Northern Illinois Huskies (NIU)
American Football NCAAF SECU Stadium Fri 5 Sep 19:30
Maryland Terrapins
  1. Prediction
  2. SGP Picks
  3. Odds
  4. Player Props
  5. Stats
  6. Standings

College Football Betting Preview: Northern Illinois vs Maryland

Northern Illinois go up against Maryland in this NCAAF Week 2 matchup at SECU Stadium, with kickoff scheduled for 19:30 on Friday, September 5. Our betting preview features expert predictions, picks, the latest betting odds and H2H stats.

We’re Confident NIU Can Cover the Spread

Northern Illinois look capable of avoiding a heavy defeat against Maryland and we’re happy to bet them against the spread. The underdogs can comfortably cover +17.5 and this can be backed at -122.

Each Team Won Previous Clash

Northern Illinois Huskies claimed a victory in their previous game. A 19-17 home win occurred against Holy Cross at Huskie Stadium.

Maryland Terrapins won their last game, beating Florida Atlantic Owls at home. It was a 39-7 win at SECU Stadium.

Northern Illinois vs Maryland Prediction & Picks

Our Northern Illinois vs Maryland betting guide delivers expert insight, including a main match pick, scoreline advice, standout player props and bet builder recommendations. Dive into each section below for more.

Game Prediction

Let’s take a chance on Northern Illinois and wager the big underdogs with a +17.5 start. They should be able to cover the spread in this college football matchup at odds of -122.

Injuries can influence the outcome and our CFB handicappers factor that in alongside the latest form guide. We apply the same approach to the stats to build the clearest picture of how the matchup might unfold.

Key Northern Illinois vs Maryland stats:

  • The +17.5 line has been covered by Northern Illinois in 20 consecutive games.
  • The -17.5 line hasn’t been covered by Maryland in 8 of their last 10 games.
  • The -17.5 line hasn’t been covered by Maryland in 4 of their last 5 games.

NIU +17.5 Probability

According to the latest betting odds, our pick has a 54.9% chance of winning. In the opinion of our cappers, there’s actually a probability of success closer to 60%. This is why we regard this as a value wager.

Looking for Bigger Odds?

If you are looking for bigger odds, then you can move the line by selling points. Choose how many to sell until you are happy with the juice available.

Explore the latest free bet promotions and welcome bonuses in our expert betting guide, updated with the best offers.

Our Game Prediction
Northern Illinois +17.5 @ -122 Bet Now BetMGM logo
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Disclosure: This preview contains affiliate links; we may earn a commission at no extra cost to you. T&Cs apply. We only recommend licensed and regulated operators. See our Editorial Policy. Pick odds and lines reflect the price available at the time of publication (Sep 4, 02:26). Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.
Published 02:26, 04 September 2025

Player Prop Picks

Top Pick: Octavian Smith Jr. Anytime TD +135 BetMGM logo

The odds for Octavian Smith Jr. (Maryland) to hit paydirt are +135. We’ll take a chance with this Anytime Touchdown Scorer wager as the betting odds look really appealing.

Latest Octavian Smith Jr. Player Prop Odds

Dorian Fleming Under 33.5 Receiving Yards -114 BetMGM logo

Dorian Fleming (Maryland) is priced at -114 to finish with fewer than 33.5 receiving yards. He could struggle to reach the Player Receiving Yards line, making this prop bet highly appealing.

Latest Dorian Fleming Player Prop Odds

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Same Game Parlay Picks

Spread NIU +17.5
Totals Over 46.5
Anytime Touchdown Octavian Smith Jr.

Try out our same game parlay pick which starts with Northern Illinois +17.5. We’ve also gone for Over 46.5 points and Octavian Smith Jr. (Maryland) to be among the touchdown scorers.

There are many options when you place a same game parlay. You can go through the football lines and identify your favorite outcomes before combining the odds on the bet slip. Personalised betting doesn’t come any better.

Pick odds and lines correct at publication. Live market odds are updated regularly and may differ. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Correct Score Prediction

Northern Illinois Northern Illinois logo 21 - 31 Maryland logo Maryland

There are lots of different ways to back the Terps on the correct score betting and something like 31-21 in their favor might be along the right lines at massive odds.

T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.

Northern Illinois vs Maryland Odds

The odds and lines below are updated regularly and may differ from the prices shown in our picks, which are captured at the time of publication.

Books Have Maryland as Heavy Favorites

The sportsbooks are taking no chances with their Moneyline odds of -833 about Maryland which reflects they have a 89% chance of winning this college game. The market suggests that Northern Illinois are least likely to win at +570.

The spread is calculated to be 16.5, while total points comes in at 44.5. Having a bet on the Totals is one of the most popular football wagers. If you want to bet Under 44.5, there are odds of -110.

There’s no shortage of betting opportunities when it comes to college football. The best betting apps offer a wide variety of team props and game lines for each game, so be sure to explore both the pre-game and in-game markets before making your pick.

