards on 14 completions and picking off one pass. UMass found no success on the ground, managing just 72 rushing yards on 37 attempts.
Buffalo Team Defense
After allowing 580 yards to Notre Dame, Northern Illinois’ defense will need to make some major adjustments. The Huskies gave up 364 rushing yards and six touchdowns on the ground, while also surrendering 216 yards through the air. Notre Dame’s offense moved the chains 27 times, and Northern Illinois will need to tighten up defensively to avoid a similar outcome in their next game.
Buffalo vs Northern Illinois Trends
- When looking at their past ten road matchups, Buffalo has an ATS record of 5-5 while averaging 20 per game. The team went 3-7 overall in these games.
- When looking at their past ten home matchups, Northern Illinois has an ATS record of 6-4 while averaging 29 per game. The team went 6-4 overall in these games.
- The last five games that Buffalo was the underdog, they have an ATS mark of 1-4 while going 1-4 straight up.
- Although the Northern Illinois Huskies have a strong straight up record in their last five games as the betting favorite, they have not done as well vs the spread going 2-3.
Bulls vs Huskies Prediction
Our projections have Northern Illinois winning their week four matchup against Buffalo by a score of 33-17. With the Huskies being -14 point favorites, we expect them to cover the spread.
For the over/under, with the line set at 43.5 points, our model is projecting a combined score of 50 points, making the over the best play for this matchup.
All odds are courtesy of Action247 Sportsbook. Good luck!!
* All odds are provided by Action247 Sportsbook and all odds subject to change.**All views expressed are my own. My picks are my own and are not a guarantee, bet at your own risk.Action247 does not warrant the accuracy of completeness of the information, text, graphics, links or other items contained within these post.
Last updated:September 17, 2024 Buffalo Bulls, Northern Illinois Huskies