.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend break on a last-second basket to mark college football's very first big distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a win they'll be celebrating for years to find. For the Dealing with Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To drop the home opener to a tiny institution from an extremely substandard event was actually an awkwardness for Notre Dame.Especially considering that they paid out NIU $1.4 thousand to accomplish it.This beams an illumination on some of the lengthiest and also most pricey customs in university football: guarantee video games. They are actually likewise phoned "amount of money games," "paycheck games," or even, as I just like to contact all of them, "acquire weeks." A costly (and also high-risk) traditionFor years, in the very first few full weeks of the season, significant college soccer organizations have actually paid smaller colleges to come to play all of them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually invested around at least 55 assurance games, depending on to Front end Office Athletics. Alabama wrote the greatest check to its rival, Western Kentucky, for a tremendous $1.9 million. WKU shed that game 63-- 0, but they probably reached the bank on the bus adventure home and very likely will not hesitate about it.In Full week 2, three schools-- Western side Michigan, Center Tennessee, as well as Utah State-- received payouts greater than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They shed by a bundled rating of 156-- 3, but they take away a total of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's generally a good deal for each groups. The tiny colleges receive an income, the large schools get yet another home activity to dairy gameday profits. The little school comes to use the big stage as well as receive nationwide exposure, the huge one obtains a cupcake on the schedule to start the year in a sporting activity without preseason. Thus all's properly as well as good till the minimal group determines to reveal out and also pull the distress.