Northern Illinois Huskies 2024 Team Preview | The College Football Experience

the college football experience Northern Illinois huskys 2024 season preview episode of the sports gamet podcast network is brought to you by Underdog fantasy yes yes yes sign up with the promo code TC gpn to score up to $1,000 in bonus cash they just introduce college football basball too I've been waiting for that for a long time check it out Underdog fantasy.com promo code t cgpn we're also brought to you by Rhythm get your 7day free trial period today by going to sports gambling podcast.com rythm that's r i hmm and remember as always folks to let it ride this is Jerry Glenville and you're listening to S gpn Let It Ride brother [Music] [Music] yes yes yes W welcome welcome to the college football experience Northern Illinois huskys 20 24 season preview episode you know I I love the Northern Illinois Huskies they're a cool team they've been doing it for a while a lot of Big Time wins Big Time program some would say maybe uh I'm speculating here but some would say maybe the team that's maybe had the biggest wins in the Mac history against the FBS I don't know I think it's them or Toledo we probably argue would be at the top of that uh youtube.com/ thee experience get on over there breaking down all 134 teams week zero was already happened and now we're preparing for life in week one here it was a great little sample great little appetizer getting ready for the season here uh if you're wondering who the hell you're listening to that's fair my name is Kobe Swig D to Bas Dan AKA pick d d That's not a pick this is a pick he was raised in the land down under where a man thinks on his feet speaks with his fist and lives by his wits when dunde happened he was a superstar he's the kind of guy that would drink a gallon of gasoline so he could piss in your campfire you could drop this guy off at the Artic Circle wearing a pair of bikini underwear without his toothbrush and tomorrow afternoon he's going to show up at your pool side with a million dooll smile on her fist full of pesos yes I don't need my toothbrush apparently all right I'm going to show up by your pool side saying put the NIU game on all right I got a fist full of pesos on it excited to talk I you um I am always excited to talk ball with this guy uh nobody and I mean nobody knows the Mid-American Conference the Mac quite like this man right here he is the host of the Mac connection podcast give it up for my friend Alex Shear how are you doing brother great to be here man always a pleasure to talk ball with you to talk Mac with you to uh pretend like I know what I'm talking about that's always the best part you uh you keep inviting me and I'm gonna keep saying yes so there we go isn't that the best part about prediction season you're just making predictions then like end of the year you're like uh yeah uh I mean sometimes I'm right hey I love it when I get to call people out for saying get the fans off your show but uh that's always fun yeah that is great I I get look the internet's a cruel cruel place too like I I sometimes I'll go back and look at old videos that are on YouTube of of us or you know anything on affiliated with this show and man I've had people tell me like you gaptooth pale loser you know and I just sit there to me it makes me laugh but I also think like man they've never even met me right you're gonna you're gonna just you're gonna talk about someone like that you've never even met but they probably had a few cocktails and you have a keyboard in your face and next thing you know you're calling you're calling someone a gaptooth piece of [ __ ] and and sometimes that happens right I always love going back and listening to old episodes and uh and uh cracking up at some of the takes uh that we had uh back when we were a Twan show and now that it's just me it's I just laugh at myself it's way more fun that way so right I mean it is it is you can before you could blame that's the only thing though you have to you have to say well no that's uh that's my that's my that's my mess up there um uh no I did not have Northern Illinois as a one and 11 team a year ago uh where you at with this program man this is a program that historically and and I'm curious your thought you know you're over there you're going to Mac media days and stuff like that whereas you know I'm out here in Los Angeles and I love the Mac always Lov the Mac uh been watching the Mac for 30 years but am I foolish to say that Northern Illinois probably might be the them or Toledo being the kind of the the like in a way the class where they they've won the biggest games Northern Illinois I feel like beats a power five almost every year I feel like well I think when you look at Northern Illinois I mean you know they've knocked off Georgia Tech a couple years ago Beat Boston College on the road last year there are a lot of things that Northern Illinois has done well I think Northern Illinois got put in the Limelight because of just the different things that they've done I mean you know you talk about the Jordan Lynch era um uh the Chandler Harish era I mean that time that Northern Illinois is just so good in the early 2010s a lot of people don't remember this like you know they're like oh Northern Illinois is so dominant they went to five straight ma championship games they actually only won three of those um they repeated the 11 and then the 12 season lost the 13 Championship to Bowling Green which would have sent them back to a BC game um won 14 and then lost 15 I mean they they've been the class of the Mac in terms of just constantly being in the MAC Championship but I think I think they they've consistently done well and they've shown pretty bright under some of the biggest lights I mean you that Florida State Orange Bowl game back in 2013 that was a one score game going into the fourth quarter you know Florida State just wore him out towards the end of the game and Florida State went on and won a national championship the next year so I think you know Northern Illinois has just been when you think of the Mac a lot of people think Toledo Miami Northern Illinois those are the three schools not in any order but but those are the three schools people think of and Thomas hammock is a former player I I am old enough to remember Thomas hammock playing for Northern Illinois he's 24 and 33 in Five Seasons obviously he played there so maybe you know maybe they're a little patient there he won the MAC in 2021 too coach under Barry Alvarez John Harbaugh Joe Novak um where you you I where you at with I guess the future with him as the head coach and and just you think he's doing a a good job there in the CB or is it and I'm not asking for like not all of it has to be your personal opinion it could just be what you've heard from alums or or or you know is he