If Rodney Dangerfield were still alive, he would probably be making plans to attend this Saturday's contest between the Ball State Cardinals and the Northern Illinois Huskies...
Iowa vs. Northern Illinois: TV Schedule, Live Stream, Radio, Game Time and More
Aug 30, 2012
The Iowa Hawkeyes travel to Northern Illinois (kind of) to take on the Huskies in the Soldier Field Showdown III on Saturday afternoon.
You might technically want to call it a home game for the Huskies, but their campus is about 65 miles away from Soldier Field, somewhat canceling out the advantage they will desire against its Big Ten foe.
Iowa is simply trying to get the bad taste out of its mouth from last year's 31-14 Insight Bowl defeat to Oklahoma, which capped off a frustrating 7-6 campaign.
Northern Illinois' arrow, meanwhile, is pointing straight up as it looks to continue to build its program after two-straight 11-win seasons.
When: Saturday, September 1 at 3:30 p.m. ET
Where: Soldier Field, Chicago, IL
Watch: ESPNU
Listen: Iowa fans can find their radio broadcast here. Northern Illinois fans can tune in to WSCR 670 AM.
The Huskies are trying to notch one in the win column at Soldier Field, where they have yet to win since starting the "Showdown Series."
The first matchup was in 2007, a year in which Northern Illinois won just two games all year. They lost to Iowa, 16-3. The series returned last year with the talented Wisconsin squad rolling to a 49-7 victory.
If Northern Illinois keeps leaving Soldier Field in defeat, they might not want to keep coming back.
As for Iowa, the Hawkeyes are coming off a 7-6 season, which was Kirk Ferentz' worst year in Iowa City since 2007. An upset loss to start this year would be absolutely brutal for this reeling squad.
Iowa Player to Watch: Keenan Davis, WR
With Marcus Coker now beating up on the teams in the vaunted Big South, the focus of the Hawkeyes' offense will shift to the veteran senior duo of James Vandenberg and Keenan Davis.
While Vanderberg was solid at managing the ball for Iowa, he didn't exactly always light up the scoreboard. But when he did, Davis was usually on the other end. The now-senior pulled in 50 balls to the tune of 713 yards and four touchdowns in 2011, all which led the team.
With a less reliable running game, Vandenberg and Davis will have to be even better in 2012. For the 6'3", 215-pound wideout, that should be no problem.
Northern Illinois Player to Watch: Jordan Lynch, QB
It's odd looking at the Northern Illinois depth chart and not seeing Chandler Harnish in the "QB1" spot, as it seems like he's been there for about the past 10 years.
Harnish, who is currently a member of the Indianapolis Colts, was terrific last season for the Huskies, throwing for 3,216 yards, 28 touchdowns and just six interceptions while rushing for another 1,379 and 11 scores.
Talk about big shoes to fill for Jordan Lynch.
The junior has been backing up Harnish for the past two years, but if the way he's played during his limited opportunities is any indication, his feet are plenty big enough.
During his two years with NIU, Lynch has completed 73 percent of his 26 throws for 179 yards, two TDs and zero picks. He's also added 76 rushes for 608 yards and six touchdowns, as he is clearly a dangerous dual threat.
It will be fun to see how Lynch does against a solid Big Ten defense in his first start.
Key Matchup: Iowa Offense vs Northern Illinois Defense
This is going to be an intriguing battle to say the least.
Iowa, like most Big Ten offenses, struggled to move the ball at times last season. They scored just 27 points per game (52nd in the country) and averaged 370.7 yards per contest (72nd). With Coker gone, those struggles could very well continue.
But if they are going to find a way into the endzone, Northern Illinois is probably the defense to do it against. The Huskies return eight starters on defense, but those starters simply weren't very good in 2011, as they gave up over 400 yards and 30 points per game.
Whoever's weakness prevails should push them to victory.
Prediction
This is the classic battle of two opposite teams. Iowa usually finds its success on the defensive side of the ball while Northern Illinois is there to score points in a hurry.
I think this one is a lot closer than a 10-point spread, but Iowa should escape with some timely defensive plays against the inexperienced Northern Illinois offense.
Iowa vs. Northern Illinois: Upset Alert! Hawkeyes Can't Take Huskies for Granted
Aug 14, 2012
Anyone remember the 2007 Northern Illinois vs. Iowa Game?
Sure, Iowa won, making their all-time record 7-0 over the Huskies. The final score was Iowa 16-3. Since the line was 12, they even covered at Soldier Field in Chicago. But do you really remember the game?
