Arizona is taking on a Northern Illinois team that has already stumbled twice, and oddsmakers are treating this one like a mismatch. The Wildcats opened as 35.5-point favorites over NIU, with the over/under set at 50.5 points, according to FanDuel Sportsbook.
Kickoff is set for Saturday at 7:30 p.m. MST, and the game will air on TNT Sports on HBO Max.
Arizona hasn’t rewarded bettors yet this season, failing to cover the spread in either of its first two games. That includes the opener against NAU, when the Wildcats scored 35 points and would have beaten the 32.5-point number if backup quarterback Sawyer Anderson had not thrown a pick six.
That missed cover also fits a longer trend. Arizona has now failed to cover in its last three games, going back to last season’s Holiday Bowl.
Northern Illinois arrives with an 0-2 record against the spread and a pair of ugly losses on the ledger. The Huskies dropped a 28-24 home game to FCS opponent Illinois State after opening the year with a 40-0 loss at Iowa.
Against Iowa, NIU managed only 120 total yards and just seven yards on the ground. The Hawkeyes jumped ahead 20-0 in the first quarter and controlled the game from there.
The offense showed a little more life against Illinois State, but quarterback Taron Dickens threw a costly interception late in the fourth quarter that ended NIU’s chance to win. Through two games, Dickens has averaged 145 passing yards with one touchdown and two interceptions, and he has been sacked six times.
It’s still early, but Northern Illinois has looked overwhelmed so far, and the program - now in the Mountain West - is drawing some harsh early-season attention for its struggles.
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