Can NIU contain Johnson?
Matt Johnson is the nation’s leading passer. Will he be able to pass Bowling Green to a MAC Championship win over Northern Illinois tonight?
According to oddsmakers at RealBets, Bowling Green is the clear favorite in this game, as the Falcons are getting odds of -12.5 points against NIU. The over/under total for the game has been set at 69.5 points. These two meet tonight at 8PM ET from Ford Field in Detroit and the game airs live on ESPN2.
The Falcons (9-3 overall, 9-3 against the spread) are heavily favored because of Johnson, who has thrown for 4,465 yards with 41 touchdowns and just 6 interceptions. He has the most passing yards and second-most passing touchdowns in the country. Johnson has helped BG overcome a struggling defense by simply outscoring opponents. For tonight’s game, Johnson has been given an over/under of 27 completions. He has went over that mark in five games this year and hit exactly 27 on two occasions.
Tonight Johnson & BG meets up with NIU (8-4 overall, 7-3 ATS) that has more of a balanced team, but has struggled against the pass. The Huskies rank just 78th in the country against the pass, allowing 233.2 yards per game. Johnson likes to spread the ball out, which is challenging for MAC defensive units, which aren’t typically deep in the secondary. The main target has been Roger Lewis, who has caught 76 passes for 1,401 yards and 14 touchdowns. NIU does have the nation’s interception leader in Shawun Lurry, who has picked off eight passes this season. The Huskies will likely need a ninth or 10th to win tonight.
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