See if this helps: Iowa got a 56-yard punt return to set up one score, Northern Illinois missed a 44-yard field goal and threw three interceptions inside Iowa territory at the 35, the 3 and the 40-yard lines.
Iowa was the better team that day, no doubt. But, for some reason, the Huskies were only a couple of mistakes away from pulling a big upset. Without the long punt return, Iowa likely only scores 10 points.
Northern Illinois clearly missed three scoring opportunities. Two were lost (you could say three, but that is a stretch) on the interceptions in Iowa territory at the 3 and the 35-yard lines. The third was the wide right 44-yard field-goal attempt in the first quarter.
Still, there is no doubt that Iowa was the better team—who came close to losing the ball game—that day.
I know, shoulda, woulda, coulda—but they didn't. You can do that in any game that is within a couple of touchdowns and make them all sound more interesting. So, why be a worry wart?
The reason is simple: Iowa would be wise to learn from their past. Northern Illinois should lose to the Hawkeyes again on September 1. But if ever there was a time for the Iowa coaches to be certain their team doesn't come in overconfident, this first game is that time.
The Huskies are coming off their second 11-3 season in a row. This year, expectations are the Huskies will play for the Mac title—which they won last season—again. This isn't the same Huskies team that finished the 2007 season 2-10.
Unfortunately the Hawkeyes do resemble their 2007 team, which finished 6-6 more than their 11-2 squad of 2009.
But they are a MAC team.
So, Appalachian state was an FCS team in 2007 when they beat Michigan in Game 1. Nowadays, with the 85 scholarship limits, these mid-major—and occasionally FCS—teams are not far from being as talented as the major schools.
Most often, where the difference lies is in the depth. Many smaller schools have starting playmakers almost equal in talented to the top schools. It is when you get into the second and third levels that true deficiencies show.
Iowa will likely open about a seven-to-eight-point favorite against Northern Illinois. Even though they are young, with some questions to be answered, the Hawkeyes should win the game.
Still, the coaching staff would be wise to remind their young team often about last season's Iowa State game, the Appalachian State-Michigan game, the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team, David vs. Goliath or any other little-guy-beats-big-guy story they can think of.
Just in case.
Northern Illinois: LB Pat Schiller Impresses at Pro Day
Mar 11, 2012
Since 2001, Northern Illinois has had seven players selected in the NFL Draft, with San Diego Chargers defensive end and ex-Huskies Larry English going in Round 1 back in 2009.
The school has produced NFL quality players for years and the last time it had a linebacker drafted, the Rams were still in Los Angeles. Those same Rams drafted Doug Bartlet in the fourth round (91 overall) in 1987.
Now linebacker Pat Schiller looks to follow in the same path and hear his named called on draft day or find himself in training camp this summer.
"Being from a MAC school, you have that chip on your shoulder; you feel like you always have something to prove and that's how I feel. I'm going to work hard and do anything I can to make a team," said Schiller.
That hard work was evident with his Pro Day numbers with a 4.20 shuttle, 3-cone 6.96, 35-inch vertical jump, 9'7" broad jump and bench pressing 225 pounds 22 times. Ahh, and the most coveted number of them all the 40, in which Schiller ran a 4.68 outside.
Ironic that such an important number is run in different environments. It's almost like comparing baseball ballparks being pitcher- or hitter-friendly...but that is a topic for another day.
Schiller's numbers would have placed him in the same company as Boston College's Luke Kuechly, who was one of the standout linebackers at the NFL Scouting Combine.
Overall, when comparing the ex-Huskies Schiller to the chosen of the NFL Scouting Combine, he would have finished in the top five in four drills.
Of the eight NFL teams on hand, Seattle, Indianapolis, and Green Bay gave him the most attention after the workout with one scout saying, “Pat is a bigger linebacker, and is quick…those type of guys are hard to find.”
Well said. Players like Schiller are hard to find and hopefully he won't go unnoticed when late April closes in and teams are ready to build their defenses through the draft.
"I’m a really good student of the game," said Schiller, adding, "I think what sets me apart is my speed. My sideline to sideline speed, my closing speed I feel like it’s next to none."
One scout shared the same opinion as Schiller himself, stating he “moved very well today in his positional drills…probably what stood out the most."
Unless otherwise noted, all quotes were obtained first-hand.
In the penultimate game of this bowl season, the GoDaddy.com Bowl features two conference champions. The Arkansas State Red Wolves, who went undefeated through their schedule in ...
Arkansas State vs. Northern Illinois: Spread, Line and More for GoDaddy.com Bowl
Jan 3, 2012
The Arkansas State Red Wolves and the Northern Illinois Huskies will do battle on the gridiron in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, and it should be a great second-to-last game of the postseason.
