.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second field goal to mark university football's 1st major trouble of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a succeed they'll be commemorating for a long times ahead. For the Fighting Irish, it's a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a little college from a vastly substandard conference was a shame for Notre Dame.Especially given that they paid out NIU $1.4 thousand to perform it.This beams an illumination on some of the longest and also very most pricey traditions in university football: guarantee activities. They are actually also gotten in touch with "loan activities," "salary activities," or, as I such as to phone them, "get full weeks." A pricey (as well as unsafe) traditionFor decades, in the 1st few weeks of the time, major university football institutions have actually spent much smaller schools to follow to play them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 million was actually devoted throughout at least 55 assurance video games, according to Face Workplace Athletics. Alabama composed the biggest inspection to its enemy, Western side Kentucky, for a monstrous $1.9 thousand. WKU dropped that video game 63-- 0, yet they possibly struck the bank on the bus experience home and also very likely will not hesitate about it.In Week 2, three schools-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and also Utah State-- got payments much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They shed by a combined credit rating of 156-- 3, however they take away a total of $4.85 million in the process.It's commonly a deal for both groups. The tiny institutions obtain a paycheck, the huge universities obtain another home game to milk gameday income. The small school gets to use the huge stage and also obtain national direct exposure, the big one receives a cupcake on the schedule to start the year in a sport without any preseason. Therefore all's effectively as well as excellent till the minimal crew makes a decision to present out as well as take the trouble.