.Northern Illinois stunned No. 5 Notre Dame last weekend on a last-second field goal to scratch college football's initial significant distress of 2024. For the Huskies, it's a gain they'll be commemorating for many years to find. For the Battling Irish, it is actually a season-crusher. To shed the home opener to a small institution from a vastly inferior event was actually a shame for Notre Dame.Especially because they paid for NIU $1.4 thousand to do it.This beams a light on one of the longest and most expensive customs in university football: promise games. They're also gotten in touch with "funds games," "paycheck activities," or even, as I just like to contact them, "get full weeks." An expensive (and also risky) traditionFor decades, in the very first couple of full weeks of the time, major college football institutions have actually spent smaller sized schools to find to play all of them in their house.In Full week 1 alone, more than $35 thousand was actually invested all over at least 55 assurance games, according to Face Office Athletics. Alabama composed the most significant check to its own enemy, Western side Kentucky, for an immense $1.9 thousand. WKU lost that activity 63-- 0, but they possibly reached the count on the bus trip home and also very likely won't reconsider it.In Week 2, 3 schools-- Western Michigan, Center Tennessee, and Utah Condition-- received payments much bigger than NIU's $1.4 million. They lost through a mixed credit rating of 156-- 3, but they took home an overall of $4.85 thousand in the process.It's usually a good deal for both groups. The small schools obtain a salary, the huge institutions obtain another home activity to milk gameday earnings. The tiny school gets to play on the big stage as well as acquire nationwide visibility, the significant one acquires a dish on the timetable to begin the year in a sporting activity without preseason. So all's effectively and good till the lesser staff makes a decision to show out and also pull the upset.