on Solid Ground you think heading into the year well I'm glad you said I don't have to use my personal opinion because mine would be that all these schools keep their coaches so I don't have to learn new coaches at Mac media day um but uh I no I think I think you know coach hammock has had you know there's been there's been some up and down you know there was talk last year after they dropped the game too I believe I'm looking at Southern Illinois there is a lot of a lot of heat on him I was on Southern Illinois that game man I had a feeling you put little brother on the schedule like little brother's on the schedule here with Western but Western's not a good program Southern right has been good for a while um but yeah anyway continue I'm sorry well no no you're good uh I mean you know you get that win at Boston College in overtime and then I think you start to think ah we're a little bit invincible and that's when little brother comes in punches you in the mouth then you drop the game at Nebraska then you come back home you lose to Tulsa then you drop a two-point game at Toledo there was a lot of people calling for hammock's head after that Toledo game before that Toledo game even but after that Toledo game even if they had won the ma that year that season was tarnished by losing to Southern Illinois by by many metrics and I but I think I I I think that this is a big year for for Coach hammock for Northern Illinois you know obviously you win the bowl game last year against Arkansas State uh Butch Jones with that face at the end of the game was chef's kiss that was great that was great and and I think I think this is a big year they went five and three in conference play a year ago you you know you lost to some of the usual suspects you lost to Ball State a big rivalry game uh you lost to Toledo and then you lost a weird one to Central Michigan I I think outside of of Bowling Green you know everybody talks about Northern Illinois Toledo being a rivalry game I think it's more of a rivalry game for Northern Illinois but I think if you had asked Toledo fans back in the mid2 t0s they would have consider Northern Illinois rival that's that's just what it is so everybody hates Northern Illinois it's like division three Mount Union everybody hates Mount Union in the OAC that's true that's true because they can't beat him and I think that for the longest time was the case with Northern Illinois yeah I think it's a pivotal year for Thomas hammock and I like him I'm rooting for him um but I do think it's a pivot pivotal year his offens coaters Wesley B bammer uh or bammer uh his DC is Kay big Nell um I'm intrigued to see what they can do this year uh look going to talk about their best wins in a second here but I want to tell the folks out there that the college football experience is part of the sports SC League podcast Network it's football season and everything in the merch stores 10% off with the promo code football so get on over there get yourself a Mike Leech swing your sword uh t-shirt you know Mike Leech was a dear friend of ours he wrote this book if you haven't checked it out swing your sword but that's his philosophy of you know you uh you get on the battlefield and you fight and you always fight no matter how many you're down you keep fighting and uh so we have that out there Mike Leech may he rest easy but also there's a slew of other shirts if you want to uh you know that there's We Believe ECU shirts there's there's pck dunde t-shirts there's just there's a few there I mean a few hundred uh so jump on over there promo code football uh 10% off everything all right we are back and talking NIU football best win this is what I mean though I kind of love these schools to me that have a knack and and the Mac has a bunch of them that have a knack but this is maybe why I would say like they come right to mind is because much like Fresno State much like Boise State I feel like Northern Illinois in these big matchups has came on a mission I think they played Ohio State really tough a few years back uh at the shoot look at what they have done and this is two pages long folks they have really they went out Alabama I don't care pre sain or not it's not like they didn't I love that well they didn't have Sabin then oh yeah yeah sure they you know this program was just dog [ __ ] before then right they were winning national championships with Jean Stallings Joe namoth you know what I mean Derek Thomas Bear Bryant you might have heard of him uh anytime you beat Alabama you tout that they should put that on the on on the scoreboard every game um uh phenomenal stuff though man like I remember that Maryland game where PJ Fleck caught the game went touchdown at at BYU at Georgia Tech at Boston College uh I noticed Georgia Tech didn't put a Mac school on the schedule this year that they're like we'll [ __ ] don't give us a Mac well I don't care what you gotta do we'll play in Ireland just don't give us the Mac uh with two straight with two straight losses there to funny it's funny you bring up Georgia Tech they uh they tweeted out uh that wrestler meme yesterday um of ranked Florida State and then Georgia Tech behind the wrestler so I reted that and uh and I had GE Georgia Tech right behind him maction so yeah love it love it gotta gotta keep those guys scared but this program I mean when you think about like when I think about hardest places to win MH at Alabama and like I said I'm old I remember Alabama winning national championships preab um at Iowa and at Nebraska those are places even at BYU the year I was born they won a national championship um those are like really hard places to grab wins at Iowa is an insanely hard place to grab a win at Nebraska you know Granite Nebraska was down that that year it's still like that's just still you you milk that forever you milk that forever uh but which one is the biggest one you think it's the Bama one I think the Bama one has to be up there I mean yes Bama was not good that year they were in that weird transition with coaches and you know and everybody wants to point to ah Northern Illinois wouldn't do it today I mean perhaps you're right you know but Bama hasn't scheduled them since so we don't know um I will say this though 2003 was a great year for the mid- American Conference I mean that was that that was just across the board lots of big wins for the league so I'd say really any of those 2003 wins because they beat Bama and then I think that same year they beat Maryland yeah you're right think you're right so you know that that was you know a really really good year for the conference and Northern Illinois adding two wins over two two big programs that's all that's always a good one but I think Alabama has to rank at the top they always had like really good running backs in that era like I feel like obviously Thomas