Northern Illinois vs Maryland Prediction, Pick & Odds – College Football Week 2

• The Northern Illinois Huskies are 16.5-point road underdogs against the Maryland Terrapins in Week 2 College Football action
• Maryland’s true freshman QB Malik Washington impressed in his debut with 258 yards and three touchdowns
• Read below for Northern Illinois vs Maryland betting odds, prediction and picks

The Maryland Terrapins look to keep their non-conference dominance rolling when they host Northern Illinois under the Friday night lights. Fresh off pounding Florida Atlantic 39-7, the Terps have won 16 straight non-conference games, the longest active streak in FBS.

The college football odds tell the story, with Maryland installed as massive home favorites against a Huskies squad that barely escaped FCS Holy Cross last week.

Kickoff is set for 7:30 pm ET from SECU Stadium in College Park, Maryland, with the Big Ten Network handling the broadcast.

Northern Illinois vs Maryland Odds

Maryland opened as 14.5-point favorites, but big money has pushed the line to 16.5. The total has dropped from 48.5 to 46.5, signaling sharp action on the under.

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Odds as of September 4 at Bet365 Sportsbook. Bet365 Maryland is now live, meaning bettors in the Old Line State can bet on Friday Night CFB with a Bet365 bonus code.

Washington Shines in Debut

True freshman quarterback Malik Washington lived up to the hype against Florida Atlantic. After a shaky 3-of-11 start, the 6-foot-5 signal-caller settled down to finish 27-of-43 for 258 yards and three touchdowns without a pick.

His three touchdown passes were the most by a true freshman Big Ten quarterback in his debut since Michigan’s Tate Forcier in 2009. The Maryland coaching staff showed faith in their young gun, calling 30 pass attempts in the first half alone.

The defense grabbed headlines too, forcing six interceptions with two returned for touchdowns. Daniel Wingate led the charge with 10 tackles and a pick-six, while the unit held FAU to just 2.4 yards per carry.

The bad news? Offensive lineman Jaylen Gilchrist and backup quarterback Justyn Martin both left with injuries. Maryland also committed 14 penalties for 100 yards, including eight in the first quarter.

Huskies Grind Out Ugly Win

Northern Illinois survived a 19-17 nail-biter against Holy Cross in typical Huskies fashion. Josh Holst managed just 101 yards passing on 12-of-18 attempts before exiting with an injury.

The ground game churned out 178 yards, led by Chavon Wright’s 77 yards on 11 carries. Telly Johnson Jr. added 67 yards on 21 attempts, maintaining NIU’s run-first identity.

The defense was the bright spot, limiting Holy Cross to 2.5 yards per rush and forcing them into a 3-of-12 showing on third down. Roy Williams and Quinn Urwiler anchored a front seven that generated eight tackles for loss.

Special teams proved to be a wild card with both teams returning kickoffs for touchdowns. That chaos won’t likely repeat itself on Friday night.

Northern Illinois vs Maryland Prediction

• Pick: Northern Illinois +16.5 (-110 at Bet365)
• Pick: Under 46.5 (-110 at Bet365)

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The Huskies are 6-0 against the spread in their last six road openers as an underdog. That’s not a trend to ignore, especially with Maryland asking a true freshman to cover a massive number.

NIU’s defense played well against Holy Cross and should help keep this game closer than many expect. Last week, they gave up only 155 passing yards and have experienced players like Roy Williams returning up front.

This matchup looks like a good spot for the under. Northern Illinois ran the ball 48 times last week and will likely try to control the clock again. That means fewer possessions for both teams and less time for Maryland’s offense to make big plays.

Maryland’s defense forced six turnovers but also had eight penalties in the first quarter. If they cut down on mistakes, it will be tough for the Huskies’ struggling passing game to score.

I think the Terps will win, but NIU’s style should help them stay within the spread. Expect both defenses to play well and the final score to stay under 46.5 points.