Two MAC teams at opposite ends of the conference standings will face off on Tuesday night as the Northern Illinois Huskies host the Western Michigan Broncos.
The Broncos have been the better team and should ride their outstanding defense to another cover, as I’ll explain in my Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois predictions.
Let’s take a closer look at this midweek showdown in my free college football picks for Tuesday, November 18.
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Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois prediction
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois best bet: Western Michigan -5.5 (-115)
After a rough start in the non-conference schedule, the Western Michigan Broncos have been dominant in league play, posting a 5-1 record to lead the MAC heading into the final few weeks of the regular season.
The Broncos have used their smothering defense to outstanding effect against mid-major competition, allowing only 12.9 points per game over their last seven.
That number should get even better on Tuesday, as they take on a Northern Illinois Huskies team that is near the bottom of the barrel in most relevant offensive categories. The Huskies average 4.6 yards per play (134th among FBS teams), complete only 53.9% of their passes (133rd) for 4.9 yards per attempt (136th), and score 15.5 PPG (135th).
That leaves only one question: can the Broncos score enough to win by a touchdown? Western Michigan hasn’t been great on offense either, putting up 21.8 PPG and surpassing 24 points only twice.
But quarterback Broc Lowry has been punishing opponents on the ground of late, and that has opened up the passing game, where he's thrown six touchdowns without an interception over his last six games.
That’s enough for me to take the Broncos to cover in a game where the Huskies may struggle to score at all.
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois same-game parlay
I like the Under almost as much as the Broncos to cover, as the combination of two weak offenses and the outstanding Western Michigan defense should mean we’re struggling for points all night.
However, the Broncos will find some success on the ground, led by Lowry, who has gone for 80+ rushing yards in each of his last five games.
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois SGP
- Western Michigan -5.5
- Under 38.5
- Broc Lowry Over 84.5 rushing yards
Our deep-ball SGP: Rise and grind
Jalen Buckley has three touchdowns on the year and is a good long-shot pick to score against a Northern Illinois defense that gives up 4.2 yards per rushing attempt.
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois SGP
- Western Michigan -5.5
- Under 38.5
- Broc Lowry Over 84.5 rushing yards
- Jalen Buckley anytime touchdown
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois odds
- Spread: Western Michigan -5.5 (-115) | Northern Illinois +5.5 (-105)
- Moneyline: Western Michigan -225 | Northern Illinois +188
- Over/Under: Over 38.5 (-110) | Under 38.5 (-110)
Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois trend to know
Western Michigan is 5-2 ATS in its last seven games overall. Find more college football betting trends for Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois.
How to watch Western Michigan vs Northern Illinois
| Location | Huskie Stadium, Dekalb, IL |
| Date | Tuesday, November 18, 2025 |
| Kickoff | 7:00 p.m. ET |
| TV | ESPN2 |
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Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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