MACtion rolls on with even more Wednesday night college football action.
The Northern Illinois Huskies (4-4, 1-3 MAC) travel to take on the Western Michigan Broncos (5-3, 4-0) on Wednesday, Nov. 6. The game kicks off at 7 p.m. ET and can be seen live on ESPN2.
NIU comes into the game as a slight 2.5-point favorite in the contest with a total set at 52.5. So, where does the betting value lie for the MAC matchup?
Check out my Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan predictions and college football picks for Wednesday, Nov. 6.
Northern Illinois Huskies vs Western Michigan Broncos Prediction
- Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan Pick: Western Michigan ML +105
My Western Michigan vs. NIU best bet is on the Broncos to win outright on the moneyline, with the best line currently available at FanDuel, according to our live NCAAF odds page.
Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Odds, Line, Spread
| Northern Illinois Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
-1.5 -112 | 51.5 -108o / -112u | -120 |
| Western Michigan Odds | ||
|---|---|---|
| Spread | Total | Moneyline |
+1.5 -108 | 51.5 -108o / -112u | +100 |
- Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Spread: NIU -1.5 · Western Michigan +1.5
- Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Over/Under: 51.5 Total Points
- Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Moneyline: NIU ML -120 · Western Michigan ML +100
Northern Illinois Football vs Western Michigan Football Preview
Northern Illinois Huskies Betting Preview: Struggling After Upset
Northern Illinois comes in off back-to-back conference losses against Toledo and Ball State, the latter coming in brutal fashion.
The Huskies took the lead with 15 seconds left on a 47-yard field goal by Kanon Woodill only to see Ball State go 39 yards the other way and drill a field goal of its own as time expired.
NIU could never seize control of the game, and inefficient offense created a major hole early for the Huskies.
Ultimately, it became a bad loss in a game they were heavy favorites and really needed to win.
The road win as 28-point underdogs at Notre Dame seems like eons ago for the Huskies, as NIU is just 1-3 in MAC play and buried several games back of the pack.
The NIU offense does have some statistical advantages against a WMU defense that has yielded some yards and points in recent weeks, but the Huskies offense hasn’t put together a completely dominant performance really since Week 1.
Western Michigan Broncos Betting Preview: Undefeated in Conference
Western Michigan sits atop the MAC standings at 4-0 in league play, although its four wins have come against arguably the four worst teams in the conference.
While the offense has found continuity behind solid quarterback play from former "G5 Hero of the Week” Hayden Wolff, the defense has allowed 400 yards in three of the last four weeks.
The Broncos are going to find out a lot about themselves in the next six days, as they have a showdown with Bowling Green on the road next Tuesday following this Wednesday night game against NIU.
Western Michigan vs NIU Matchup Analysis
Toggle the dropdowns below to hide or show how Western Michigan and NIU match up statistically:
Northern Illinois Offense vs. Western Michigan Defense
 | Offense |  Defense |  Edge |
| Rush Success | 34 | 109 | |
| Line Yards | 13 | 88 | |
| Pass Success | 72 | 128 | |
| Havoc | 73 | 55 | |
| Finishing Drives | 113 | 128 | |
| Quality Drives | 29 | 113 | |
Western Michigan Offense vs. Northern Illinois Defense
| Offense | Defense | Edge |
| Rush Success | 77 | 38 | |
| Line Yards | 62 | 64 |  |
| Pass Success | 15 | 21 | |
| Havoc | 22 | 26 | |
| Finishing Drives | 19 | 11 | |
| Quality Drives | 57 | 31 | |
Pace of Play / Other
| | |
| PFF Tackling | 5 | 83 |
| PFF Coverage | 29 | 91 |
| Special Teams SP+ | 115 | 36 |
| Middle 8 | 8 | 77 |
| Seconds per Play | 27.0 (61) | 27.7 (84) |
| Rush Rate | 59% (20) | 61% (16) |
How to Bet My Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Pick
I like Western Michigan to pick up the win at home and move one step closer to punching its ticket to the MAC title game.
WMU has won its first four conference games in emphatic fashion, and its offense is clicking at the right time. The Broncos have received excellent quarterback play from Wolff, and the run game has exploded three weeks in a row.
The Broncos are ranked 35th nationally in Offensive EPA Per Rush and 51st in Rushing Success Rate. The Broncos' ground game has gained strength as the season has progressed, with running back Jaden Nixon leading the way with 752 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground.
Wolff is completing 68% of his passes with a 15:3 touchdown-to-interception ratio. He should find success here against a Huskies defense that has been exposed through the air.
NIU ranks just 113th nationally in Defensive EPA Per Pass allowed and 116th in Defensive Pass Down Explosiveness surrendered.
The Huskies defense can be beaten over the top, and we haven’t seen the worst of it, as Bowling Green and Toledo were without their starting quarterbacks when they played NIU.
NIU is averaging just 19 points per game against FBS competition and has very little explosiveness. The Huskies rank just 116th nationally in Offensive Passing Explosiveness and 120th in Rushing Explosiveness.
Running back Antario Brown is a great player with a ton of talent, but he has not broken out this year, averaging just 4.6 yards per carry with four touchdowns on the ground.
The NIU offense just seems broken right now, and it's a major concern that it couldn't work out of its offensive funk in conference play. I fear that the offense has reached its limit, and it won’t be enough here.
Western Michigan has done well to put itself in positions to be successful, evidenced by the fact that the Broncos have not trailed in the second half each of the last three weeks.
When NIU has to play from behind in the late stages of the second half, it hasn't found the big plays it needs
Everyone remembers Northern Illinois' win over Notre Dame, but the losses in conference play have been glaring indicators of how good this team really is.
Western Michigan has significantly more to play for here, as it'll be vying for the MAC title as long as it continues to win. I have no issues backing WMU on the money line here.
Pick: Western Michigan ML +105
Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Start Time, TV Channel, How to Watch, Location
| Location: | Waldo Stadium, Kalamazoo, MI |
| Date: | Wednesday, Nov. 6 |
| Kickoff Time: | 7 p.m. ET |
| TV / Streaming: | ESPN2 |
Northern Illinois will play Western Michigan on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. on ESPN2.
Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Betting Trends
- 97% of bets and 97% of the money are on Northern Illinois to cover the spread
- 49% of bets and 57% of the money on the moneyline are on Western Michigan to win outright
- 83% of bets and 73% of the money are on the over
Betting trends via our live, updating NCAAF public betting & money percentages page.
Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan Weather
