Northern Illinois (2-1) will face off against N.C. State (2-2) this Saturday at 12 p.m. ET on the CW. The BetMGM College Football Odds favor N.C. State by 6 1/2 points. This will be only the second meeting between the two teams, with N.C. State leading the series 1-0.

N.C. State will be looking to bounce back from blowout losses to ranked Tennessee and Clemson teams, while Northern Illinois aims to recover from their first loss in the Mid-American Conference against Buffalo, which dropped them from the AP Top 25 rankings.

A key matchup to watch is Northern Illinois’ defense against Wolfpack freshman QB CJ Bailey. The Huskies have a strong defense that ranks 15th in total defense in the Bowl Subdivision. On the other hand, the Wolfpack’s offense, led by Bailey, has struggled to score points in their recent losses.

Players to keep an eye on include NIU’s RB Antario Brown, who has been a standout performer, and N.C. State’s WR KC Concepcion, known for his big-play ability despite not scoring a touchdown since the season opener.

Notable facts include Wolfpack coach Dave Doeren’s history with Northern Illinois, where he began his head-coaching career before moving to N.C. State. The last meeting between the two teams was in 1997, with N.C. State claiming a 41-14 victory.

NIU was predicted to finish third in the MAC preseason rankings, while N.C. State was picked fourth in the ACC. N.C. State will be without OL Anthony Belton, who was ejected from the Clemson game for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Overall, it promises to be an intriguing matchup between two teams looking to make a statement in their respective conferences.