.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame final weekend on a last-second field goal to mark university football's very first large upset of 2024. For the Huskies, it is actually a gain they'll be celebrating for many years ahead. For the Dealing with Irish, it's a season-crusher. To lose the home opener to a tiny institution from a greatly poor event was a shame for Notre Dame.Especially because they spent NIU $1.4 million to perform it.This radiates a lighting on one of the longest as well as very most expensive traditions in university football: guarantee activities. They are actually additionally phoned "cash activities," "salary activities," or even, as I just like to phone all of them, "buy weeks." An expensive (and risky) traditionFor years, in the first couple of weeks of the time, significant college football companies have actually paid for much smaller colleges to follow to play them in their house.In Week 1 alone, much more than $35 million was actually invested around at the very least 55 assurance games, depending on to Front Office Sports. Alabama created the largest inspection to its opponent, Western side Kentucky, for a tremendous $1.9 million. WKU shed that video game 63-- 0, however they perhaps attacked the count on the bus ride home as well as likely will not think twice about it.In Full week 2, three institutions-- Western side Michigan, Center Tennessee, and Utah State-- obtained payouts larger than NIU's $1.4 million. They lost through a bundled rating of 156-- 3, but they take away a total amount of $4.85 million in the process.It's typically a bargain for both groups. The little universities obtain an income, the major universities obtain an additional home activity to dairy gameday profits. The small college gets to use the significant phase and also get nationwide visibility, the huge one gets a dish on the routine to begin the year in a sporting activity with no preseason. Therefore all's effectively and great up until the smaller staff makes a decision to show out as well as pull the upset.