Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan predictions, tips and best bets: Broncos defend their home stadium

The Western Michigan Broncos will look to stay atop the MAC standings when they host the Northern Illinois Huskies tonight.

The Broncos may come into the game as underdogs, but I'll explain why I'd like them to win at home in my Western Michigan vs. Northern Illinois predictions.

Let's take a closer look at why I think the Broncos have the edge in my free college football picks for Wednesday, November 6th. Kickoff is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. ET at Waldo Stadium in Kalamazoo, with the game broadcast on ESPN2.

Be sure to check out our Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan props too!

Prediction and best bet for Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan

My best choice
Western Michigan Moneyline (+112 at BetMGM)
Picks made at the time of writing may not reflect live odds.

My analysis
Northern Illinois briefly became the darling of college football when they defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 16-14 in early September. However, the Huskies gave little indication that the game was a sign of their strength as a team.

In six games since then, Northern Illinois has lost just 2-4 and has a 1-3 record against MAC opponents. However, many rating systems still rate the Huskies relatively highly, no doubt buoyed by that one result in South Bend.

The problem with looking at the sample size of a game, no matter how impressive, is that it can be highly misleading. Unless a team is so badly outnumbered that it has no chance of scoring a goal or stopping the opponent, there is some chance of an upset and random results can occur. This is increasingly what Northern Illinois' win over Notre Dame looks like: an unlikely series of events that resulted in a narrow upset for a major underdog.

Western Michigan already has wins against the Buffalo Bulls and Ball State Cardinals, both teams that Northern Illinois lost to. The Broncos are on a four-game winning streak and have been favorites in each of their last three games. They will play this game at home, where they are 3-0 this year.

You may like the Huskies because of their outstanding defense, which allows just 17.6 ppg and led the team to a win against Notre Dame. That's a reasonable premise, but it's hard to imagine Northern Illinois completely shutting down a Broncos offense that scores 34 points per game and hasn't been held under 34 points in MAC play.

Western Michigan isn't expected to put up numbers like that against the Huskies, who will be the best defense in the conference this year. But quarterback Hayden Wolff and running back Jaden Nixon are legitimate weapons for the Broncos and they should find ways to score over the course of 60 minutes.

I can't imagine Northern Illinois – which averages just 23.4 points per game – finding enough opportunities to score on the road to keep up with the Broncos, even if they were poor on the defensive side of the ball. I want Western Michigan to win at home on Wednesday night and stay undefeated in the MAC.

Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan, Match Game (SGP)

Western Michigan Money Line

Under 52.5

Jaden Nixon any touchdown

Western Michigan should be able to beat Northern Illinois on Wednesday night, but the Huskies' defense won't make it easy. I expect a tough competition with low scores, so I'll take the under at 52.5 points.

Northern Illinois has yet to give up more than 25 points in a game this season, and it's entirely possible they continue that streak even with a loss.

When it comes to scoring for the Broncos, running back Jaden Nixon is the clear choice. Nixon scored 10 touchdowns that year and scored in five of his last six games, running the ball with ease against most opponents. Northern Illinois may be good against the run, but they are far from spectacular, and Nixon should find his spots to break through and lead Western Michigan to victory.

Learn how to place a bet in the same game with these helpful tips and strategies.

Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan odds

Northern Illinois vs Western Michigan live odds

Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan opening odds

• Distribution of Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan: Western Michigan +1.5
• Money line Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan: Northern Illinois -110, Western Michigan +112
• Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan Over/Under: 52.5

Odds courtesy of BetMGM

Northern Illinois to Western Michigan Distribution and Over/Under Analysis

• Northern Illinois is 4-3-1 this season while Western Michigan is dead 4-4 ATS on the year.
• The Broncos are a perfect 3-0 at home this year and are 2-1 ATS in those games.
• When Western Michigan plays this year, the over is 6-2, while the under is 4-3-1 in Northern Illinois games.
• The Huskies are playing at an average of 41.0 ppg overall, while the offensive-minded Broncos are averaging 67.8 ppg overall.

Betting trend worth knowing: Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan

Western Michigan has won four straight games. Find more college football betting trends for Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan.

Information about the game Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan

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Weather Northern Illinois vs. Western Michigan

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