Preview: Toledo Rockets (7-2) at NIU Huskies (3-6)
By Randy Chambers
Wednesday, November 9, 2016 at 8:00 pm (U.S. Cellular Field)
The Line: NIU Huskies +6.5 -- Over/Under: 69
TV: ESPN2
The Toledo Rockets and Northern Illinois Huskies clash Wednesday night in a MAC college football game at U.S. Cellular Field on ESPN2.
The Toledo Rockets look for their eighth victory of the season to stay in the MAC West division race. The Toledo Rockets have won 10 of their last 12 road games. Logan Woodside is completing 70.9 percent of his passes for 3,042 yards, 34 touchdowns and five interceptions. Woodside has three or more touchdown passes in 10 of his last 11 games. Cody Thompson and Corey Jones have combined for 1,580 receiving yards and 14 touchdowns while Jon'Vea Johnson has 28 receptions. The Toledo Rockets ground game is averaging 207.5 yards per contest, and Kareem Hunt leads the way with 926 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, Toledo is allowing 22.8 points and 384.4 yards per game. DeJuan Rogers leads the Toledo Rockets with 53 tackles, Treyvon Hester has five sacks and Connery Swift has two interceptions.
The Northern Illinois Huskies look for their third straight victory to rebound from a 1-6 start to the season. The Northern Illinois Huskies have to win out in order to become bowl eligible. Anthony Maddie is completing 60 percent of his passes for 1,213 yards, eight touchdowns and five interceptions. Maddie has one or less touchdown passes in four of his last six games. Kenny Golladay and Christian Blake have combined for 1,236 receiving yards and eight touchdowns while Aregeros Turner has 33 receptions. The Northern Illinois Huskies ground game is averaging 236 yards per contest, and Joel Bouagnon leads the way with 644 yards and six touchdowns. Defensively, Northern Illinois is allowing 32 points and 459.1 yards per game. Sean Folliard leads the Northern Illinois Huskies with 67 tackles, Austin Smaha has three sacks and Trequan Smith has two interceptions.
The Rockets are 7-1 ATS vs. a team with a losing record and 18-6-2 ATS in their last 26 games overall. The Huskies are 2-7 ATS vs. a team with a winning record and 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games overall. The Rockets are 6-2-1 ATS in their last 9 meetings in Northern Illinois and the under is 4-0 in the last 4 meetings.
Northern Illinois has saved its season somewhat and still has a shot to make a bowl game if it can win out. The problem is Northern Illinois beat Buffalo and Bowling Green, teams with a combined record of 3-15. The Toledo Rockets are one of the top teams in the MAC and have a proven track record of winning on the road. This is a different kind of test for the Huskies, and I'm not sure they're good enough to pass it. Give me Toledo by a touchdown here.
RANDY'S PICK
Toledo Rockets -6.5