Jalil Farooq Favorite to Be First Touchdown Scorer

Favorite Jalil Farooq is priced at +600 to be the first player to score a touchdown. There’s also the chance to back him to score a TD at anytime at odds of +105.

Touchdown

Jalil Farooq (Maryland)
First TD
+600
Anytime TD
+105
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Dorian Fleming (Maryland)
First TD
+700
Anytime TD
+130
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Nolan Ray (Maryland)
First TD
+750
Anytime TD
+125
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Octavian Smith Jr. (Maryland)
First TD
+850
Anytime TD
+165
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Receiving Yards

Jalil Farooq (Maryland)
Over 53.5
-112
Under 53.5
-112
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Octavian Smith Jr. (Maryland)
Over 39.5
-112
Under 39.5
-112
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Dorian Fleming (Maryland)
Over 37.5
-112
Under 37.5
-112
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Rushing Yards

Telly Johnson Jr. (NIU)
Over 54.5
-112
Under 54.5
-112
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Micro Betting

Instead of focusing on the overall outcome, some bettors prefer to look at the college football micro betting lines. As the name suggests, it means placing short-term in-game wagers and this might include the Next Play or Next Drive Result.

Live market odds and lines updated regularly. All odds subject to change. T&Cs apply. 18+ (or legal age) | Gamble Responsibly.
Best Betting Offers
SECU Stadium
SECU Stadium

Maryland Have Taken Five Wins From Last Ten Home Outings

Maryland own a 5-5 mark in their past 10 home games, averaging 27.50 points on offense and surrendering 23.00 on defense.

Northern Illinois have six wins and four losses in the last 10 games on the road, averaging 27.50 points scored and 21.60 points allowed.

Last 10 Games W-L P PF PA O46.5 U46.5
Maryland logo Maryland Home Stats 5-5 50.50 27.50 23.00 7 3
Northern Illinois logo Northern Illinois Away Stats 6-4 49.10 27.50 21.60 6 4
  • W-L = Wins-Losses
  • P = Avg. Points
  • PF = Avg. Points For
  • PA = Avg. Points Against
  • O46.5 = Games Over 46.5 Points
  • U46.5 = Games Under 46.5 Points
Team Stats

Latest regular season and playoff games stats.

Northern Illinois Huskies logo Northern Illinois Huskies Stats
Maryland Terrapins logo Maryland Terrapins Stats
Moneyline
  • 7 wins and 3 defeats in the last 10 games
  • 6 wins and 4 defeats in the last 10 games on the road
Moneyline
  • 3 wins and 7 defeats in the last 10 games
  • 5 wins and 5 defeats in the last 10 home games
Point Spread
Point Spread
Total Points
Total Points
NCAAF Standings Select Season
Big Ten W L PF PA N. Pts Home Away Strk
Indiana 13 0 545 141 404 7-0 6-0 13W
Ohio State 12 1 454 106 348 7-1 5-0 1L
Oregon 11 1 458 178 280 6-1 5-0 6W
Michigan 9 3 331 224 107 5-1 4-2 1L
USC 9 3 438 269 169 7-0 2-3 1W
Iowa 8 4 347 182 165 5-2 3-2 2W
Illinois 8 4 352 279 73 6-1 2-3 1W
Washington 8 4 405 233 172 5-2 3-2 1L
Minnesota 7 5 279 281 -2 7-0 0-5 1W
Nebraska 7 5 351 276 75 4-3 3-2 2L
Northwestern 6 6 270 251 19 5-2 1-4 1L
Penn State 6 6 381 257 124 4-3 2-3 3W
Rutgers 5 7 344 382 -38 4-3 1-4 2L
Wisconsin 4 8 154 259 -105 4-3 0-5 1L
Maryland 4 8 282 318 -36 3-4 1-4 8L
Michigan State 4 8 295 359 -64 4-3 0-5 1W
UCLA 3 9 218 401 -183 2-4 1-5 5L
Purdue 2 10 225 382 -157 2-5 0-5 10L
Mid-American W L PF PA N. Pts Home Away Strk
Western Michigan 9 4 307 237 70 6-1 3-3 5W
Ohio 8 4 344 275 69 6-0 2-4 2W
Toledo 8 4 379 146 233 6-0 2-4 4W
Central Michigan 7 5 286 272 14 4-1 3-4 1L
Miami (OH) 7 6 326 286 40 4-2 3-4 1L
Akron 5 7 267 329 -62 3-3 2-4 1W
Buffalo 5 7 288 282 6 2-5 3-2 3L
Kent State 5 7 255 403 -148 3-2 2-5 1W
Ball State 4 8 190 358 -168 4-1 0-7 3L
Eastern Michigan 4 8 289 357 -68 3-3 1-5 1L
Bowling Green 4 8 246 291 -45 3-3 1-5 1W
Northern Illinois 3 9 205 292 -87 2-4 1-5 2L
UMass 0 12 133 463 -330 0-6 0-6 12L