Northern Illinois Huskies at Toledo Rockets, Odds, Preview, Picks and Prediction for Wednesday, November 5, 2025
The Northern Illinois Huskies head to Toledo to take on the Rockets at the Glass Bowl on Wednesday at 8:00 PM ET, and can be seen on ESPN2. Northern Illinois is 2-6 overall and 1-3 in the Mid-American Conference, while Toledo sits at 4-4 and 2-2 in MAC play. The Huskies snapped a six-game skid with a home win last week, while the Rockets look to rebound after a road loss. Rivalries, tempo, trenches — NCAAF picks for Northern Illinois Huskies at Toledo Rockets.
Northern Illinois Huskies Look to Build on Breakthrough Win
Coming into this one, NIU averages 17.1 points per game while allowing 26.9. The Huskies' offense has been running the ball more often than not, with 166 yards per game on the ground. Running backs Chavon Wright and Telly Johnson Jr. combine for 847 rushing yards this season. Johnson leads with 581 yards and three touchdowns, and Wright has 266. Quarterback Josh Holst has thrown for 602 yards with four touchdowns and three interceptions on 62% passing, balancing out the offense with mostly short throws to leading receiver DeAree Rogers, with 439 receiving yards and three touchdowns.
On the defensive side of the ball, Northern Illinois allows 356 total yards per game, including 150 rushing and 206 through the air. Linebacker Quinn Urwiler leads the defense in tackles with 97, while Filip Maciorowski provides 2.5 sacks as the top pass rusher. The Huskies have come up with timely stops, including multiple sacks in each of the last two games, and have held opponents to less than 60% passing in consecutive outings, which is critical against the strong Toledo passing attack.
Northern Illinois snapped a five-game losing streak last week with a 21-7 home victory over Ball State, thanks to a dominating ground attack of 266 rushing yards. Wright ran 37 times for 166 yards while Johnson had 100 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Holst added a rushing touchdown and connected with Rogers on a 14-yard touchdown pass in the fourth quarter. The Huskies won the time of possession battle and held the Cardinals to just seven points and 248 yards of total offense.
Injuries:
- D. Harrison (CB) questionable
- A. Ibekwe (WR) out
- K. Nelson (LB) questionable
- A. Bond (WR) questionable
- T. Paasch (OG) questionable
- M. Jimmar (OG) questionable
- L. Ingold (DL) questionable
- J. Poe (RB) questionable
- L. Skartvedt (OG) questionable
- J. McIvory (WR) questionable
- R. Taylor Jr. (WR) questionable
- G. Rumohr (OG) questionable
- J. Macon (QB) probable
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Toledo Rockets Aim to Regain Rhythm at Home
Toledo has opened the season 4-4, averaging 30 points while allowing 18.5. They've won two of their last three conference. The Rockets' offense has been one of the MAC's most balanced units, generating 402 total yards per game, including 175 rushing and 227 passing. Quarterback Tucker Gleason has thrown for 1,721 yards, 13 touchdowns, and five interceptions while completing 65% of his throws. His favorite target, Junior Vandeross III, has 608 yards on 52 catches with eight touchdowns, providing the Rockets with a consistent deep threat. On the ground, Chip Trayanum is the leading rusher with 601 yards and seven touchdowns on 103 carries, averaging nearly six yards per touch.
Toledo allows just 297 total yards per game, which is one of the best in the conference. The defense gives up 113 yards on the ground and 184 through the air while limiting opponents to 18 points per game. Defensive end Malachi Davis leads the team with 4.5 sacks, creating consistent backfield pressure, while linebacker K'Von Sherman has 56 tackles to lead the Rockets. Toledo's secondary has produced five interceptions this season. However, the defense struggled to contain mobile quarterbacks in recent weeks, a concern against Holst, who can scramble to keep drives alive.
At a glance: Toledo lost 28-7 on the road to Washington State in its last outing. Gleason threw for 238 yards and a touchdown but was intercepted once as the offense stalled after the half. Vandeross caught a 24-yard touchdown pass late in the second quarter, but the Rockets failed to score again. The defense allowed 306 total yards and couldn’t recover from an early 21-0 deficit. It was a rare off night for a team that had averaged 45 points in its previous two wins over Kent State and Akron.
Injuries:
- C. Trayanum (RB) questionable
- A. Yasin (OG) questionable
- G. Zimmerly (OG) questionable
- N. Sanders (RB) questionable
- D. Rivera (OG) questionable
- T. Moore (OG) questionable
- D. Ollison II (LB) questionable
- A. Snowden (CB) questionable
- J. Willoughby (WR) questionable
- Z. Lang (WR) questionable
- J. Dottin (S) questionable
- T. Zsiros (WR) questionable
- L. Shamma (DL) questionable
- J. Baker IV (DL) questionable
Northern Illinois Huskies at Toledo Rockets Pick
Spread Pick for Northern Illinois Huskies at Toledo Rockets
- Toledo Rockets (4 Units)
Playing at home, Toledo's offense and consistent defense make the Rockets the choice. The passing connection between Gleason and Vandeross gives them an advantage against a Northern Illinois secondary that has yielded multiple 200-yard passing games this season. The Rockets' defensive front should control the line and limit Wright and Johnson on the ground. Expect Toledo to pull away in the second half on the strength of its more effective passing attack.
Over/Under Pick for Northern Illinois Huskies at Toledo Rockets
- Under 48.5 (4 Units)
Northern Illinois runs to control the clock, as does Toledo's defense, which allows less than 20 points per game. NIU has gone under in six of their last eight games. Teams that prefer possessions longer with fewer mistakes favor a pace slowdown. The Huskies average only 17 points per game, and the Rockets are fresh off a 7-point performance; thus, the most plausible result is a lower-scoring game.
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