College Football MAC Championship Game Ohio @ Northern Illinois Odds, Free Picks and Predictions – MAC Title Game Preview

MAC Championship College Football Picks and Spreads: Ohio Bobcats @ Northern Illinois Huskies 2011 NCAA Football Vegas Odds, Free Picks, and Expert Predictions on ESPN2 12/2/11: The MAC Championship will be up for grabs Friday when the Ohio Bobcats (9-3) face the Northern Illinois Huskies (9-3). Both teams have provided plenty of excitement this season thanks to high-powered, high-scoring offenses. The MAC is consistently underrated on the national level, but this matchup has a chance to showcase the talent that exists in the conference. This game has all the makings of a shootout.

Northern Illinois has been living by its offense all season, and considering the Huskies rank 11th in the country at nearly 40 points per game, it isn’t a bad thing. Northern Illinois had plenty of tests along the way, including a 41-38 victory against Ball State and a 63-60 win against Toledo. The Bobcats can relate, beating Bowling Green 29-28 and Temple 35-31 on their way to the conference title game. These two schools have earned the opportunity to play for the MAC championship, and neither side is likely to go down without a fight.

In terms of star power, the edge goes to the Huskies. Quarterback Chandler Harnish had a spectacular season, and he is a dual-threat talent that can take over a game. He finished the year with nearly 2,700 yards passing and 23 touchdowns to go along with more than 1,300 rushing yards and 11 more scores. As a team, the Huskies rank eighth in the country in rush yards per game. Harnish gives Northern Illinois the luxury of running a variety of offensive formations, including the triple option and the spread attack. His versatility is a big reason why defense have struggled against the Huskies.

Ohio counters with a versatile QB of its own, and while Tyler Tettleton isn’t the runner that Harnish is, he did top 500 yards on the ground this season. More importantly, he is an excellent passer. Tettleton finished the season with almost 2,900 yards and 26 touchdowns through the air. He led a balanced Bobcat offense that finished in the top 40 in both rushing and passing yards per game. Ohio may not have one player as dynamic as Harnish, but the Bobcats do have plenty of talent on the offensive side of the ball.

The biggest difference between the two teams comes on defense. While the Bobcats have been relatively strong, holding opponents to just 22.0 points per game, the Huskies have been gashed on several occasions. For the year, the Northern Illinois defense is allowing 32.0 points per game. More often than not, Harnish and company have been able to outscore the opposition. However, the Bobcats have an offense capable of exposing a bad defensive unit.

The X-factor in the game could be Ohio receiver LaVon Brazill. He has more than 900 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns entering Friday’s title game, and he is the most polished player at the position on either side. Against a shaky Northern Illinois secondary, Brazill could have a huge night. He could provide the big plays on offense that the Bobcats need to compete with the explosiveness of Harnish.

In the end, Northern Illinois’ struggles on defense could come back to haunt them. Ohio is one of the best defensive teams in the conference, and while nobody has been able to stop Harnish, the Bobcats should be able to control him. Meanwhile, Tettleton and the Ohio offense should have little trouble putting up points of their own. The MAC has been a conference of back-and-forth affairs this season, and the championship game should follow suit. In a close game, the Bobcats’ superior defense should make the difference.

Prediction: Ohio Bobcats (+3.5) Cover the Spread

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