.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend break on a last-second field goal to notch university football's very first major upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a succeed they'll be actually celebrating for many years to come. For the Combating Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To drop the home opener to a little college coming from a significantly substandard conference was actually an awkwardness for Notre Dame.Especially considering that they spent NIU $1.4 thousand to do it.This shines a light on among the lengthiest and also most pricey practices in college volleyball: assurance games. They are actually likewise called "loan video games," "salary games," or even, as I just like to call all of them, "get weeks." An expensive (as well as risky) traditionFor many years, in the 1st couple of weeks of the time, primary college soccer companies have paid much smaller colleges to come to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually devoted all over at the very least 55 guarantee video games, according to Front end Office Sports. Alabama wrote the greatest examination to its own challenger, Western Kentucky, for a monstrous $1.9 million. WKU dropped that activity 63-- 0, but they most likely attacked the count on the bus adventure home and also most likely won't hesitate about it.In Full week 2, 3 schools-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and also Utah State-- received payments greater than NIU's $1.4 thousand. They dropped through a consolidated credit rating of 156-- 3, yet they take away an overall of $4.85 million in the process.It's generally a deal for both staffs. The small universities receive a paycheck, the major schools receive yet another home activity to dairy gameday earnings. The small institution comes to play on the large stage as well as get nationwide direct exposure, the major one acquires a cupcake on the timetable to begin the year in a sport without any preseason. Thus all's properly and also excellent till the smaller staff decides to show out as well as pull the distress.