The final bowl game before the BCS National Championship, these two schools will be viewed by many for the first time ever, and they're not going to disappoint.
Red Wolves head coach Hugh Freeze left to coach Ole Miss, which could be a big factor in how Arkansas State performs.
Both schools are coming into this postseason matchup playing very well, with the Huskies on an eight-game win streak and the Red Wolves on a nine-game win streak.
It's been an astonishing season for both schools, as the Huskies won the Mid-American Conference Championship for the first time since 1983 and the Red Wolves won the Sun Belt Conference for the first time since 1986.
Two red hot teams going head-to-head is just the kind of game fans need to tune into right before the BCS title game.
With that said, let's get to some specifics of this postseason showdown.
When: Sunday, Jan. 8 at 9:00 p.m. ET
Where: Ladd Pebbles Stadium, Mobile, AL
Watch: ESPN, ESPN3.com
Key Storyline
Will Arkansas State win without Hugh Freeze?
The new head coach for Mississippi helped the Red Wolves find great success this year, but without him things could be difficult.
Assistant coach David Gunn will lead the way for Arkansas State, and they should still be able to put up a good fight against Northern Illinois. The Red Wolves will most likely miss Freeze in the high pressure situations, which means the players need to step their game up.
Spread
According to vegasinsider.com, the Red Wolves are favored at -1, which means it's basically a pick game.
Expect a lot of offense in this game, as both teams excel at scoring. The Red Wolves have the stronger defense, so I'd pick them to cover.
Over/Under
According to vegasinsider.com, the over/under is set at 63, and I like it to go over. The Huskies averaged 38 points per game this year and the Red Wolves averaged 33.
Despite not having their head coach, the Red Wolves should still play well. Each team has great offensive firepower, which means there will definitely be some quick scores and big plays in the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
David Gunn, the Red Wolves interim coach, told reporters that the Huskies are a solid team.
Northern Illinois is obviously a very good football team. You can't say enough about their offense and they are very solid defensively. The have more of a bend but don't break attitude, and they aren't going to beat themselves. They are a well-coached and experienced football team and its going to be a great challenge that we look forward to.
It's a tough task for Gunn, having to step in at the tail end of the season. However, he's had a lot of time to prepare, and his players should feel no different about this game just because he's coaching.
Arkansas State's approach to this game needs to be about winning, and the players mindset must stay this way even though their head coach is no longer with them.
Huskies head coach Dave Doeren told reporters how great and important it is to get to play in a bowl game.
Anytime you can extend your season, you create an opportunity for additional practices for your football team, which is huge in the development of our young players. It is like having an additional spring ball. This is also a reward for our fans, boosters, players and families who have the opportunity to travel to a bowl site and enjoy all the events and activities surrounding the game.
This is the first season as head coach for Doeren, and he's done an excellent job of preparing the Huskies to win games this year.
With the extra time, Northern Illinois has been scheming on how to take down the Red Wolves, which will help make this a great game.
Arkansas State Player to Watch
Red Wolves' quarterback Ryan Aplin has thrown for 3,235 yards this season, but he did have 18 touchdowns to 13 interceptions.
He'll have to be smart with the ball and make sure he connects early and often with top receiver Dwayne Frampton, who reeled in 90 receptions for over 1,100 yards and six touchdowns.
Northern Illinois Player to Watch
Chandler Harnish does it all for the Huskies, leading the team in passing and rushing. He's rushed for over 100 yards five times this season, and in a few of those games he also threw close to, if not over, 300 yards.
Harnish is what makes Northern Illinois' offense click, and he'll need to be on his A-game if the Huskies hope to win the GoDaddy.com Bowl.
Key Matchup
Arkansas State's defense has to find a way to shut down Harnish. The Hukies QB does it all, throwing for over 2,900 yards and rushing for 1,300.
Harnish scored a total of 37 touchdowns on the year, and if the Red Wolves find a way to limit his production, they'll easily win this game.
Prediction
Despite losing their coach, the Red Wolves will still be highly competitive. Offense will be in full swing in the GoDaddy.com Bowl, so expect a high scoring affair.
In the end, I like the Red Wolves to get the victory because they'll make better defensive plays in the clutch. The Huskies will depend on Harnish too much, and it will cost them a close one.
Arkansas State 38, Northern Illinois 35
Northern Illinois vs. Arkansas State: Previewing the GoDaddy.com Bowl
Dec 17, 2011
The GoDaddy.com Bowl is not a major bowl. It comes to near the end of a chaotic stretch of games and features the Northern Illinois Huskies and Arkansas State Red Wolves, two programs that most fans have not heard of.
