David Malinsky
4* Northwestern +10
It should come as absolutely no surprise that we land here, in yet another investment behind Pat Fitzgerald as a road underdog, but we had to let the markets do their thing. Now that they have pushed it to the point at which +10 has become common available, it is time to get in the game.
We will not be too redundant in detailing the Fitzgerald track record in this role, but over the last four seasons, as either road underdogs or bowl underdogs on neutral fields, he and the Wildcats are a sparkling 11-2 ATS. But that only tells part of the tale – in seven of those games they won outright, while two of the losses came in O.T. That indicates something essential to understanding the value the bring – they are not just hanging ATS covers because of a lack of market respect, but instead showing that they have the moxie and tactical acumen to go out and make things happen on the field. With 19 fifth-year SR’s in prominent places on the depth chart, now that QB Dan Persa is ready to make his debut, and DT Jack DiNardo and S David Arnold are back in the fold, they also bring one of the highest motivational levels of their collective careers, after being whipped 48-27 by the Illini at Wrigley Field LY. Persa did not play in that one, and the defense may have had its worst outing of the Fitzgerald era. That brings pride into play for a group that has shown that they have it.
Not much is going to come easily for Illinois. The Illini had to scrap to the final possession to get past Arizona State and Western Michigan by three points each the past two weeks, and the way that Western was able to hang in the game last Saturday, with Alex Carder working the short passing lanes en route to 30 completions and 306 yards, is something what Persa and a deep Northwestern WR can continue. The Illinois pass rush is a force, but if you spread the field and get the ball out quickly it can be negated, and that is exactly what the Wildcats do best.
Prior to LY, Northwestern had won outright as an underdog in the last two meetings in this series, including a win on the last trip to Champaign. We would not be surprised if the Wildcats were in the hunt to the final possession, and another underdog victory is within their reach.
4* Northwestern +10
It should come as absolutely no surprise that we land here, in yet another investment behind Pat Fitzgerald as a road underdog, but we had to let the markets do their thing. Now that they have pushed it to the point at which +10 has become common available, it is time to get in the game.
We will not be too redundant in detailing the Fitzgerald track record in this role, but over the last four seasons, as either road underdogs or bowl underdogs on neutral fields, he and the Wildcats are a sparkling 11-2 ATS. But that only tells part of the tale – in seven of those games they won outright, while two of the losses came in O.T. That indicates something essential to understanding the value the bring – they are not just hanging ATS covers because of a lack of market respect, but instead showing that they have the moxie and tactical acumen to go out and make things happen on the field. With 19 fifth-year SR’s in prominent places on the depth chart, now that QB Dan Persa is ready to make his debut, and DT Jack DiNardo and S David Arnold are back in the fold, they also bring one of the highest motivational levels of their collective careers, after being whipped 48-27 by the Illini at Wrigley Field LY. Persa did not play in that one, and the defense may have had its worst outing of the Fitzgerald era. That brings pride into play for a group that has shown that they have it.
Not much is going to come easily for Illinois. The Illini had to scrap to the final possession to get past Arizona State and Western Michigan by three points each the past two weeks, and the way that Western was able to hang in the game last Saturday, with Alex Carder working the short passing lanes en route to 30 completions and 306 yards, is something what Persa and a deep Northwestern WR can continue. The Illinois pass rush is a force, but if you spread the field and get the ball out quickly it can be negated, and that is exactly what the Wildcats do best.
Prior to LY, Northwestern had won outright as an underdog in the last two meetings in this series, including a win on the last trip to Champaign. We would not be surprised if the Wildcats were in the hunt to the final possession, and another underdog victory is within their reach.