hammock was there yes gar wolf Berard Turner I'm trying to think I I'm wondering if in the 90s Lesean Johnson went there or not I can't remember but I know he was from somewhere in Illinois yeah um uh either way they always had guys like I just remember being like whoa who the hell is that um I I I I dig the program man anyone that comes out and and sticks it to these this many uh p5s they just show up on game day for these ones so uh shout out to that um G to talk about the offense the defense the special teams go game by game on the schedule but I want people to know also that the college football experience NIU style is brought to you by Underdog fantasy yes Underdog fantasy pick them is giv you a chance to win a thousand times the amount of money you enter or play Fantasy Football the right way with basball yes basball Mania is live with $15 million in prizes uh and they just introduced college football basketball folks we just did an episode on that money line Mac NC Nick I hop on there for a little bit get on over there check it out you can now use specials and boost on all flexed entries as well so sign up and when you do sign up with the promo code tce s gpn to claim your special pick plus first time deposit offer of up to $1,000 in bonus cash Underdog fantasy.com promo code tce s gpn we're also brought to you by Circa Sports yes Circa Survivor and Circa Millions is back giving away $16 million in prizes look imagine the regret you feel you're just hanging out with your with your your your pals from childhood you know you just you're you're playing I don't know you got a group of 20 guys from high school and you're do an NFL Survivor and you go through the whole season picking winners you're GNA sit there and say I'm a genius you're going to talk your [ __ ] to your friends and take them for their money but it's just it's just beer money you're G to sit there and say gosh you know those pics honey would have been you would have been telling your wife this as you're going to sleep honey those picss would have been good anywhere cuz they would have that's the thing with Survivor your picks would be good in anything you enter and if you go through the whole season dominating well you're going to regret that you didn't enter the circus Survivor because you'd be a millionaire uh sign up in person uh at Circus Sports which now on September 7th obviously that's when the season kicks with that new wacky ass NFL kickoff and use a proxy to play from anywhere we even uh have a deal with the proxy go to proxy.com to save you $50 with the promo code SGP get a free hat who doesn't want a free hat all right I've been I've been trying to I've been trying to work out a free hat in my life all the time every college that invites me I just go there and I go yeah okay I appreciate you guys having me can any chance I can get a free hat they go uh no and then they they normally uh erase my name off of the the the email list moving forward um just something about a free hat sounds good you know what I mean get out on the golf course you know I'm I'm reaching the age where uh like my dad can just wear any hat mhm I feel like late 40s I'm I'm mid 40s or early early to mid but I feel like I can't wait to get to like 48 50 because at that point any hat is game all right yeah you could just it doesn't matter what's on the hat right like you could just you could just anyhow you could put a propeller one of those ones with the propeller you're still fine you know what I mean so uh my point is I just need to get I I I'm almost there where you could wear any hat sometimes like I I'll go I'll go back to see my dad and my dad will be wearing like a college that didn't exist you know what I mean like or you know it it did like 40 years ago yeah and he has no idea by the way that's what's great or or he'll wear a store uh you know he'll get like a someone gave him a a hat for like a store that doesn't exist anymore you know what I mean he no idea I got to get to that level of life that means you I think you're Zen when that happens um uh Northern Illinois they uh some say they've worn the Hat of the Mac the mac's best team perhaps uh over the past 20 years um the offense last season was not they didn't wear that hat last season 79th in uh scoring at 24.9 points per game that was fourth best in the Mac actually still respectable 75th in yards second best in the Mac pretty damn respectable 369.com second best in the Mac so I I'm under the belief that these numbers all would have been first place had they kept the like so once they brought in uh B bam I'm probably butchering your name uh Wesley um they ended up with very respectable numbers so I wonder what what if he had had the whole season would they have been number one or two in the Mac perhaps something to pay attention to folks he didn't start until game five calling the plays for this offense um where you at with this offense this is a tough one um you know they lose your biggest star Rocky Lombardi and I know we'll get into player losses here in in a moment um Rocky Lombard has been such a staple for this program I mean he's had moments where he's been hurt um hasn't been able to be the quarterback I think that he's wanted to be he's now competing for an NFL a backup spot in Cincinnati so best of luck to him funny enough with former Toledo rocket Logan Woodside so wor so worst of luck to him I understand what you're saying yeah yeah wor worst of luck to him in in the nicest way possible um it's uh no I you know and and I like Rocky I mean kid was tough as Nails um wasn't afraid to take a hit wasn't afraid to you know kind of run through people but I think you're now going to have a big quarterback change uh you got other pieces that you got to be kind of moving around I think this offense going is going to take a step back at least in the passing game but if it takes too much of a step back then the whole offense collapses yeah I mean and Rocky Lombardi is related to Vince Lombardi so I mean it's really it's really uh it's tough to not have a Lear they got to F figure out to get away to get he's got a little brother or something put him on the roster um they have eight starters back though yep and um I'm very familiar with the the top two andar andario brown there is a very good running back he was first team all Mac a season ago and then uh trayon Rudolph a couple years ago was having a monster season and now I know he missed the season I think with a torn ACL or something there kesan Pipkin back as well so both white outs there tight end Grayson Barnes back and then four of five on the offensive line I mean I'm very encouraged I'm very encouraged with what they're doing here uh What They're bringing back kicker is back as well what do you make of this offense with this many return like do you think this puts them into