Northern Illinois Huskies vs Fresno State Bulldogs NCAAF Betting Prediction
PublishedDecember 12, 2024,            Posted By: Maria Uebelhor
Last updated:December 12, 2024 ,

NCAAF Northern Illinois vs Fresno State Prediction Bowl

The Northern Illinois Huskies (7-5) face off against the Fresno State Bulldogs (6-6) on Monday, December 23rd. This game will be played at Albertsons Stadium in Boise and televised on ESPN. Northern Illinois is coming off a win in their previous game, while Fresno State is looking to get back on track from a loss to the UCLA. Kickoff is set for 2:30 ET.

Northern Illinois Huskies vs Fresno State Bulldogs

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Northern Illinois Offense Breakdown

Northern Illinois has leaned heavily on their ground game, ranking 12th in the nation with 41.8 rushing attempts per game and averaging 208.6 rushing yards per contest, placing them 20th nationally. Gavin Williams leads the team with 741 rushing yards, averaging 5 yards per carry, and has scored four touchdowns.

The Huskies are averaging 24.2 points per game and rank 104th in our offensive power rankings heading into week 10. Ethan Hampton has thrown for 1,600 yards with 12 touchdowns and six interceptions. Northern Illinois ranks 116th in passing yards per game. Trayvon Rudolph leads the team with 392 receiving yards.

Fresno State Offense Breakdown

Fresno State’s offense has leaned heavily on their passing game, ranking 18th in completions and averaging 244.7 yards per game. They are 56th in scoring, with 26.6 points per game, and sit 93rd in our offensive power rankings heading into week 1. Mikey Keene has thrown for 2,887 yards and 18 touchdowns, but also has 11 interceptions, giving him a passer rating of 95.

Keene’s completion percentage is 70.4%, and Fresno State ranks 4th nationally in this category. On the ground, they are 121st, averaging just 97.4 rushing yards per game. Elijah Gilliam leads the rushing attack with 466 yards and eight touchdowns. Mac Dalena has 941 receiving yards and eight touchdowns.

Northern Illinois Team Defense

Northern Illinois’ defense has been a strong point this season, ranking 12th nationally by allowing just 18.4 points per game. They’ve also held opponents to 113.2 rushing yards per game and 169.2 passing yards, which ranks 13th in the country.

In their recent game against Central Michigan, the defense gave up only 16 points and 204 total yards. They allowed 112 rushing yards on 31 attempts and 92 passing yards, while also forcing an interception.

Northern Illinois Team Defense

Fresno State’s defense allowed 20 points in their recent 20-13 loss to UCLA, giving up 365 total yards. They limited UCLA to 76 rushing yards on 31 attempts but allowed 289 passing yards.

On the season, Fresno State’s defense is ranked 45th nationally, allowing 24.6 points per game. Opponents have averaged 139.1 rushing yards per game and 217 passing yards, completing 54.5% of their throws.

Northern Illinois vs Fresno State Trends

  • Through their last ten road games, Northern Illinois has an ATS record of just 6-4. However, their overall record was 5-5 while averaging 28 points per game.
  • Through their last three home games, Fresno State has an ATS record of just 1-1-1. However, their overall record was 1-2 while averaging 21 points per game.
  • Looking back on the team’s last five games as the underdog, the Fresno State Bulldogs have a straight up record of 1-4. Their record vs the spread in these games was 3-2.
  • Over the team’s last three games as the favorite, the Northern Illinois Huskies struggled vs the spread going just 1-2. However, they still had a straight up mark of 3-0.

Huskies vs Bulldogs Prediction

We’re projecting a 25-22 win for Fresno State, who come into this game as +3 point underdogs at home. With this projection, we like Fresno State to cover the spread.

For the over/under, our model has a combined score of 47 points, which is well above the current line of 42.5 points. This makes the over the best play for the total.

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.