Despite this, the game is a must watch for the reasons spelled out before. In fact, for true football fans, it will be the best college game of the week.
Offense
Fans like scoring, and in this game there is the potential for a lot of points.
The Huskies have a potent offense. They averaged 38.3 points a game and had nine games where they scored over 40 points.
Senior QB Chandler Harnish is the key to the NIU offense.
Not only did he pass for 2,942 yards, but he also led the ground attack with 1,382 yards. Senior RB Jasmin Hopkins complemented his mobile quarterback, adding 932 yards and 15 touchdowns. NIU was ninth in the nation in rushing with 247.6 yards per game.
Like NIU, the Red Wolves have the ability to move the ball.
ASU averaged 33.5 points per game. The Red Wolves aerial attack was 17th in the nation in passing yards and is led by QB Ryan Alpin, who threw for 3,235 yards and 18 touchdowns. Alpin was ASU's leading rusher, carrying the ball for 605 yards and nine touchdowns.
It will be a treat to see such a pair of dual-threat quarterbacks face off in the penultimate bowl game.
Defense
The Huskies have had more than their fare share of shootouts, having allowed at least 35 points in five games. For the season, NIU gave up 31.1 points a contest, which puts them in the bottom third of FBS teams.
A bright spot for the Huskies is that they closed out the regular season with three of their best efforts. While struggling in the first half against Ohio in the MAC title game, they rebounded to shut out the Bobcats in the second half on their way to the conference title.
Unlike NIU, the Red Wolves have been successful on defense this season, allowing only 19.3 points per game (19th in FBS). In fact ASU had only one game where they gave up more points than NIU's average (a 33-15 loss to Illinois).
ASU landed four starters on the Sun Belt All-Conference team. DL Brandon Joiner and LB Demario Davis have provided pressure up front and DB Darryl Feemster and DB Kelcie McCray have made sure the opponents have fits in the passing game.
Key Victories
Neither team had a huge upset victory during the year, but both had key games that brought them into this showdown. For NIU it was their 23-20 win over Ohio in the MAC championship game. The Huskies came back from a 20-0 halftime deficit to claim their first conference title since 1983.
For ASU the key victories were their 26-22 victory over Western Kentucky in October and their 45-14 win over Troy in December. The win over WKU put them in the driver's seat for winning the Sun Belt conference. The win over Troy clinched a perfect conference season and guaranteed their first outright title.
Coaching
NIU is lead by first-year coach Dave Doeren. Doeren was hired to replace Jerry Kill, who had moved to take the reigns at Minnesota. Doeren came to NIU from Wisconsin and led the Huskies to the MAC title.
Hugh Freeze led the Red Wolves to their first outright Sun Belt title and gained its first 10-win season since 1986. Unfortunately for ASU, he has left the program to take the head coaching position at Mississippi.
Offensive coordinator David Gunn will coach Arkansas State in the bowl game before former Auburn offensive coordinator Gus Malzahn takes over next season.
Intangibles
The Huskies have won nine of their last 10 headed into the bowl game. This is NIU's fourth straight bowl appearance and seventh overall.
The Red Wolves have won 10 of their last 11 games. This is ASU's second bowl appearance and first since 2005.
Result
Despite the challenges on defense for the Huskies, there are too many other factors in their favor as they will prevail in a shooting. Projection: 35-33 NIU.
MAC Attack: Why Northern Illinois vs. Ohio Will Be the Best Game of the Weekend
Dec 1, 2011
This weekend is loaded with marquee CFB matchups.
There’s Bedlam.
There’s the SEC championship game, where an absent Alabama team will nonetheless likely be rewarded with an invite to play for the national title. (BCS = Better Choose SEC).
There’s the highly un-anticipated inaugural Pac-12 title game, where Oregon is a mere 31-point favorite over the non-mighty 6-6 UCLA Bruins, fresh off a 50-0 shellacking at the hands of bowl-banned USC…yecch. Not quite what Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott was hoping for.
Getting back to reality, we have Wisconsin vs. Michigan State for the Big Ten championship, and Virginia Tech vs. Clemson in the ACC decider. There should be lots of exciting football in all of these games, other than the Pac-12 debacle in Eugene.
However, for sheer entertainment value, none of these games should hold a candle to Friday night’s MAC championship game at Detroit’s Ford Field, between 9-3 Northern Illinois and 9-3 Ohio. NIU and Ohio have two of the nation’s most prolific offenses, led by QBs who might just end up playing on Sundays.