like serious contention mode for the MAC Championship with this many starters back I think it's going to come down to the the quarterback I mean again you know you've got Trevon Rudolph you've got Kon Pipkin you know the these are great receivers uh Barnes you know Grayson Barnes had five touchdowns a year ago he led the team in receiving touchdowns great tight end antario Brown you know like you's mentioned for Team all Mac over 1300 rushing yards a year ago fantastic back you need antario brown to be almost Godlike this year I think um and granted you get four offensive linemen back that I mean that's massive um you know all of these guys are very very capable offensive lineman I think that's a good thing they're going to gel a little bit more things are going to go a little bit smoother uh again I think they're one of the one of the teams in this league that has 80% or better of their offensive Lineback and that's going to be a huge boost for whoever gets quarterback starting duties I mean you there's a quarterback battle going on right now Thomas hammock knows who it's going to be he's not telling us until game one but he he knows who is going my gut tells me it's Ethan Hampton but don't be surprised if it's Jaylen mon uh who comes in who's gonna who's gonna win this starting job either way this offense has great pieces but it hinges hinges on how good the quarterback play is is this going to be a one-dimensional offense or a two or a two-dimensional offense I am very fascinated by this because Hampton we've seen right a little bit right and mon I watched in the FCS I host the FCS college football experience he was at Arkansas Pine Bluff now the level that's what I mean is like so he was in the swack last year and the question is is like how well can he s succeed at the FBS level but I was impressed by him at the swack level so um and he's dual threat so that would be very interesting to see who gets the nod here and how well if if it is making how well can he play at this level um fascinating stuff there but I think he might be walking into anytime whether regardless you any quarterback coming in would like to have four returning starters let me tell you on the offensive line um and both receivers back and your running back and tight end back so walking into a pretty decent scenario Daniel in the chat saying shador Sanders did it yes I mean cam Ward the highest priced uh free agent this or transfer portal I'm sorry did I call it free agent because that's what it is uh well he left Washington state for Miami but let's not forget he was at Incarnate Word before uh before Washington State so there's a lot of very good FCS quarterbacks that transition well to to uh jumping up but we'll see if he gets the nod uh they did lose a couple guys in the portal but the big one here is the fifth offensive lineman there heading out to Louisville Jeff Bram getting his hands on somebody I mean look the rest is kind of a step down um no no disrespect to them best wishes with them wherever they go and uh but I feel like they kept M almost everybody intact except for uh losing one offens lineman to Louisville um they brought in Mon and his receiving Target Kenji Lewis which I found interesting too um now Lewis is not a projected starter but still nice to have some continuity also brought in Andrew McElroy from St Thomas the tommies keep a decent football program there in Minnesota and then this is the big one here tight end Jake appleget comes in he's a projected starter they're going to run that two tight end set with him Barnes and then Rudolph and Pipkin at the white out spots and with brown at the running back spot all we need is a quarterback to deliver a little bit Yeah I that's gonna be that's again that's the question mark it's it comes down to this quarterback you know Ethan Hampton two picks two touchdowns a year ago 147 yards I mean a QB are of 31 like not a lot to be excited about with him yeah the other one again Jaylen mon he makes that transition and makes it well I think you he benefits because he gets a veteran offensive line and he gets one of his receiving targets from from arpine Bluff you know I think my gut tells me it's probably Ethan Hampton but Mak and is probably going to be battling with him all year long and I'm excited for that now you have I mean I I don't want to get ahead of myself but Western Illinois is not a very good FCS they're not Southern Illinois now still they did they were very active in the portal this offseason but I wonder if he runs both quarterbacks game one as almost in an audition for the rest of the season could be um something to pay attention to I think they won the portal on the offensive side of the ball though just by bringing in uh you know a few guys that I think could make a big impact and only losing one substantial guy on the defensive side of the Ballo they got after it last season 26 in the nation scoring per game fourth best in the Mac 23rd in yards third best in the Mac they were the number one pass defense in the Mac you're G to try that cookie cutter [ __ ] up in the air that Dink and dunk it ain't gonna work all right against these Huskies uh they were 60th in Rush defense though seventh in the Mac all of those with the exception of the rush defense were top half even the rush defense that was just one spot out of top half uh um they returned eight starters on defense man and their punter Tom Foley yep I mean look two back on the dline one back in the linebacking Corp all five back in the secondary that is uh very impressive this is what I'm saying like in a way man you know it's funny I've been making my Mac previews over here going team by team I think this could be a contender if they they you're looking for a sleeper to win the Mac now obviously the quarterback position is the question mark But bringing back this many starters not a lot of teams do this in college football anymore where you're bringing back this many starters is my point um what do you make of this defense this defense is going to be unbelievable I mean you get your entire Back Field back that is always always a huge win especially a backfield that was one of the best backfields in in the conference th this is this is an interesting gear I mean you lost James eser to the NFL James eser shout out to him I mean just a phenomenal High motor player he just one of those guys that would go out and you know he'd eat you he didn't care you know I don't care if you're running back quarterback you know offensive lineman get out of his way uh but I do think that um they've got you know two of their four starting defensive linemen back anytime you don't have to replace everybody on the defensive line that is huge because you're telling the other team hey you still got a watch out for our veterans which gives the young guys an opportunity to