Mississippi State is looking to go 4-0 and finish its nonconference schedule unbeaten this Saturday against Northern Illinois. It’s a matchup that the Bulldogs can’t look past or risk joining the boneyard in DeKalb.
The Huskies program has a reputation for being seasoned road warriors over the past decade, and in 2024 produced a 16-14 upset of No. 5 Notre Dame in South Bend. The game on Saturday even takes place on the anniversary of NIU’s 19-16 upset of Alabama in 2003. Bulldogs head coach Jeff Lebby is more than aware of that program’s DNA, and his team expects fierce resistance from the visitors on Saturday.
What: Mississippi State vs. Northern Illinois
When: 3:15 p.m. Saturday
Where: Davis Wade Stadium, Starkville
TV: SEC Network
Betting line: MSU is favored by 21.5
Weather: Clear and sunny with a high in the low 90s, per AccuWeather.
Records/rankings: The Bulldogs are 3-0 and remain unranked despite receiving votes in the latest AP Poll for the second week in a row.
NIU is 1-1 and unranked.
Series history: The Bulldogs and Huskies have never met on the gridiron.
Mississippi State update: The Bulldogs are mostly healthy apart from the season-ending injuries to Blake Steen and Will Whitson. Right tackle Albert Reese IV sat out the Alcorn State game and is questionable to practice this week.
The Bulldogs come into the game on the back of their first shutout since 2017, and the defense continues to find strengths despite the loss of the team’s sack leader.
Northern Illinois update: The Huskies are fresh after a week off in Week 3, but lost in their last outing at Maryland on Sept. 5.
The defense is the unit that brings a reputation to Starkville, with a front seven that has held opponents to an average of just 74 yards rushing so far. The linebacker duo of Quinn Urwiler and Filip Maciorowski helps to beef up an already impressive interior defense.
Huskies players to watch: RB Chavon Wright, RB Telly Johnson Jr., LB Quinn Urwiler, DE Roy Williams, LB Filip Maciorowski, S Jammeh Muhammed
Prediction: This is the kind of game that has “trap” written all over it. Combining a stingy defense with a program and head coach who have a history of upsetting teams on the road, playing in Starkville on the anniversary of NIU’s historic upset of Alabama in 2003, with a Bulldog team that is finally feeling pretty good for the first time under Lebby’s tenure is enough to scare anyone.
MSU’s offense threatens to score from anywhere on the field, and that will come in handy against a defense that makes life hard on the offensive line. It may be a tricky one, but the Bulldogs keep their focus against a tough opponent to head into SEC play 4-0.
Mississippi State 35, Northern Illinois 16
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