In college football, they call them ‘cupcake games.’ Power 4 teams pay smaller programs a fat check to show up, take a beating, and go home with a story for the grandkids. But sometimes, the cupcakes bite back. If you think that can’t happen, just ask Marcus Freeman and Notre Dame. Last year, Northern Illinois walked into South Bend, cashed a $1.4 million check, and walked out with a 16-14 upset after blocking the Irish’s last-second field goal. It was one of the biggest shocks in program history that serves as a painful reminder that money doesn’t always buy wins. And this season, NIU came close to executing that rare feat again.

For Mike Locksley and Maryland, history nearly repeated itself. On September 5, USA Today Sports’ reporter Steve Berkowitz tweeted, “ Maryland

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