Lombardi threw for a school record 532 yards and had three touchdowns and Rudolph was the recipient of most of his passes, catching 14 balls for, a MAC-record (and school record) 309 receiving yards and a trio of touchdowns. Photo by Gregory Fisher/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images So, instead, NIU turned to quarterback Rocky Lombardi and wide receiver Trayvon Rudolph. While the Huskies are primarily a running team, ranking in the top-10 in the NCAA in yards per game, Kent was able to hold Northern to a season low of just 131 yards. However, NIU was able to set a few school and conference records in the process. In the game a few weeks ago, Kent State used a 31-point second quarter and held off a late Huskie comeback attempt en route to a 52-47 win over NIU. It will be the first time the MAC Championship Game features a rematch of a regular season game since 2017. When the Huskies and Flashes meet in Detroit, it will be a rematch of a game played on November 3rd, just over a month prior to kickoff for Saturday’s game. The duo led NIU to 20 unanswered points in the final 15:17 of the game and a 30-29 win over the ranked 10-2 Bulls. Buffalo jumped out to a 29-10 lead midway through the third quarter but quarterback Marcus Childers and defensive end Sutton Smith caught fire late. The Blue Devils had no problem with Rod Carey’s Huskies and won 36-14.įinally, the last time the Huskies were in Detroit was back in 2018 when they played the Buffalo Bulls. In 2017, NIU made it to Detroit to take on the Duke Blue Devils in the Quick Lane Bowl. Then, in 2015, BG reclaimed the top spot when they beat NIU 34-14. The 34-point win is still the largest win in MACCG history. Bowling Green took down the Huskies 47-27 in 2013. Jordan Lynch and the Huskies survived in double overtime, upsetting the #17 Flashes 44-37.įrom 2013 to 2015, the Huskies played three straight MAC Championship Games against the Bowling Green Falcons. With both teams 11-1 and ranked in highly in the BCS, the winner would have a chance at a BCS Bowl. ![]() The 2012 game featured this same match up - Kent State vs NIU. However, Chandler Harnish and company manufactured a comeback and the Huskies kicked a game winning field goal as time expired to win 23-20. In 2011, the Huskies found themselves down to Ohio 20-0 at the half. That 2010 game was the first of six straight MAC West titles for NIU. Then, with just 33 seconds left, the RedHawks scored the game winning TD on a 38-yard pass to upset the #25 Huskies, 26-20. In the 2010 game against Miami, the RedHawks would convert on 4th-and-20 when a batted pass that fell perfectly into a different, unintended Miami receiver’s hands and go for 31-yards. And, once again they would lose the MACCG in dramatic fashion. Akron scored 21 fourth quarter points, including a 36-yard touchdown pass with 17 seconds remaining, to upset Garrett Wolfe and the Huskies by a final margin of 31-30.įrom there, it would be five years until NIU made it back to Ford Field. NIU first made it to Detroit back in 2005, when they played the Akron Zips. And, if the Huskies win, it will be their fifth Conference Championship Game win, which would tie them with Marshall for most MACCG wins all-time. ![]() NIU has been such a staple in Detroit since the title game moved to a neutral site, they have more wins in the title game than nine of the 12 member teams of the conferences have total appearances. This season will be the ninth time the Huskies have represented the MAC West, pulling further away from Toledo and Marshall, who are tied for second place in MAC title game appearances with six each. Since the MAC Championship Game’s inception back in 1997, no team has more appearances than NIU. Saturday’s game will be the ninth time that NIU has played at Ford Field since 2010, with eight MAC Championship Game appearances and one bowl game (2017 Quick Lane Bowl versus Duke) in that span, going 4-5 in Detroit over that span. There is certainly no underestimating the emotional importance of KSU coming into this one. However, they’ll face a dangerous Kent State team that has already handed NIU one of their two conference losses, and looking for their first MAC title since 1972. ![]() After clinching the MAC West with a win against the Buffalo Bulls a few weeks ago, the Huskies secured their spot in the MAC Championship Game and another trip to Detroit. The Northern Illinois Huskies are back playing in their unofficial home away from home.
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