Northern Illinois Huskies vs. Mississippi State Bulldogs Prediction and Picks – September 20, 2025
The Mississippi State Bulldogs will host the Northern Illinois Huskies this Saturday, and we'll preview the lines and odds in our Northern Illinois vs. Mississippi State prediction. Mississippi State is one of several SEC teams entering the weekend 3-0, and they're hosting an NIU team that's now 1-1 this season after following a 19-17 win over FCS Holy Cross with a 9-20 loss at Maryland. Kickoff is set for 4:15 PM ET on Saturday, September 20.
Looking to win big this football season? We have the best College Football Picks to help you out!
Can Huskies jumpstart their 2025 season?
Nationally, little is expected of the Northern Illinois Huskies ahead of their road trip to Starkville—they're looking at a 21.5-point spread after playing two games this season in which neither team scored 21 points. The Huskies' schedule should only get easier after they face the Bulldogs this week, but it isn't too early for the team to produce some semblance of offense.
The Huskies' 9-20 loss to the Maryland Terrapins two weeks ago was a slog for fans of both teams. Their first drive lasted 11 plays, but only went 22 yards in six and a half minutes before ending in a punt. The next two Huskies drives lasted a combined 13 plays, went for a combined 32 yards, and both ended in punts. Their last drive of the half – 19 plays, 75 yards, eight-and-a-half minutes ran off the clock – ended in a field goal to cut the Terps' halftime lead to 10-3.
Josh Holst, the Huskies' sophomore quarterback in his first full season as the team's starter, hasn't thrown a touchdown pass through two games. He's completed 26 of 40 attempts for 192 yards – good for a 65.0 completion percentage and 4.8 yards per attempt – with an interception and four sacks taken. As a team, the Huskies rank 132nd in the FBS with an even 100.0 passing yards per game. It's hard to imagine this team winning many games if that number doesn't somehow improve.
Sign Up for StatSalt News Alerts, Get Free Picks and Discounts
Subscribe Now
How will Bulldogs close their non-conference schedule?
The Mississippi State Bulldogs enter Week 4 with a 3-0 record, chasing a riveting 24-20 win over No. 12 Arizona State with a 63-0 rout of FCS Alcorn State. Despite their resume, they remain on the outside of the AP Top 25 – between the eleven ranked SEC teams and a South Carolina team that garnered 82 points, the Bulldogs are still looking up in the rankings at 12 of the 15 other teams in their conference. Can the Bulldogs assert themselves against a beatable NIU team before they're thrown into the gauntlet that is SEC conference play?
The Bulldogs ran roughshod over the Alcorn State Braves last week, finishing with 282 yards and six touchdowns on the ground across nine ball carriers. Sophomore back Fluff Bothwell led the group with 93 yards and two touchdowns on 12 carries, putting him up to 170 yards and four touchdowns on 30 carries for the season. The quarterbacks only threw the ball 18 times, but starter Blake Sharpen finished with ten completions on 14 attempts for 173 yards and two touchdowns. Sharpen's interception to the Braves' Bakari McCall in the second quarter was the only real blemish on the Bulldogs' day, and their defense paid it back by recovering three turnovers from the Braves' offense.
Among FBS teams, the Bulldogs rank 40th in passing yards (263.3) and 61st in rushing yards (178.0), scoring an average of 40.3 points per game. Their resume will take on greater scrutiny once they hit their conference schedule, but they shouldn't have any trouble getting to that point with a 4-0 record.
Northern Illinois vs Mississippi State Pick
Spread Pick for Northern Illinois vs Mississippi State
- Mississippi State -21.5 (-105) (4 Units)
The Bulldogs are 3-0 against the spread this season, and 21.5 isn't too much of an ask for them against a Huskies team that's fought against itself to put points on the board. There's little margin for error with the conference schedule that Mississippi State has ahead of them; I'd expect them to take this game seriously as a ramp-up and not give NIU any chances to hang around. The Huskies might find their first passing touchdown of the season in garbage time, but that shouldn't prevent the Bulldogs from covering here.
Over/Under Pick for Northern Illinois vs Mississippi State
- Over 49.5 (-105) (4 Units)
The last time Mississippi State saw a total line below 50 was toward the end of 2023, when they hung a 41-20 win on Southern Miss to blow past a 48-point total and cover an 18.5-point spread. The line here is low due to concerns about the Huskies' offense, but it's possible that the Bulldogs hit the over here in a shutout. They could easily pull ahead enough here to rest their starters in the fourth quarter and let the Huskies back into their first passing touchdown of the season.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
Bet $5 & Get $200 in Bonus Bets Win or Lose
