– Last Updated on December 22, 2022 3:20 pm
Free Week 2 Prediction: Redbirds vs Wildcats Odds
Looking for Illinois State Redbirds vs. Northwestern Wildcats free picks? Week 2 College football betting sees the Redbirds taking on the Wildcats Saturday, September 10th, Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois. Cappers Picks provides complimentary handicapping picks all NCAA football season long so stay tuned for more FREE college football predictions.
Week 2
Illinois State Redbirds (1-0) vs. Northwestern Wildcats (0-1)
Date: Saturday, September 3rd
Time: 3:30 PM
Venue: Ryan Field, Evanston, Illinois
NCAA Football Spread: OFF (As of 5pm Thursday)
NCAA Betting Total: OFF
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Though Northwestern is known more for academics than they are football, last week for the Wildcats was rough.
Down 21-22 to Western Michigan the Wildcats drove all the way down the field and looked as if they could win the game, but Northwestern QB Clayton Thorson fumbled the ball just before the goal line, effectively sealing the game for the Broncos.
On the other side of the field, Illinois State opened its season with an emphatic win against Valparaiso and are ranked No. 10 in the FCS poll.
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With that said, this won’t be a case of an FBS team beating up on an FCS team. In fact, Illinois STate has a great chance at an upset. I’ll call it one as the Redbirds come away with a 28-24 win.
Illinois State Redbirds
Illinois State has been one of the top FCS programs in recent history and rely on a strong running game to wear down opponents.
They uniquely employ quite the running back rotation, with five backs rushing for over 30 yards en route to 271 total yards on the ground.
Leading the attack was George Moreira with 93 yards and a TD on seven carries.
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Jamal Towns was also serviceable with a state line of 8 carries for 55 yards.
Northwestern Wildcats
As mentioned in the intro Northwestern had a bit of tough luck against Western Michigan and threw the game away when they had a chance to complete quite the comeback in the final minutes.
Despite the loss, however, the Wildcats played admirably as RB Justin Jackson amassed 124 yards and 3 touchdowns on 23 carries and QB Clayton Thorson went 15 of 22 for 196 yards.
If Northwestern wants to avoid yet another upset they’ll need to rely on their strong rushing attack to suppress a relatively potent Redbirds offense.
Illinois State has dominated the FCS level as of late, going 13-2 in 2014, losing to North Dakota State in the FCS Championship Game.
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Northwestern had quite the impressive season last year, finishing 10-3 while beating opponents such as Stanford and Wisconsin en route to a trip to the Outback Bowl.
Northwestern’s rushing attack will be challenged by a stout Redbirds defense that limited opposing backs to under 150 yards a game.
Free Week 2 NCAA Football Prediction
Illinois State is a dominant FCS program right now and looks primed for the upset on Saturday.
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While Northwestern will establish their running game early and often, the Redbirds should be able to hang with the Wildcats offensively and defensively en route to a not-so-surprising win.
Week 2 Free Score Prediction: Illinois State 28 – 24 Northwestern
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