.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend on a last-second basket to notch college soccer's 1st large distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a gain they'll be actually celebrating for a long times ahead. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To shed the home opener to a little school coming from an extremely poor event was an embarrassment for Notre Dame.Especially given that they spent NIU $1.4 million to do it.This radiates a light on one of the lengthiest and also most costly practices in university football: assurance video games. They are actually additionally phoned "amount of money video games," "paycheck video games," or even, as I just like to contact them, "acquire full weeks." A costly (as well as high-risk) traditionFor many years, in the 1st couple of full weeks of the time, primary university volleyball organizations have spent smaller universities ahead to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, greater than $35 million was actually invested around at least 55 assurance games, according to Face Office Athletics. Alabama created the largest inspection to its own enemy, Western Kentucky, for an enormous $1.9 thousand. WKU shed that video game 63-- 0, but they possibly reached the trust the bus flight home and also likely won't reconsider it.In Full week 2, 3 universities-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, as well as Utah Condition-- received payouts bigger than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They lost by a consolidated rating of 156-- 3, yet they took home a total of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's typically a good deal for each groups. The small universities acquire a salary, the large institutions get one more home game to dairy gameday profits. The small university reaches use the large stage as well as get national exposure, the huge one receives a dish on the timetable to begin the year in a sporting activity with no preseason. Therefore all's well as well as good till the lesser group determines to show out and take the upset.