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Topic: Official Game 7 Thread: Northern Illinois
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Ted Thompson
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Posted: 10/8/2023 5:56 PM
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Use this thread to talk about anything game-related. For away games, we'll have a separate travel thread.

Date: October 14th, 2023 4:00 PM

Opponent: Northern Illinois  (2-4, 1-1 MAC)

Site: Huskie Stadium

TV/Webcast: ESPNU

Radio: The Varsity Network App (free) 

NIU statistics and roster

NIU message board: NIU Dog Pound

Victory
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Posted: 10/8/2023 6:09 PM
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This will be a lot harder. NIU might be the fourth best team in the MAC. They are one of several candidates. We'll be favored by only about a touchdown but how many times have we been that big of a road favorite against a team in the top half of the conference?
M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 10/8/2023 6:54 PM
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Victory wrote:expand_more
This will be a lot harder. NIU might be the fourth best team in the MAC. They are one of several candidates. We'll be favored by only about a touchdown but how many times have we been that big of a road favorite against a team in the top half of the conference?
They played Toledo super tough a few weeks ago. That alone has me nervous. Classic trap game. It's gonna be 50 degrees with 60% chance of rain. Gonna have to hunker down and be ready to fight.
Victory
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Posted: 10/8/2023 7:24 PM
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The line is 7.0.
Bobcat1996
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Posted: 10/8/2023 7:58 PM
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NI has a great RB by the name of Brown who just ran for 200 plus and a bunch of tds on Akron and he rushed for 150 the week before on Toledo. The Bobcats will be in for a dogfight. This back is a great runner. I do not like that 7 point spread. It is difficult to win in Dekalb.
L.C.
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Posted: 10/8/2023 8:30 PM
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Lombardi did not have a good start to the season, playing poorly against SIU and Nebraska, but he has played very well the last two weeks, against Toledo and Akron. On the road, this will be a tough game to win. This is no trap game, just a good foe who is playing well right now, and who will be playing at home.
Pataskala
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Posted: 10/8/2023 10:19 PM
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It's their homecoming as well. They haven't won at home this season, so this will be one they'll really want.

They've been a real Jekyll and Hude team, beating Boston College on the road then losing at home to SIU and Tulsa. Most of their games have been close, within a possession. Against Toledo they scored a couple late TDs to close the gap but missed a two-pt conversion that would've tied it. There's really no quit in them.
Andrew Ruck
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Posted: 10/9/2023 8:43 AM
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So boiling everything down to Ohio & Miami in the East, we have this tough road test at NIU while Miami has Toledo at home the following week. In some ways both are big games for each but on the other hand they aren't...with the head to head tiebreaker either team could drop the game and still be alright in the East if they take care of their rival.

Not dismissing the possibility of getting tripped up in other games too but it seems those 3 games are the only ones that will have single digit lines in this race.
spongeBOB CATpants
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Posted: 10/9/2023 9:51 AM
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This was the game I had circled on the schedule as the toughest conference game of the year.
Bobcat Jerry
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Posted: 10/9/2023 9:52 AM
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My NIU grad neighbor says that they are a bad team.
Can anyone say Bobcats will "run the table"?
Last Edited: 10/9/2023 9:53:04 AM by Bobcat Jerry
Jeff McKinney
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Posted: 10/9/2023 11:25 AM
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Your neighbor is wrong.
M.D.W.S.T
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Posted: 10/9/2023 1:16 PM
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Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
So boiling everything down to Ohio & Miami in the East, we have this tough road test at NIU while Miami has Toledo at home the following week. In some ways both are big games for each but on the other hand they aren't...with the head to head tiebreaker either team could drop the game and still be alright in the East if they take care of their rival.

Not dismissing the possibility of getting tripped up in other games too but it seems those 3 games are the only ones that will have single digit lines in this race.
I want 7-1 Ohio vs 7-1 Miami.
Last Edited: 10/10/2023 1:07:27 PM by M.D.W.S.T
NIU007b
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Posted: 10/9/2023 1:26 PM
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Jeff McKinney wrote:expand_more
Your neighbor is wrong.
We were definitely a bad team for the first 4 weeks. Defense has been solid but got worn down late in games from being on the field the whole game. Not sure how we even beat BC. Offense was incredibly anemic. We also did some stupid things like going for it on 4th down in our own territory when we weren't even able to run the ball.

I need to see another game with offensive output against a solid defense, like Ohio's, before concluding that our offense has returned. Also, our best WR got injured against Akron, so that will hurt.
Pataskala
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Posted: 10/9/2023 6:30 PM
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Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
So boiling everything down to Ohio & Miami in the East, we have this tough road test at NIU while Miami has Toledo at home the following week. In some ways both are big games for each but on the other hand they aren't...with the head to head tiebreaker either team could drop the game and still be alright in the East if they take care of their rival.

Not dismissing the possibility of getting tripped up in other games too but it seems those 3 games are the only ones that will have single digit lines in this race.
Don't forget Da Bulls. They're 2-0 and have Kent and BG up next before going to Toledo on Halloween night. That means they could have only one MAC loss when we play them up there on Nov 7. They're at MOFO the following week before hosting EMU Thanksgiving week. I don't know who they pissed off to get Toledo, Ohio and MOFO in consecutive weeks but they they could be spoilers or even the dark horse in the East.
L.C.
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Posted: 10/9/2023 7:36 PM
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Andrew Ruck wrote:expand_more
So boiling everything down to Ohio & Miami in the East, we have this tough road test at NIU while Miami has Toledo at home the following week. In some ways both are big games for each but on the other hand they aren't...with the head to head tiebreaker either team could drop the game and still be alright in the East if they take care of their rival.

