.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend break on a last-second basket to scratch university football's initial big upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a succeed they'll be actually commemorating for a long times to come. For the Dealing with Irish, it's a season-crusher. To drop the home opener to a little university coming from a significantly substandard conference was an awkwardness for Notre Dame.Especially because they paid NIU $1.4 million to do it.This sparkles a light on among the longest as well as most expensive customs in college football: warranty games. They're additionally gotten in touch with "loan activities," "paycheck video games," or even, as I as if to contact all of them, "purchase full weeks." A pricey (and also risky) traditionFor decades, in the 1st couple of weeks of the time, major college football institutions have paid smaller sized institutions to follow to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually invested throughout at least 55 warranty activities, according to Front end Workplace Sports. Alabama composed the largest check to its challenger, Western side Kentucky, for a whopping $1.9 million. WKU lost that game 63-- 0, but they probably hit the bank on the bus adventure home as well as very likely will not think twice about it.In Full week 2, 3 schools-- Western Michigan, Middle Tennessee, and also Utah State-- acquired payments bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They shed through a mixed credit rating of 156-- 3, however they take away an overall of $4.85 million in the process.It's commonly a bargain for both staffs. The tiny institutions receive a payday, the major universities get yet another home activity to milk gameday income. The small university gets to play on the large stage and also receive national visibility, the large one obtains a cupcake on the schedule to begin the year in a sport without any preseason. Therefore all's well as well as excellent till the lesser team makes a decision to show out and also pull the upset.