4 reasons why the Irish will win

Although Notre Dame doesn't have quite the home field advantage like we saw at Texas A&M last weekend, the crowd is (usually) lively. The home fans will be excited to be at Notre Dame Stadium for the first home game and will be excited to cheer on the undefeated Irish.

If they don't start slow, the energy in the stadium will be great and the Irish will be firing on all cylinders. That defense combined with a loud crowd is a nightmare for the opposition and I expect both to wreak havoc on Saturday afternoon.

When you have a young, inexperienced offensive line, having a mobile quarterback is crucial. We just saw Leonard's legs thwart Notre Dame's attacks on multiple occasions last week in College Station, and it shouldn't surprise anyone if he does the same again on Saturday.

Northern Illinois' defense is probably the best in the MAC and shouldn't be taken lightly. With an offense that is still being built, expect Leonard to run around to initiate big plays and extend others.

With several All-Americans on the defensive line and possibly the best secondary in the country, it will be difficult for anyone to score against Notre Dame this season.

It's just as difficult for the opponent to run the ball as it is to throw it. Not to mention, this is the third year of Al Golden's defense, which he has called a .500 run level.

I would be shocked if NIU scored more points than Texas A&M did last week (13).

Although this is an experienced NIU team, the starters will only get so much time to play. Expect the Irish to come out wild and wear down the Huskie defense, which will be on the field early and often.

NIU's starting defense could pose problems for Notre Dame, but the secondary team will not.

The Irish roll 41-10.

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How Notre Dame avoids disappointment against Northern Illinois

Notre Dame's series history with Northern Illinois and MAC Football