The Northern Illinois Huskies (0-5) visit the Wyoming Cowboys (3-3) on Saturday, October 17, 2026 at War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY. Kickoff is scheduled for 3:30 PM ET, and the game airs on The CW. DraftKings lists the spread at WYO -7.5 with a total of 40.5; moneylines are Northern Illinois +245 · Wyoming -305. Below is our Northern Illinois vs Wyoming preview with the latest odds, point spread, moneyline, over/under, kickoff time, TV channel and where to watch, plus a look at each team’s season so far, head coach and key players. Lines may move before kickoff.
Northern Illinois vs Wyoming Odds, Spread, Kickoff Time & TV
| Matchup detail | Line / info |
|---|---|
| Matchup | Northern Illinois at Wyoming |
| Records | Northern Illinois 0-5 · Wyoming 3-3 |
| Spread | WYO -7.5 |
| Moneyline | Northern Illinois +245 · Wyoming -305 |
| Total | 40.5 |
| Venue | War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY |
| Date/Time | Saturday, October 17, 2026 · 3:30 PM ET |
| TV / How to Watch | The CW |
| Head Coaches | Northern Illinois: HC Rob Harley, OC Tony Petersen · Wyoming: HC Jay Sawvel, OC Christian Taylor |
Northern Illinois Preview: Season So Far, Coach & Key Players
Season so far: The Northern Illinois Huskies are 0-5 overall, 0-1 in Mountain West play. Results to date: Sep 5 — L 40-0 at Iowa; Sep 12 — L 28-24 vs Illinois State; Sep 19 — L 42-17 at Arizona; Sep 26 — L 35-14 at Georgia State; Oct 10 — L 28-7 vs Air Force. Most recently, Northern Illinois lost to Air Force 28-7 at home. Through 5 games, Northern Illinois is averaging 12.4 points scored and 34.6 points allowed per game.
Head coach: Rob Harley (first season in charge). Offensive coordinator: Tony Petersen. Defensive coordinator: D. J. Bland.
Key players (2026 season stats):
- Passing leader: Taron Dickens (QB) — 97/140, 977 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT
- Rushing leader: Telly Johnson Jr. (RB) — 65 carries, 300 yards, 3 TD
- Receiving leader: DeAree Rogers (WR) — 38 receptions, 333 yards, 2 TD
- Sacks leader: Avery Jones (DB) — 2 sacks
- Tackles leader: Kyon Conyers (S) — 36 total tackles
Strengths: The production of Taron Dickens (97/140, 977 yards, 3 TD, 3 INT). Questions: A defense giving up 34.6 points per game; an offense averaging 12.4 points per game; the response to a 28-7 loss to Air Force.
Wyoming Preview: Season So Far, Coach & Key Players
Season so far: The Wyoming Cowboys are 3-3 overall, 2-1 in Mountain West play. Results to date: Sep 5 — L 35-13 at Colorado State; Sep 12 — W 21-13 vs Northern Colorado; Sep 19 — L 24-10 at Central Michigan; Sep 26 — W 27-10 vs Hawai'i; Oct 3 — L 28-0 at North Dakota State; Oct 9 — W 16-13 at San José State. Most recently, Wyoming beat San José State 16-13 on the road. Through 6 games, Wyoming is averaging 14.5 points scored and 20.5 points allowed per game.
Head coach: Jay Sawvel (head coach since 2024). Offensive coordinator: Christian Taylor. Defensive coordinator: Aaron Bohl.
Key players (2026 season stats):
- Passing leader: Tyler Hughes (QB) — 82/136, 822 yards, 3 TD, 7 INT
- Rushing leader: Samuel Harris (RB) — 65 carries, 324 yards, 2 TD
- Receiving leader: Jake Wilson (TE) — 19 receptions, 197 yards, 1 TD
- Sacks leader: Esaia Bogar (DE) — 3.5 sacks
- Tackles leader: Jones Thomas (S) — 42 total tackles
Strengths: A defense holding opponents to 20.5 points per game. Questions: An offense averaging 14.5 points per game; ball security at quarterback (7 interceptions for Tyler Hughes).
How to Watch Northern Illinois vs Wyoming
- Date: Saturday, October 17, 2026
- Kickoff: 3:30 PM ET
- Venue: War Memorial Stadium, Laramie, WY
- TV / Streaming: The CW
Odds: DraftKings lines reported via ESPN as of October 12, 2026 2:12 AM PT (Arizona time). Lines may move before kickoff. Records, results and season stats via ESPN; coaching staffs per 2026 staff listings. This page is an informational matchup preview only.