come in and make some plays themselves yeah and and here's what's crazy though portal wise they must be really sold on the defense George gums heads out to Florida uh besides that maybe you could say Lafayette to Troy but he wasn't going to crack the starting lineup Troy keeps a good program and CJ Brown to Bowling Green we talked about that one actually is is substantial because he used to be a very good player in in for Northern Illinois he just for whatever reason fell out of the rotation and uh you know he thinks he can get back to that level that he was playing at at Bowling Green so um that's gonna be a fascinating storyline to watch but also they didn't really add much now I will say this Christian Ferman from Simo was an absolute beast in the FCS okay so that get could be a very very good get for them uh Mark prto also comes in from forom but they didn't really address it it this tells me something the way I I like to do this at least when you tell me you only brought in two it means you means I think you think your defense is pretty [ __ ] good so um kind of fascinated by this now obviously I guess if you had to grade the defensive side of the ball I guess you would say slight loss just because of some depth but I kind of I don't know I'm interested to see I think furman's going to be a beast in the Mac I really like this Ferman transfer um when I saw that I got pretty excited about it I think I think you know you talk about him another guy who can just play at a good level and he played great ball at uh Simo I think that this is an opportunity for him to take a step forward impact player day one um and I've heard good things about him coming out of Camp too you know I I don't have any direct sources but I I can tell you I've heard good things about how he's been performing and adjusting Northern Illinois is going to have a good defense I mean it's you I don't think you can I don't think you can argue that I think that they're going to play to their strengths if you can beat their strengths you're going to win the ball game but their strengths are really good you know if you can exploit the weaknesses do it but if you can exploit the strengths and find a weakness in those strengths that's how you're going to beat this team yeah their pass defense is going to be the top I think in the conference again the rush defense will see if Ferman and prto the additions of those guys can come in and uh and help you know fix up the rush defense Z another thing is like I said the offensive coordinator he wasn't even there the first five games so uh very impressive stuff the win total is sitting at six and a half wins I want to think about that for a second but before I do that uh I want to tell you folks out there that the college football experience is brought to you by Rhythm have you uh ever wanted to create your own sports betting model for football do you even know what a sports betting model is well sgp's proud partner rhythm is the number one one AI powered sports betting platform that helps betters or it helps uh provide betters of all levels the ability to build custom predictive uh bet betting models in seconds and get predictions for basically you know everything money lines spreads totals props uh build your own model uh copy one of the top performing models from the leaderboard you could do that if you just say hey this is working for everybody else let me just copy that model or you could press build model customly for you and then Rhythm will give you predictions for every game player prop uh they have everything stats research betting Trends Trend analysis betting Insight all that good stuff hop on over there claim your free 7-Day trial period today by going to sports galing podcast.com rthm that's rmm that's Sports galing podcast.com rthm we're also brought to you by game time game time is now an authorized ticket Marketplace of the MLB which makes getting tickets even faster and easier uh pric on the game time app actually go down the closer it gets the first pick killer last minute deals all in prices views from your seat and their lowest price guarantee game time takes the guesswork out of buying MLB tickets look we still got we're winding down the season in the MLB but you people out there if you're listening to this in Illinois you have Wrigley Field which is like the greatest stadium in colle I mean in in the MLB yeah in Illinois oh oh yeah I mean there's the green monster I mean all that [ __ ] is great part of the allore to me of those stadiums is they've PR preserved and protected the history of the place well what's so get yourself out to Wrigley if you haven't been obviously or just to go again or one of the things we love about college football is they have a bunch of rley stadiums you know Wrigley Fields essentially so if you get out to a college football game all right uh whether it's NIU whether it's you know you're going down to Champagne whether you're going well I can't say Ryan Field because they detonated that thing but uh you know what I mean Wrigley's actually hosting some college football games this year too so turn back the clock people don't realize I don't think how many uh you can't tell the story of football without how many you know without a chapter of huge games at Wrigley Field or Yankee Stadium or the Polo Grounds or Fenway Park college and pro so uh get yourself out there check it out uh and folks let me tell you take the guess work out of buying those tickets with Game Time download the game time app create an account use the redeeming code CFB X for $20 off your first purchase once again get term Supply create that account redeeming code cfx for $20 off down the game time app today last a tickets low price guaranteed all right back talking Northern Illinois Husky football the win total at six and a half see blindly I know that the quarterback spot you would like to have like that shed up yeah but I lean over just blindly just cuz I'm like this returning starters and uh the offensive coordinator that I guess clearly got things going uh a season ago back uh they're plus 700 to win the MAC Championship plus 10,000 to make the 12 team Invitational and plus uh 500,000 to win the national championship um what's your first thought when you see six and a half you think that's accurate you think I don't know maybe the quarterback too big of a question mark I think even with the quarterback I think you can guarantee minimum five um can they find two more wins I mean I guess we'll we'll dive into that but I think you can guarantee a minimum of five and that's safe so that technically puts you under but I I I think that that's the floor I think five minimum is the ABS that's the floor for this Northern Illinois team um I think seven is is doable you got to have a few things go your way but I think seven is very do