Notre Dame vs Northern Illinois: Freeman's Strategy

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00:00Notre Dame back at home in South Bend for the home opener this year, year number three

00:08under Marcus Freeman.

00:09So most unbiased man, 27 and a half points spread in favor of the Irish, a total only

00:16at 45 and a hook.

00:18What do you think we see in game two for Notre Dame this season?

00:21I think it's an obvious Northern Illinois spot with what we've seen from Marcus Freeman.

00:25You know, I try not to use the year one too much.

00:27He was fine that his rhythm, but, and they go to Ohio state hang, lose the Marshall outright

00:32next week.

00:33They beat Clemson.

00:34Uh, then all of a sudden the next week, it's a three point game against Navy, but Navy

00:37had a backdoor that number, but they still did.

00:40They covered comfortably.

00:41You go through some of the stuff last year.

00:43They beat a ranked Duke.

00:44They lose next week.

00:45It was still a ranked Louisville.

00:47It's hard to trust Notre Dame here.

00:49The reason I didn't grab Northern Illinois and maybe I am being influenced too much by

00:54Marcus Freeman hype up video prior to the game against Texas A&M, but sometimes teams

01:00take a leap.

01:01And again, I'm, I'm ready to be wrong.

01:04It's going to happen in a couple of spots.

01:06So just quickly, but with the wait list, I'm like, wow, I have all those teams in, you

01:09know what that means?

01:10So your whole top 10, I'm like, oh, I don't have a lot of these, these teams in, I'm going

01:13to be wrong in some spots here.

01:15Notre Dame jumps off as one of them.

01:17And if this team's taking a leap, Joe, you know what, instead of no showing this game

01:21at being 10, seven and a half, Notre Dame routes this football team here.

01:27And that the fact that I think it's on the board, I backed off the game.

01:31I would certainly lean Northern Illinois.

01:33Oh, I would lay it with Notre Dame because again, I'm all in, in regards to the offensive

01:37line play.

01:38You saw them wear down Texas A&M.

01:40They played that game last week in college station, almost like a prize fight, right?

01:45They were the counter puncher.

01:46They waited until maybe Texas A&M punched themselves out.

01:50And then once they had their opportunity with about eight minutes left in the fourth quarter,

01:54they scored and then took over from the defensive perspective.

01:58And I think they start fast and run the football on Northern Illinois.

02:01Now they're 10 and 0 all time Notre Dame is against back opponents.

02:05They've struggled in years past in regards to allowing these teams in the matchup, but

02:10they have the better quarterback in this ball game.

02:12But I don't even think it comes to Riley Leonard.

02:14I think it just comes down to the physicality of the offensive line.

02:18I think they're able to run it for 200 plus yards today with loving those back stats.

02:22The difference, they cover this number easy.

02:25Last week, Notre Dame put up 198 rushing yards.

02:28All three of their guys led by Jeremiah Love, who had 91 yards, had 44 plus on the ground.

02:35Darian Price finding the end zone as well.

02:37And Riley Leonard flashing the athleticism, 63 rushing yards, but only 158 passing yards

02:43for Leonard in his Notre Dame debut.

02:46Northern Illinois under Thomas Hammock has been really, really good.

02:49Six best passing defense in the country last year, allowing less than 165 yards per game.

02:55In Northern Illinois last year, 4-1 against the spread as an underdog, three victories

03:00outright.

03:01Last three years since the start of 2021, 13-5-1 ATS as a dog.

03:06One of eight teams around the country in FBS college football to have a 70% cover percentage

03:12or better the last three years.

03:15It is a large spread.

03:16It's four touchdowns in favor of the Irish, but just something to keep in mind.

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