dillon-gabriel-oklahoma-usatsi.jpg
USATSI

The Northern Illinois Huskies will look to continue their recent success against Mid-American Conference West Division foes when they face the Central Michigan Chippewas in Tuesday night MACtion. The Huskies (4-4, 3-1 MAC), who have gone 81-52 against MAC West teams since the league went to divisional play in 1997, are 44-21 against divisional foes since 2010. The Chippewas (4-4, 2-2 MAC), who have lost two of their last three, are 3-0 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium in Mount Pleasant, Mich., this season. Since 1939, when the series began, Central Michigan has gone 32-25-1 against Northern Illinois.

The game will kick off at 7 p.m. ET. Both teams have done a good job possessing the football. Northern Illinois averages 30 minutes, 43 seconds of possession time per game, 47th-best in the nation, while Central Michigan averages 31:07, 38th-best. The Huskies are favored by 6 points in the latest Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan odds via SportsLine consensus, while the over/under for total points scored is 46.5. Before making any Central Michigan vs. Northern Illinois picks, be sure to check out the college football predictions and betting advice from SportsLine's proven computer model.

The SportsLine Projection Model simulates every FBS college football game 10,000 times. Since its inception, it has generated a stunning profit of well over $2,000 for $100 players on its top-rated college football picks against the spread. Anyone who has followed it has seen huge returns.

Now, the model has set its sights on NIU vs. CMU and just revealed its picks and MACtion predictions. You can visit SportsLine to see the model's CFB picks. Here are several college football odds and trends for CMU vs. NIU: 

  • Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan spread: Northern Illinois -6
  • Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan over/under: 46.5 points
  • Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan money line: Northern Illinois -239, Central Michigan +194
  • NIU: The Huskies have hit the game total Over in 4 of their last 5 road games (+2.90 units)
  • CMU: The Chippewas are 2-5 ATS this season 
  • Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan picks: See picks at SportsLine
  • Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan live stream: fubo (try for free)

Why Northern Illinois can cover

The Huskies are led by senior quarterback Rocky Lombardi. He has thrown for 794 yards and five touchdowns in four MAC games with no interceptions, and scored the game-winning touchdown last week against Eastern Michigan on a 1-yard QB sneak with 1:11 to go in the game. Lombardi is on the 2023 Reese's Senior Bowl Watchlist, and was a fourth team preseason All-MAC selection by Phil Steele. He returns for a third year at NIU and seventh season overall after receiving a medical redshirt.

Junior running back Gavin Williams averaged 6.4 yards per carry over the past three games, including a season-high 80 yards last week against Eastern Michigan. He also caught four passes for 19 yards. He had the longest rush of his career on Oct. 14 with a 53-yard touchdown run against Ohio. Williams is in his first season with the Huskies after spending three years at Iowa. He led Iowa with 12 carries for 56 yards in the 2021 Big Ten Championship Game against Michigan. See which team to pick here.

Why Central Michigan can cover

Junior running back Myles Bailey, in his third season with the Chippewas, leads the team in rushing. He has carried 87 times for 360 yards (4.1 average) and three touchdowns. In a 45-42 win over New Hampshire on Sept. 9, he carried 21 times for 108 yards (5.1 average) and one touchdown. In three seasons, Bailey has rushed for 650 yards on 149 carries (4.4 average) with three TDs.

Defensively, junior Kyle Moretti has been a beast. He leads the Chippewas with 56 tackles, including 28 solo, with two sacks for six yards and four pass breakups. In the 26-23 win over Eastern Michigan on Sept. 30, he made 10 stops, including four solo, with two sacks. He had 11 stops, including four solo, a week earlier in the win at South Alabama. See which team to back here.

How to make Central Michigan vs. Northern Illinois picks

SportsLine's model is leaning Over on the point total, projecting the teams to combine for 54 points. The model also says one side of the spread hits in more than 50% of simulations. You can only see the model's pick at SportsLine.

So who wins Northern Illinois vs. Central Michigan, and which side of the spread hits more than 50% of the time? Visit SportsLine now to see which side of the spread you need to jump on, all from the model that has notched a profit of well over $2,000 on its top-rated college football spread picks, and find out.