able let's take a look at the schedule because week one Western Illinois the leathernecks what a great name God and I for one I know you said people were pissed that they lost to Southern Illinois and rightfully so but I want to commend Northern Illinois for playing that's college football to me um you should be playing Southern Illinois Illinois State Western Illinois um that's college football to me that should be your FCS games and don't like I'm glad you do that a lot of schools you know you don't see them doing that you don't see you know uh them playing the top FCS they look for a shitty FCS we knew Southern Illinois was good and you lost to Southern Illinois there's no shame in that they're a good program Western Illinois is not there yet but they have you know aspirations being a good program and um I just like this game on the schedule I hope this I hope I if I were like the ad this would be like once every once every other year I just rotate between those three schools you know um Western Illinois though uh they're going to beat them one to0 no I agree with you I think sha Fraser's done a great job at Northern Illinois as the ad and I think uh you're right I think getting the opportunity to schedule instate opponent it's good for your brand because you got guys who played some of these guys in high school it's good for those schools as well because now you know they're not spending all this exor amount of money to go travel to Oregon to lose by 990 like they're going to play a potentially winnable game in in within driving distance so I think I think that that's all that's all beneficial that being said uh I like that it's your game number one on this uh on this ranking I I definitely uh definitely forgot to uh number these ones my apology nope it's game number one it's fine um and uh you win that you win that and you're good all right in the state you can walk around I I do think though uh you beat Western Illinois uh you start the season off right get a nice one Victory uh agreed and then you go I love this game on the schedule too no it's the worst game on the schedule what are you talking about well it will be after Northern Illinois look there's a history I've seen the Tulsa Golden hurricane win at the golden dome we saw Marshall do it why can't it be Northern Illinois we talked about how they won at Alabama we talked about how they wenton out Nebraska let's add Notre Dame to that list so Notre Dame plays two Mac schools this year um they trying to join the Mac are they trying to join the Mac is that an insurance policy I think so that's uh just to be safe they don't want to join the Big 10 they're like hey the max max more our speed this whole separation thing goes down we need to know that we have a home right exactly all The Independents come to the Mac Yukon UMass and Notre Dame let's go let's make it happen let's go um and uh all jokes aside so I Notre Dame plays two Max schools this year I think Miami's going to be a better game for Notre Dame uh I don't think Northern Illinois does it not that they don't have the talent it's going to be I again my question mark is the quarterback you know in a Notre Dame game where your quarterback is a question mark You're Going to rely heavily on antario Brown Notre Dame's got enough talent to keep in on that I think they stuff him they hold him hold him you know pretty pretty close to scoreless not scoreless but you know under 10 under 14 yeah this this is a loss for for Northern Illinois but to your point about the history MC teams have played Notre Dame Incredibly Close All State lost too lost a they should lost one a couple years ago it's been brutal yeah but I think Notre Dame pulls out the win as the easiest game on Northern Illinois schedule Notre Dame somehow finds the way to win look I I have the sixth hardest game is this bye because you never know what a bye we will do exact you know what I mean you go out there you start having cocktails next thing you know uh but uh the the buff so they get a byee one in one then they're home to Buffalo I love them getting Buffalo early I like the Pete LMO higher at Buffalo I just think you want to get him the first month I think Northern illino will beat Buffalo at Buffalo at UB Stadium there in Amherst New York um you got to win in that one uh yeah Northern Illinois well and they're actually traveling to Northern Illinois so they're going to beat him at uh indal that's a oh yeah I'm sorry I missed say Buffalo right there I got that one right get a nice home win um and I I really really like Northern Illinois at home especially after a buy yeah and then you head down to Carter Finley Stadium to take on NC State the [ __ ] pack um look this is this is a win let's just call it Spade the Spade you know I should note that uh I am an ECU fan but this is a uh that's our rival if you didn't know is NC State um but when I think about this it's a Doran Revenge game he didn't have to leave NIU and he left just because they're floating out more money yep all right but he still has to go to work every day at NC State which is a loss in my mind all right so we're going to deal with deal them another loss because niu's going to come into Carter Finley and get that dub okay uh second loss two and two Northern Illinois in the last three years has knocked off two ACC squads please do this please do this you just want this recorded so you can blast it out to NC fans don't you when they when they win when they upset NC State uhuh at Carter Finley Stadium it's going to people are people are worried NC State fans are worried Dave doran's going to leave for another job he will not leave for another job because other jobs are not going to want him after a loss at home to Northern Illinois so I think I think Northern Illinois can sneak a win here I don't I don't think they're going to come in and dominate I think it's going to be similar to the Georgia Tech or the Boston College if the quarterback Situation's figured out Northern Illinois comes in Beats their former coach who left before the Orange Bowl you scumbag you and they find a way to knock NC State off I have them getting to three and one oh I like this I really like this now I'm to stay consistent with the other show I said NC State would get the win but Alex you we this is personal for Northern Illinois oh yeah let's go do that let's go wolf pack versus huskys I don't know which animal wins in the wood the wild but I like the huskys in this one mostly because they're way more adorable yeah and they're up there in Illinois you gota survival's different EXA you're down there in the Carolina you're going to the beach on the beach yeah playing around you know what I mean drinking wine you know what I mean up there and the C you have to you have to earn that stuff is how do I pronounce that by the way the CB I've heard