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NOTE: Game at Detroit’s Ford Field
Northern Illinois (10-2) at Miami (OH) (8-4)
Northern Illinois broke into the Top 25 for the first time in seven years this week. It can end a much longer drought in its next game.
The No. 25 Huskies look to capture the Mid-American Conference title for the first time in 27 years when they take on Miami of Ohio at Detroit’s Ford Field on Friday night.
Northern Illinois (10-2, 8-0) won the Western Division after going undefeated in conference play for the first time in school history. The Huskies have won nine in a row and outscored their last three opponents 195-54.
They finished the regular season with a 71-3 win at Eastern Michigan last Friday. The victory propelled Northern Illinois into the AP poll for the first time since November 2003 and made the Huskies the first MAC team to break into the Top 25 this year.
“It’s good for our school and good for our football program, and this Friday we’ll see if we’re worthy of it,” third-year coach Jerry Kill told the team’s official website. “We’ve done a nice job, so far, but those are the key words - so far.”
Kill’s team is in the conference title game for the first time since 2005, when it lost 31-30 to Akron. The Huskies are seeking their first conference championship since 1983.
Northern Illinois is in position to end that drought in large part because of its ground attack. The Huskies rank seventh in the FBS with 279.2 rushing yards per game.
The Huskies ran for 544 yards last week - second most in school history - and eight touchdowns. Jordan Lynch had 142 yards and two TDs, Jasmin Hopkins added 104 yards and one score and Chad Spann - 16th in the nation with 1,239 yards rushing - had 88 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense has been just as impressive, as Northern Illinois is giving up a conference-low 18.5 points per game. The Huskies had 16 interceptions and 19 sacks this year and piled up 10 tackles for loss last Friday.
Northern Illinois, which leads the conference with 39.3 points per game, faced the MAC’s worst scoring defense last week. The Huskies should face a much tougher challenge from Miami’s defense, which was outstanding over the final month of the season.
A trip to the MAC championship game continues an amazing turnaround for the RedHawks (8-4, 7-1), who suffered through four straight losing seasons and went 2-10 in 2008 and 1-11 in ’09. They clinched at least a share of the Eastern Division with a 22-3 win over Temple on Nov. 23, then won it outright when Kent State upset Ohio last Friday.
“We have gone through so much in five years,” right guard Nate Williams said of the seniors. “This year it’s unbelievable how hard we’ve worked and how well we have stayed a team.”
The victory over the Owls was Miami’s fourth straight. The RedHawks have limited opponents to 11.8 points and 254.5 yards of offense during that stretch. Temple managed 215 yards.
Austin Boucher has started the last two games at quarterback in place of the injured Zac Dysert, and he’s expected to be under center again Friday. Boucher went 15 of 28 for 155 yards, two touchdowns and one interception last week.
Miami is in the MAC title game for the first time since 2007. The RedHawks last won the conference crown in 2003.
Northern Illinois has won five straight in the series.
Northern Illinois (10-2) at Miami (OH) (8-4)
Northern Illinois broke into the Top 25 for the first time in seven years this week. It can end a much longer drought in its next game.
The No. 25 Huskies look to capture the Mid-American Conference title for the first time in 27 years when they take on Miami of Ohio at Detroit’s Ford Field on Friday night.
Northern Illinois (10-2, 8-0) won the Western Division after going undefeated in conference play for the first time in school history. The Huskies have won nine in a row and outscored their last three opponents 195-54.
They finished the regular season with a 71-3 win at Eastern Michigan last Friday. The victory propelled Northern Illinois into the AP poll for the first time since November 2003 and made the Huskies the first MAC team to break into the Top 25 this year.
“It’s good for our school and good for our football program, and this Friday we’ll see if we’re worthy of it,” third-year coach Jerry Kill told the team’s official website. “We’ve done a nice job, so far, but those are the key words - so far.”
Kill’s team is in the conference title game for the first time since 2005, when it lost 31-30 to Akron. The Huskies are seeking their first conference championship since 1983.
Northern Illinois is in position to end that drought in large part because of its ground attack. The Huskies rank seventh in the FBS with 279.2 rushing yards per game.
The Huskies ran for 544 yards last week - second most in school history - and eight touchdowns. Jordan Lynch had 142 yards and two TDs, Jasmin Hopkins added 104 yards and one score and Chad Spann - 16th in the nation with 1,239 yards rushing - had 88 yards and two touchdowns.
The defense has been just as impressive, as Northern Illinois is giving up a conference-low 18.5 points per game. The Huskies had 16 interceptions and 19 sacks this year and piled up 10 tackles for loss last Friday.
Northern Illinois, which leads the conference with 39.3 points per game, faced the MAC’s worst scoring defense last week. The Huskies should face a much tougher challenge from Miami’s defense, which was outstanding over the final month of the season.
A trip to the MAC championship game continues an amazing turnaround for the RedHawks (8-4, 7-1), who suffered through four straight losing seasons and went 2-10 in 2008 and 1-11 in ’09. They clinched at least a share of the Eastern Division with a 22-3 win over Temple on Nov. 23, then won it outright when Kent State upset Ohio last Friday.
“We have gone through so much in five years,” right guard Nate Williams said of the seniors. “This year it’s unbelievable how hard we’ve worked and how well we have stayed a team.”
The victory over the Owls was Miami’s fourth straight. The RedHawks have limited opponents to 11.8 points and 254.5 yards of offense during that stretch. Temple managed 215 yards.
Austin Boucher has started the last two games at quarterback in place of the injured Zac Dysert, and he’s expected to be under center again Friday. Boucher went 15 of 28 for 155 yards, two touchdowns and one interception last week.
Miami is in the MAC title game for the first time since 2007. The RedHawks last won the conference crown in 2003.
Northern Illinois has won five straight in the series.
