Wednesday Night College Football Picks – Northern Illinois vs. UMass
-
Swinging Johnson
- November 12, 2025
As usual, Wednesday night features a small slate, but our Wednesday night football bets still find an opportunity to get down on the value that the oddsmakers are giving us. After perusing the odds, we are following the masses with a big road favorite in Northern Illinois in our college football bets on Wednesday night.
The Huskies of Northern Illinois will invade UMass in a game that will kick off at 7:00 PM ET at Warren McGuirk Alumni Stadium, the home of the Minutemen. The visitors enter this MAC showdown with a 2-7 record against the cellar-dwellers of the conference, UMass.
The last time these teams met was at Northern Illinois’ home venue, a little over a year ago, when the Huskies claimed a 14-point victory. Although the venue has changed to a more hospitable environment for the Minutemen, the results will be the same.
We also have an intriguing player prop to boot!
Best Bets for Northern Illinois vs. Massachusetts
As we analyze tonight’s NCAAF odds, we can understand why many would wonder how a 2-7 road team could be laying double digits. That’s a fair question, but it also reminds us of just how bad the Minutemen are this season.
Consider that UMass is not only winless after nine games, but the team is 2-7 against the spread and has failed to cash in four of its last five contests. Although Northern Illinois is no great shakes at 2-7, we do know that they defeated UMass handily in last season’s meeting, a 34-20 Huskies’ victory, and are 3-0 SU and ATS against the Minutemen all time. This is shaping up as a repeat of last year’s showdown.
Wednesday’s Week 12 Odds (UMass +10.5)
The NCAAF odds surrounding this Mid-American Conference battle reveal that the line opened at NIU -11, and it has stayed static at many of the best offshore sportsbooks. Those who are leaning toward grabbing the points with the home team will find a generous +11½ points over at Bookmaker, while those who feel Northern Illinois is poised for a rout will opt for -10½ at Bovada.
Wednesday Picks (Northern Illinois -10.5)
If we take a look at what the BMR algorithm has predicted in this matchup, we see that the AI model predicts an eight-point NIU victory. Good for the Huskies, but not so good for those laying 10½ points at Bovada.
Nevertheless, the Huskies match up well against the Minutemen, considering their ground attack, ranked 55th and averaging over 155 yards per game, will be relentlessly attacking an anemic UMass run-stop unit, surrendering 188.6 rushing yards per game, which ranks them 131st in the nation.
On the flip side of that equation, and perhaps even more important, UMass doesn’t score, whether it be by their 132nd-ranked ground game, averaging a paltry 81 rushing yards per game, or their 112th-ranked passing attack, garnering little more than 163 yards per contest.
But it is the latter category where NIU will thrive, as its pass defense ranks 15th in the nation, allowing just 183.4 aerial yards per game. UMass averages only 11.3 points per game (136th), and if you can’t score, you can’t win, and covering is a rarity as evidenced by the Minutemen’s 2-7 ATS record this season.
Lay the points with Northern Illinois at Bovada.
Expert Pick: Northern Illinois -10.5 (-110) at Bovada
Northern Illinois’ Chavon Wright Over 61.5 Rushing Yards
The Huskies have two featured running backs, but Chavon Wright has had the lion’s share of the workload, which is why we are choosing him to go over his posted total rushing yards as opposed to fellow tailback Telly Johnson Jr.
As stated, the Minutemen are not equipped to stop the run, which is a big reason why the player prop odds are so skewed in the Huskies’ favor. UMass will get a big dose of NIU’s running attack, and Wright will lead the charge.
Expert Pick: Northern Illinois Chavon Wright Over 61.5 Rushing Yards (-115) at Bovada
Make Your Football Bets Now
Getting in the game with an opinion that makes you cash is what it’s all about. The only way to do that is to open an account at one or more of the most trustworthy, reliable, and reputable sportsbooks in the industry, like the several online sportsbooks featured at Bookmakers Review.
Always Look For The Best Bet!
Remember, the lines and odds don’t stay stagnant. They move, so why not review our Wednesday night football bets on NIU and Chavon Wright when the getting is good? Lock in on a line at top offshore sportsbooks like Bovada and Bookmaker, and you’ll never have to worry that you missed out on value.
*The line and/or odds on picks in this article might have moved since the content was commissioned. For updated line movements, visit BMR’s free betting odds product.
