In the early part of the season, save for a few games here and there, we are generally looking at non-conference match-ups. There is no denying that the meat of the season for every team in college football comes when they head into conference play. Bowl games bids can be won and lost during that stretch, so it’s always nice to try and build up some confidence in those early weeks, so that teams are prepared for the tougher battles ahead.
For the bigger teams in college football, Week 2 is very often when they have a weaker opponent lined up, which would appear to be the case with the Utah Utes, who are currently ranked #13 in the nation. They will be hoping that it’s not an unlucky 13, though, as they have a bit of a tricky one ahead of them this coming Saturday. The Utes will welcome in the Northern Illinois Huskies of the MAC, a team who picked up a nice win in the opening week of the season. Utah come into this one favored by 21.5 points at home, with the point total set at 43 ½.
Northern Illinois vs Utah 2019 College Football Week 2 Odds & Game Preview
- When: Saturday, September 7, 12 PM EST
- Where: Rice-Eccles Stadium, Salt Lake City
- TV: PAC-12 Network
- Radio: SiriusXM
- Live Stream: PAC-12 Live
- College Football Week 2 Odds: Utah -21.5 (Total 43.5)
Syracuse vs Maryland 2019 College Football Week 2 Betting Lines & Analysis
Why bet on the Northern Illinois Huskies?
AS you can see by the point spread for this one, this is a game that is going to be a bit of an uphill battle for the Huskies. They are, though, coming off a 24-10 win over Illinois State, a game that they started as a 7-point favorite. If you are looking to wager a little money on the Huskies this weekend, it may well be against the spread where your best betting opportunities exist.Northern Illinois are 8-3 SU, but the strength of opposition here makes a straight win seem unlikely. The Huskies have been a very solid bet away from home, covering the spread in 4 of their last 5 road games. They are also a healthy 5-1 ATS in their last 6 games played in Week 2. In September games, 4 of the last 5 have gone UNDER for the Huskies.
Team Stats
- Passing Yards: 299.00
- Rushing Yards: 90.00
- Points For: 36.00
- Points Against: 10.00
Why bet on the Utah Utes?
The Utes ended last season with a bit of a bitter taste in their mouth, losing their final 2 games of the year, which included a loss to Northwestern in a New Year’s Eve bowl game. It was important for the Utes to get off to a winning start this season, which they did with a 30-12 win over BYU in Week 1.
The result is all the more impressive when you consider that Utah were on the road and in as a 6 ½ point favorite. They comfortably covered the spread there, but even though they are at home for this one, I think they might have a tougher time covering this time around. The Utes are 12-2 SU in their last 14 games in September and have seen 6 of their last 7 Saturday games go OVER.
Team Stats
- Passing Yards: 106.00
- Rushing Yards: 262.00
- Points For: 30.00
- Points Against: 12.00
Rutgers vs Iowa 2019 College Football Week 2 Odds, Game Preview & Pick
Northern Illinois vs Utah 2019 College Football Week 2 Betting Trends
- Huskies are 8-3 SU in their last 11 games
- Huskies are 4-1 ATS in their last 5 games on the road
- The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Northern Illinois’ last 5 games played in September
- Utes are 6-1 SU in their last 7 games at home
- The total has gone OVER in 6 of Utah’s last 7 games played on a Saturday
Expert Pick & Final Score Prediction for Northern Illinois vs Utah
When looking at the O/U here, it would appear to be a bit of a coin flip. I like NIU to cover the spread here, especially if they can slow down the Utes running game.Score: Northern Illinois Huskies 17 – Utah Utes 30