Not dismissing the possibility of getting tripped up in other games too but it seems those 3 games are the only ones that will have single digit lines in this race.

With the parity that is the norm in the MAC, how often does the MAC go "as expected"?
Ted Thompson
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Posted: 10/9/2023 7:39 PM
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El Gato Roberto
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Posted: 10/9/2023 7:50 PM
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It would be a mistake to sleep on the Huskies. Lombardi is solid. Their run defense is very good and they are a load on the ground.
El Gato Roberto
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Posted: 10/9/2023 7:53 PM
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Last Edited: 10/9/2023 8:30:05 PM by El Gato Roberto
Bobcat Jerry
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Posted: 10/10/2023 9:17 AM
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Didn't pay for this scoop. My neighbor seemed pretty certain NIU is not a good team.
MonroeClassmate
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Posted: 10/10/2023 11:20 AM
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It was nice to see several long pass attempts on HC vs Flashes. That should give NIU something to think about and allow for our running game to pound away and control the ball.

With their top receiver sidelined it may allow OHIO to focus the defense on slowing the NIU running attack.

I look for the Bobcats to cover the spread and win one on the road by at least 13 points.

Question: Any Bobcat fans having a tailgate or meeting at a watering hole prior?
El Gato Roberto
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Posted: 10/10/2023 3:19 PM
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MonroeClassmate wrote:expand_more
It was nice to see several long pass attempts on HC vs Flashes. That should give NIU something to think about and allow for our running game to pound away and control the ball.

With their top receiver sidelined it may allow OHIO to focus the defense on slowing the NIU running attack.

I look for the Bobcats to cover the spread and win one on the road by at least 13 points.

Question: Any Bobcat fans having a tailgate or meeting at a watering hole prior?
I was wondering the same thing.
ytownbobcat
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Posted: 10/11/2023 9:04 AM
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Bobcat Jerry wrote:expand_more
My NIU grad neighbor says that they are a bad team.
Can anyone say Bobcats will "run the table"?
I agree that NIU is not very good and we SHOULD prevail.

However, in the past any time we get overconfident there is the possibility that we get out played and run into a buzzsaw on the road. Therefore, we praise our opponent in order to not give them any reason to think we disrespect them. It is an odd, yet time honored ritual that good programs employ.

That being said, I like our Cats 27-14.
L.C.
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Posted: 10/11/2023 9:30 AM
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ytownbobcat wrote:expand_more
My NIU grad neighbor says that they are a bad team.
Can anyone say Bobcats will "run the table"?
I agree that NIU is not very good and we SHOULD prevail.

However, in the past any time we get overconfident there is the possibility that we get out played and run into a buzzsaw on the road. Therefore, we praise our opponent in order to not give them any reason to think we disrespect them. It is an odd, yet time honored ritual that good programs employ.

That being said, I like our Cats 27-14.

Is NIU good, or not good? I guess it depends on the week.

Data that indicates they are good:
1. NIU beat Boston College by 27-24, while #2 Florida State defeated them by 31-29.

2. Last year, Ohio lost to Toledo 17-7. Two weeks ago, NIU lost to Toledo 35-33.

3. Last year, Ohio was one of only two MAC teams to beat Akron by more than 7, and the only one to win by over 20, beating Akron 55-34. NIU just beat them by 55-14, Akron's worst lost to anyone since 2021 when tOSU beat them 59-7.

Data that indicates they are not good:
1. NIU lost to FCS team SIU.

2. NIU was crushed by a Nebraska team that has not looked particularly good

3. NIU lost to a Tulsa team that lost to FAU

So, there is enough data to believe whatever you choose. I look at Rocky Lombardi as the key. When he plays well (BC, Akron, Toledo), NIU is good. When he plays poorly (Nebraska, SIU), NIU struggles.
OhioCatFan
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Posted: 10/11/2023 11:21 AM
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L.C. wrote:expand_more
Is NIU good, or not good? I guess it depends on the week.

Data that indicates they are good:
1. NIU beat Boston College by 27-24, while #2 Florida State defeated them by 31-29.

2. Last year, Ohio lost to Toledo 17-7. Two weeks ago, NIU lost to Toledo 35-33.

3. Last year, Ohio was one of only two MAC teams to beat Akron by more than 7, and the only one to win by over 20, beating Akron 55-34. NIU just beat them by 55-14, Akron's worst lost to anyone since 2021 when tOSU beat them 59-7.

Data that indicates they are not good:
1. NIU lost to FCS team SIU.

2. NIU was crushed by a Nebraska team that has not looked particularly good

3. NIU lost to a Tulsa team that lost to FAU

So, there is enough data to believe whatever you choose. I look at Rocky Lombardi as the key. When he plays well (BC, Akron, Toledo), NIU is good. When he plays poorly (Nebraska, SIU), NIU struggles.
I think that this is a very fair and balanced analysis. It seems to me that we have two Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde teams in the MAC this year -- NIU and BG. Each can look really good or really bad on a given Saturday.
Victory
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Posted: 10/11/2023 12:52 PM
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It will probably rain for a lot of the game. I think that this works in NIUs favor.
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