College Football Week 7 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois (2022)

Let’s take a look at the College Football Week 7 odds, picks, and predictions for Saturday’s game: Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois.

Check out our other College Football game previews for Week 7:

• Auburn vs. Ole Miss
• Maryland vs. Indiana
• LSU vs. Florida
• Clemson vs. Florida State
• Stanford vs. Notre Dame
• Alabama vs. Tennessee
• Penn State vs. Michigan
• USC vs. Utah
• Kansas vs. Oklahoma
• Syracuse vs. North Carolina State
• Toledo vs. Kent State
• North Texas vs. Louisiana Tech
• California vs. Colorado
• Arkansas vs. BYU
• Arizona vs. Washington
• Nevada vs. Hawaii
• UTSA vs. FIU
• James Madison vs. Georgia Southern
• Western Kentucky vs. Middle Tennessee State

And here are our top picks of the weekend:

• Thor Nystrom's Best College Football Week 7 Bets
• Bogman's College Football Week 7 Best Bets & Predictions
• College Football Week 7 Odds, Picks, & Predictions: Under-the-Radar Plays

Check out Thor Nystrom’s Week 7 College Football Power Rankings >>

College Football Week 7 Odds, Picks & Predictions: Eastern Michigan vs. Northern Illinois

Despite rampant reports that NIU QB Rocky Lombardi will miss the rest of the season, the Huskies have mimed Lombardi could return in recent weeks, calling him a "gametime decision" before ultimately not playing him. As is often the case, I believe the reports in this situation, not the team.

We're going to see NIU QB2 Ethan Hampton again. Hampton has been an enormous downgrade. Since the beginning of last year, Lombardi has completed 59.3% of his passes for 7.7 AY/A and a 20/9 TD/INT ratio, while Hampton has completed 57,6% for 5.2 AY/A and a 7/6 TD/INT ratio. Lombardi also provides a rushing element (473 yards, nine TD last year) that Hampton doesn't (-16 career rushing yards).

EMU knows the pain of playing with the backup QB. Last month, EMU lost 50-31 to Buffalo with QB Taylor Powell out. Outside of that game, EMU is 4-1. Every win came by a TD or more. Powell is averaging 295 passing YPG.

Last year, NIU played with a horseshoe stuffed up their trousers. The Huskies' nine-win improvement — 0-6 to 9-5 MAC champs - came courtesy of a series of fluky circumstances. NIU's four games by two points or less - they won a fifth in OT - was the most by a team since 2004 (Virginia).

This year, luck normalization has come crashing down on NIU. The Huskies have lost five-straight since beating an FCS team in the opener. Without Lombardi, this team appears close to packing it in for the fall. And they'll be given every reason to in what is a poor matchup on-paper.

EMU is No. 20 in offensive success rate, No. 5 in rushing success rate, and No. 22 in passing success rate. NIU's defense ranks No. 118 in success rate, No. 77 in rushing success rate, and No. 124 in passing success rate.

And while EMU cashes in scoring opportunities - ranking No. 16 in points per scoring opportunity - NIU's defense is a sieve backed-up, ranking No. 130 in points per scoring opportunity allowed.

The pick: EMU -2.5

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