.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second basket to mark university football's initial big upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a succeed they'll be actually commemorating for years to follow. For the Combating Irish, it's a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a tiny institution from a greatly substandard event was a shame for Notre Dame.Especially given that they paid NIU $1.4 million to do it.This radiates an illumination on among the longest as well as most expensive customs in college soccer: promise games. They are actually also phoned "cash activities," "paycheck games," or, as I like to contact all of them, "buy weeks." A pricey (as well as unsafe) traditionFor decades, in the initial couple of weeks of the time, primary university football companies have paid smaller sized institutions to find to play all of them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 thousand was devoted all over at the very least 55 assurance games, depending on to Face Workplace Athletics. Alabama wrote the biggest inspection to its own opponent, Western side Kentucky, for a whopping $1.9 million. WKU dropped that game 63-- 0, yet they perhaps struck the count on the bus trip home and very likely won't hesitate about it.In Week 2, 3 universities-- Western side Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and Utah Condition-- received payouts bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They lost through a mixed credit rating of 156-- 3, however they took home a total of $4.85 million in the process.It's generally a good deal for both teams. The little colleges acquire a paycheck, the huge schools get yet another home game to milk gameday profits. The small university gets to play on the large stage as well as receive nationwide exposure, the significant one receives a dish on the schedule to start the year in a sporting activity without any preseason. Thus all's well and also great until the lesser crew makes a decision to show out and also pull the distress.