The Northern Illinois Huskies look to make it four straight when they host the Eastern Michigan Eagles at Huskie Stadium in a MAC showdown this Thursday. The conference game is slated to get started on Thursday, October 26th at 7:00 p.m. EST. The rivalry can be viewed on ESPN3.com for your Thursday evening entertainment. As of Monday, the Huskies are a -7.5 point favorite and the contest’s total currently sits at 45 points.
The Eastern Michigan Eagles are coming into this game off another heartbreaking 20-17 loss in overtime at to the Western Michigan Broncos. The Eagles were hoping to end a four-game skid but wound up losing by a lowly field goal at home. Now, they will have to look at every game as a must-win or their chances of a second-straight postseason berth will be dashed.
The Northern Illinois Huskies are trending in a completely different direction. The Huskies made it three wins in a row when they laid the wood to Bowling Green 52-10 on the road. As a result, they are 5-2 with their only two losses coming by a combined nine points to Boston College and the Aztecs.
Last year, Northern Illinois went into Eastern Michigan and handed the Eagles another 31-24 defeat in overtime. The victory was also the Huskies ninth straight win over the Eagles dating back to 2007.
Eastern Michigan Eagles (2-5)
Well, the Eagles certainly didn’t envision themselves at 2-5 and on the cusp of missing a post-season berth when their season started back on September 1st. Unfortunately, the Eagles can’t find a way to win the close ones in 2017. The latest setback in overtime marked the fifth straight time Eastern Michigan lost by seven points or less.
Quarterback Brogan Roback is proving to the MAC Conference that he can burn defenses through the air. The senior signal-caller has completed 165 of his 267 passes for just over 1,800 yards. The production through the air has been nice but his decision making is a bit of a concern. So far, Roback has struck for 10 touchdowns but also has eight interceptions.
When the season started, many thought the Eagles would display a balanced offense. With two of the better running backs in the conference, I could certainly see why. Instead, they have become a passing club because of the lack of production out of the backfield. Tailbacks Ian Erickson and Shaq Vann have combined for 141 carries for only 550 yards and four scores.
With Eastern Michigan taking to the air to move the ball down the field, wideout Sergio Bailey has developed into a stellar weapon. The shifty pass-catcher has reeled in a team-high 41 balls for 559 yards with four trips to the end zone. On the other side, Antoine Porter is also doing his part to keep the chains moving. Porter has managed to catch another 33 passes for just under 400 yards and three scores. Numbers don’t lie, and the numbers say that these two receivers are the best duo in the MAC.
The Eagles defense did have some trouble slowing the Broncos down last week. Overall, they conceded 422 total yards of offense. However, they still held gave up only 17 points before it went into extra time. They have been tremendous when it comes to defending the pass this season. The secondary ranks eighth in the nation, allowing only 167 yards per game.
Northern Illinois Huskies (5-2)
The Northern Illinois Huskies are starting to roll and are looking like one of the top teams in the MAC Conference. Picked to finish in the middle of the pack, the Huskies have been a pleasant surprise for their fans this season. More importantly, they have won five of their last six contests and are 3-0 in MAC play.
Two quarterbacks have teamed up to keep the Huskies offense rolling throughout the first half of the year. Daniel Santacaterina handled the offense through the first three games in 2017. The sophomore was average, throwing for 649 yards with six touchdowns and five picks. After sustaining an injury, Marcus Childers stepped in and has performed much better. The backup has tossed the ball for just under 600 yards with seven scores and only one pick. Santacaterina is no longer injured but because of the outstanding play, Childers should be under center for this one.
The Huskies prefer to move the ball via their ground attack. The unit has been productive, ranking 40th in the country. Tailback Jordan Huff leads the way with 85 carries for 450 yards and a trip to the promised land. Quarterback Marcus Childers is also a threat with his feet, scampering for another 275 yards on 75 carries with two more scores.
Four wideouts group up to do most of the damage when Northern Illinois throws the ball around the field. Together, the foursome has caught 94 passes for just under 1,000 yards and nine touchdowns. Tight end Shane Wimann is becoming quite the red zone threat for the Huskies. The 6’4, 250-pound athlete has only 17 catches but five have them have gone for touchdowns.
Northern Illinois defense was lights-out in their triumph over the Bowling Green Eagles last week. In fact, they allowed 367 total yards which included only 175 yards in the air. They have played outstanding defense, and rank in the top 15 in the Country in total three categories. As a whole, the Huskies surrender only 16.7 points a game which is 13th in Division I football.
Prediction
This MAC Conference match-up has all the makings of a low scoring, highly contested affair. Las Vegas has the Huskies as a touchdown favorite and the game’s over/under at a low 45 points. Obviously, Sin City thinks the exact same thing. The real question is, can the Eagles finally find a way to win a close one and keep their bowl hopes alive.
I think they can. The Eagles have a stout secondary which should keep the Huskies one-dimensional. Even though Northern Illinois likes to run and the Eagles’ front seven has struggled, I still like the fact they can move the ball through the air. Brogan Roback has to limit the interceptions in this game and the Eagles should be able to hang around.
I certainly don’t expect these two clubs move up and down the field on each other but the 45 points are really low. I suggest that my readers use the seven points to their advantage and boost it up to seven and a half to utilize the hook. Take Eastern Michigan to stay within a touchdown but lose another close one to dash their hopes of another bowl appearance. #moneytreesgrow @EriktheHun
Trends
The Eagles are 15-5-1 ATS in their last 21 road games.
The Eagles are 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games overall.
The Under is 15-3 in the Eagles last 18 games overall.
The Huskies are 7-2 ATS in their last 9 games overall.
The Huskies are 15-7-1 ATS in their last 23 conference games.
The Under is 9-3 in the Huskies last 12 games overall.
Road team is 12-3-1 ATS in their last 16 meetings.
