Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina Prediction, Pick Against the Spread, and Latest Odds

Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Coastal Carolina Chanticleers - Cure Bowl

Spread: Coastal Carolina -10

Total: 63.5

Game time: Saturday, 2:15 p.m. ET, Albuquerque, NM

Where to watch: ESPN

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina odds

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina Prediction

Bowl season is about to begin. The second bowl game to kick off this season will be the Cure Bowl featuring Northern Illinois and Coastal Carolina.

Northern Illinois finished the season with a 9-4 record and a MAC Championship, despite allowing more points than then it allowed all season. The Huskies were a bit lucky this year but won close games and winning is all that matters.

Meanwhile, Coastal Carolina finished the season 10-2 in the SunBelt and while the Chanticleers didn’t get the chance to play in the Championship, a 10-2 season with a chance to win the Cure Bowl isn’t a terrible consolation.

Here are our picks and predictions for the Northern Illinois Huskies vs the Coastal Carolina Chanticleers game for Friday, December 17 at 6:00 pm ET.

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina INJURY REPORT

Northern Illinois

Questionable: WR Tyrice Richie (Foot)

Out: S Devin Lafayette (Leg), RB Harrison Waylee (Arm)

Coastal Carolina

Questionable: TE Xavier Gravette (Undisclosed)

Out: RB Reese White (Ankle)

Northern Illinois vs Coastal Carolina Prediction

The Coastal Carolina Chanticleers probably should’ve had a chance at the SunBelt Championship. The Chanticleers lost to Georgai State on November 13, 42-40, which all but ended Coastal Carolina’s chances at playing in the Championship game.

Starting quarterback Grayson McCall was injured and out for that game but has since returned back to his old form. You can think of Coastal Carolina as one of the best, if not the best, teams in the SunBelt, despite them not playing in the game.

The Chanticleers scored 40.4 points per game while allowing just 20 points per game. The offense is so dominant with McCall as the Chanticleers averaged nearly 500 yards of offense per game. The offensive line wasn’t amazing but held up for McCall and the offense. There are just so many weapons on this offense and McCall really did a solid job limiting turnovers.

He threw 23 touchdowns and just three interceptions on the season on 211 attempts. Meanwhile, the run game was just as brilliant with Shermari Jones rushing for 988 yards on 151 attempts and 13 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Coastal Carolina defense has been sensational as well. There have been hiccups in the secondary but Northern Illinois isn’t the biggest threat in the air.

While Northern Illinois averages 422.2 yards per game, the Huskies are getting 234.3 yards per game on the ground. Trying to rush all over Coastal Carolina isn’t going to be easy.

On the other hand, Northern Illinois allowed nearly 450 yards of offense and struggled in every single area on defense. The Huskies allowed 232.1 yards in the passing game and 215.7 yards per game in the run game. Coastal Carolina, with McCall back, should have no problems scoring against a Northern Illinois team that has allowed 32.7 points per game.

I’ll ride Coastal Carolina and believe they’ll win by at least three possessions.

Northern Illinois vs. Coastal Carolina Pick

• PICK: Coastal Carolina -10 (-110)