Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois

This is not the same explosive offense at Northern Illinois as we have seen in recent years, and the Huskies are an ordinary 4-3 to start the season. Eastern Michigan has suffered through decades of bad football, and at 1-6 the end is nowhere in sight. The Eagles do have perhaps their best ground game in several years, but the Huskies have been up to the challenge this season vs. a competent ground game, yielding just 3.5 yards per carry vs. teams that average 4.2 yards per tote, so the offensive strength of the Eagles is pretty much negated by Northern Illinois defense. Northern Illinois is an average team on offense from the line of scrimmage, based on their schedule of opponents this season, and they should fare well here against an Eagles squad that does not defend particularly well. Eastern Michigan as four TD dog is going to try and run clock with their ground game to shorten the game. Northern Illinois has a proven track record of getting better defensively into the second month of the season, as they are 30-12 to the UNDER in their last 42 October tilts. These clubs have made it OVER the total just three times in their last 11 meetings, and I don't see this one getting their either. The UNDER is the play.