both that's the issue and nobody's corrected me on either I've heard like 50 people in my chat or on my comment section say that I say it wrong so I I'm assuming that oh yeah I think that's I think that's correct but if if I'm wrong then uh I'm wrong sorry yeah you hear no then you'll hear about it um probably so you got him you got him three in one which I like then they're hosting Don Brown and UMass tricky little game if you do beat NC State because let down spot but I am taking them to beat you m so you and I have the same record because I have them doing exactly that getting tripped up at home against UMass I mean you know anytime you get a big win like that because that's exactly what happened last year you went on the road you beat Boston College you came home you hung 11 on Southern Illinois I I you know I rewatched that game this summer I'm sorry just I no I just throw random games on and I just that was one that I just said let me see what let me remind myself what happened that game that was a tough watch um yeah uh then you head down to the do to take on Bowling Green Falcons win this one I gave it to the Falcons too but man this is 5050 to me um well that puts me at what uh three and three same for you yeah then that put us at that put us at uh 4- two oh you're right yeah no but I have them losing to Bull and Green so they would that would be the third loss oh that's right yeah so yeah yeah yeah yeah sorry uh then they're home to Toledo and and you can cover your ears right here I have them uh upsetting Toledo in CB they're GNA upset the Rockets Alex Toledo grad so you can play the fifth if if you have to I I can't do that if I wasn't going to do it for Bowling Green I can't do it for our non-rival Northern Illinois um give me the rockets on the road oh I love it you hear that um Dan Savage I know you're watching then they head to Muny Indiana to take on Ball State this is a tricky game to me I got them winning yep but this one's G to be like a double overtime you know you're sitting there being man I I don't know who who do you got winning this one this has been such a fun rivalry the last couple years I I really like watching this one and it never ends up going to who I think it's going to go to uh this was a three-point game last year yeah um this is at at Ball State down in Muny at Schuman Ball State w at Husky Stadium last year man give me Northern Illinois to walk this one off yeah Revenge double overtime uh they get it done then they get a bye week and then they're heading to kalamazo you've already told me that you have Western Michigan playing for the National Championship uh winning the national championship you talking about yes I'm sorry uh we are high on Lance Taylor though we're and and you're extremely high and I I was very impressed in year one so I'll join you with the loss here in kalamazo at Waldos go go get those liquor pictures by the way at wos liquor pictures um if you're up there get some Sweetwater Donuts too is not an additional endorsement but they're the best donuts in the mid- American Conference oh man now you're making me hungry um you got them losing this one I assume then absolutely yeah mostly because they got two fullon Sweetwater Donuts up in wal or Western Michigan uh kalamazo yeah go sweet uh I gotta do that I got to make a note of doing that then you are home to akan the Zips we both of us we think akan is is better then we then their records have indicated I'm still taking NIU here NIU gets the dub against the Zips they get uh they zip them up and send them back home so that's got me at win six they're one away from the over Unfortunately they head to Oxford to take on uh Miami Ohio who does Miami Ohio have they have Bowling Green the final game of the season that's a tough final two games um I mean I I favor Miami Ohio on paper I have to say Miami Ohio I I I I'm curious by this game but I'd have to say uh Miami Ohio what are you doing here I think if I remember correctly I took Miami in our Miami preview so I got to stay consistent like you and I'm going Miami in this one then the final game of the season Central Michigan comes to town I do have them beating Central Michigan putting them at seven and five and cash the over I have them dropping this Central game um they lost a central last year 3137 this is a close game um and I think central is gonna have an opportunity to take a step forward I do think Northern is gonna have a great defense but this is gonna be one of those fluky games that you're like you know it's post Thanksgiving it's like that's true you know like what are we doing right yeah you know who's who who's ready to play football or who having their uh turkey hangover and and I think central Michigan finds a way to get it done on the road uh so this puts me at s and five as well cashing the over I still don't feel good though about it right it feels like a weird one now granted I am going for the a bomb with the NC State pick like I recognize yeah so and then dropping the UMass game so I mean you know we have we have some different picks but seven and five feels very attainable but I don't feel good about seven and five if that makes sense I think part of the problem is is that every team except Ball State on the road we have or I have as a bow Team and Ball State could still be a bll team but I don't have them as a bll team but I'm saying like that is a that is a loaded now I do like for for Northern Illinois and I you know whoever they got to do this is is incredible every other game is either home away that's true you don't have to back to back away I do like that I mean you get a chance to be rested at home you get you know or even on by weeks like you know you got Ball State and then at Western Michigan you're still at home for a week for a buy I love the bye after Notre Dame because that's a body blow game yeah correct get yourself an extra week of rest to get back together uh but um yeah I'm on the over I just don't feel very good about about it because yeah there's a because the uncertainty of the quarterback spot B I mean the road schedule's rough and then like the central Michigan spot even the to Toledo Central Michigan even the akan game is a little little weird out there not yeah they they feel like they're going to compete with everybody which makes you feel good about the idea of winning seven but because they're going to compete with everybody it makes you feel like they could win or they could win just three games like it's just that that's but that's what they do they play complimentary football they play to their strengths and they they really try to hide their weaknesses and this year I think again with as many offensive starters returning as many defensive There's an opportunity for them to do this and it's it's it's gonna ride on who's under Center yeah uh