Utah Football: Post-spring game-by-game predictions for 2019

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DETROIT, MICHIGAN – NOVEMBER 30: D.J. Brown #10 of the Northern Illinois Huskies celebrates scoring the game winning touchdown with Spencer Tears #14 and Max Scharping #73 while playing the Buffalo Bulls during the MAC Championship at Ford Field on November 30, 2018 in Detroit, Michigan. Northern Illinois won the game 30-29. (Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) /

When these two teams met in Week 2 last year, it was an absolute snoozefest. The Huskies were only able to muster six points which was 14 below their season average (obviously not a great offensive season) while Utah dropped 17 to win at Huskie Stadium.

Heading into the 2019 season, expectations have dipped a bit for the Huskies with new head coach Thomas Hammock in charge. He still has a couple of quarterbacks to choose from with either returning starter Marcus Childers who passed for over 2,100 yards and 15 touchdowns last year or Cal-transfer Ross Bowers.

The quarterback battle will rage on into Week 2, making this a favorable matchup for the Utes. The Huskies’ offense will have a talented duo of running backs in Marcus Jones and Tre Harbison, though, to make up for the lack of a steady passing game.

Northern Illinois’ offense still lacks that explosiveness, which is why it ranked 121st nationally in scoring and 124th in yards per game a year ago. That won’t change much early in the year, especially against this Utah defense.

Final Score: Northern Illinois 10, Utah 30 (2-0)

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