Daniel saying this team has everything back what am I missing quarterback baby yeah I think quarterback is the uncertainty and then uh the road schedule's rough uh I'll say this I'm on the over I know you're on the over but I actually think if you are going to be wagering on this I think you're better to just take plus 700 to win the Mac because if you're going to take the over on six and a half I think if they hit that seven first off like I just feel like the value won't be that great on that um and then to me if they're go if you think they're going to be if you're taking the over that means you think they're going to be seven and five well two power fives I have is my two losses so that means you have three conference losses at at least three conference or at most three conference losses um which means you're right on the cusp of making the the championship game now of course then you have to go to Ford Field and win that thing but I like the over I like the over but I think the smarter bet is to take them for the conference I'm fascinated by this program so uh we're both on the over how what do you think of the conference play it's a tough slate dude I mean you know the the issue is some schools avoid Toledo Miami Bowling Green Northern Illinois gets all three and they get two of them in their pod repeatedly I you know I think I think that they they have an opportunity here to be the best team in their pod I think they based off your prediction they go one and one I have them going 0 and2 in the Pod but I mean you now get Bowling Green Toledo every single year that's tough and now and then this year you're adding Miami and Western Michigan to that like you're not going to avoid all these teams forever but in a 12 team conference and you get four of the Heavy Hitters man that's that's tough yeah I'm with you uh it is just a tough tough schedule here um shout out to Nate Clark before he went to Kansas say he said he went to Western Illinois for two and a half years let's go leather next vote for Rocky for the best pup well mission mission three will have words to say about that mission three is the best there we go we got B no disrespect to Rocky but uh we all know it's mission three there we go I love this uh I'm on the over but I would not U you won't hear me bet it doesn't feel safe no I'm not betting this is of course if I I think I think if they do it if they do well you know this year if they if they hit the seven I don't think Nine's Out Of Reach oh I agree that's what I'm saying that's why I think you play the that's why I think the the safer bed is actually for them to win the championship not sure you'd probably have to take on you know Miami Ohio Toledo Bowling Green in the championship Western Michigan something like that but you're talking one game difference there if you think they're going to hit the over I want to say uh 2002 they went three and nine in uh in football uh without Rocky Lombardi uh so they were 2002 or 2022 or 2022 they were yeah without Rocky Lombardi they went three and nine they were not a successful program last year they got back to seven and six part-time with Rocky uh 2021 was a great year they it's it's tough um yeah so no I you know they it's it's it's a tough It's a a tough sled all around this I mean it's a good schedule um but we'll see Nate's Nate's saying the leather necks are going to upset him week one oh I like it all right I'm sorry that he's wrong but I like it uh James says six and six still bowling um yeah I don't know I I lean over but uh I'm fascinated by this team I think they're one of the more interesting like every conference has a couple teams that are more interesting than the rest as a college football fan I find all 34 teams interesting but this is one that I actually think like I will seek out a game more because I'm like where's this team at right now because if they hit on the quarterback the sky is like they could win the Mac if they struggle at the quarterback spot they could also like we said go five and seven or something like that so um I I find them fascinating man uh we're both on the over though and I want you to jump on over yeah not very comfortable but you know what is comfortable when you jump on over on Twitter or X or whatever the hell they're calling it these days and give Alex Shear a follow on Twitter uh at here I got I got it ready for you here a C90 he is the host of the Mac connection podcast which they dive deep all right that look I'm just an idiot over here talking Mac you know football basketball having a cocktail right Alex is over here destroying it they're they're covering all M at Mac media days covering Mac everything all right even the the golf teams in the Mac he's he's just kicking ass over there if you like the Mac you have to check out uh the Mac Sports Connection podcast they're on Twitter at the MSC podcast get on over there give them a follow Alex I always appreciate your Insight and and just happy season man let's go let's see let's see if we're right or wrong about these Huskies absolutely man like I said it's it's always an honor to be here a privilege and I mean you you guys do such incredible work with these team previews uh you keep me on my toes making sure that I'm doing my homework that I'm ready for this but it's it's always a joy and and like I said a true honor to join you on the show well thank you brother I appreciate that and uh yeah you're always welcome back we're G have to talk about some of these Big Time games maybe that NC State game that's the one you're gonna have to come on before and make that prediction on our week by- week preview I love it uh perfect for those NC State fans that still tune in even though they hate me it's absolutely perfect um folks give me a follow on Twitter at the CD the college football experiences on Twitter at tce on S gpn uh we're on iTunes Spotify wherever yeah in fact go over to iTunes give us a five star review all right takes two minutes out of your day but more importantly get on over to youtube.com/ theol experience hit that uh hit that like And subscribe button there as we're breaking out all 134 teams in the land and uh look that's just we we handicap every single college football game FCS FBS we've been doing this for years but not only handicap we preview it because we're not I I try to describe myself like yeah we love gambling but we love we love college football right college football is what brought us into the the the realm of gambling we love college football first all right um yeah if we can make a few bucks by watching the the sport that we love of course but also we host the college basketball experience when the college basketball season goes live we're live every single night of the Season talking college hoops and don't forget 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