The Northern Illinois Huskies, led by first-year coach Dave Doeren, average nearly 40 points per game, while allowing 32.
The Ohio Bobcats, coached by ex-Cornhusker coach Frank Solich, average almost 32 points per game, while allowing 22.
Both teams were showcased often on ESPN’s weeknight games, including the memorable 63-60 win by NIU over Toledo.
How do you spell, o-f-f-e-n-s-i-v-e f-i-r-e-w-o-r-k-s?
Northern Illinois senior QB Chandler Harnish put up historic numbers this fall. Harnish passed for 2,692 yards, with a 63 percent completion rate, 23 touchdowns, just four interceptions and nearly 8.4 yards per attempt—all of which compare quite favorably with the Andrew Lucks, Matt Barkleys and RGIIIs of the world.
Now to the running part. Harnish’s rushing totals would be the envy of most RBs. At 6’2”, 210 lbs. and blessed with 4.6 speed, he led the Huskies with 1,351 yards, mostly on QB draws and option plays, averaging an eye-popping 7.9 yards per carry and scoring 11 touchdowns.
All in all, Harnish accounted for over 4,000 yards of total offense and 34 touchdowns. He has a chance to become the first FBS player ever to have 3,000 passing yards and 1,500 rushing yards in a season. He joined Missouri’s Brad Smith (now with the N.Y. Jets) and Nevada’s Colin Kaepernick (now with the San Francisco 49ers) as the only FBS players with 8,000 career passing yards and 3,000 career rushing yards. We could go on, but you get the idea.
Oh, and Harnish is already in grad school at NIU, pursuing his MBA degree. He finished his undergraduate studies with a 3.65 GPA last May. Take that, Andrew Luck.
The Huskies have many other weapons on offense, including RB Jasmin Hopkins (15 TDs), WRs Nathan Palmer and Martel Moore (five TD receptions each), PK Matthew Sims (18 of 23 FGs) and KR Tommylee Lewis, who took a pair of kickoffs back to the house against Toledo.
But that’s only half the story.
Ohio is coached by former Nebraska coach Frank Solich. His QB, redshirt sophomore Tyler Tettleton, has had a remarkable season as a first-year starter.
As one might expect from the son of former AL All-Star catcher Mickey Tettleton, Tyler Tettleton has a live arm. He surpassed Harnish in passing yards with 2,894, throwing for 26 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, with over 8 yards per attempt. The only other sophomore QB in FBS who came close to those passing numbers was Casey Pachall of TCU.
Tettleton, whose 40-yard dash has been clocked as fast as 4.5, emulated Harnish as a runner as well, with 584 yards on 133 carries and eight touchdowns.
His supporting cast includes RB Donte Harden (900 yards, 5.7 yards per carry) and WRs LaVon Brazill (58 catches,10 touchdowns) and Riley Dunlop (35 catches, six touchdowns). PK Matt Weller drilled 22 FGs and was perfect from under 40 yards.
Ohio’s defense is anchored by MLB Noah Keller (92 tackles), who might be the best defensive player in the MAC. He and his teammates will have their work cut out for them Friday night. The over/under is set at 70. Expect Harnish and Tettleton to put on a show.
Alabama vs. LSU: No Match for the Toledo-Northern Illinois Game
Nov 2, 2011
While it is still days before the battle between the top two teams in the country, the hype machine for the Alabama-LSU game on Saturday is already in full gear. However, based on what happened in the Toledo Rockets-Northern Illinois Huskies game last night, the Game of the Century won't even be the Game of the Week.
There was barely enough time to find the most comfortable spot on the couch and open up the bag of popcorn when Northern Illinois' freshman Tommylee Lewis took the opening kickoff and raced 100 yards for a touchdown.
It didn't take long before for Toledo to answer when Austin Dantin connected with Eric Page for a 12-yard touchdown pass. The game was already off to a strong start when Lewis made this contest an instant classic by returning the next kickoff for another touchdown—this time for 95 yards.
What Lewis did in the first quarter was probably enough to top anything that might be witnessed in the Alabama-LSU game, but there was so much more to satisfy even the most discriminating palate.
Northern Illinois went on to defeat Toledo 63-60. The 123 points marked the highest scoring non-overtime game in Mid-American Conference history. The five touchdowns scored in the first quarter will more than likely be more touchdowns the Crimson Tide and Tigers will accumulate for the entire game.
The Huskies' Chandler Harnish threw six touchdown passes while Dantin threw five for the Rockets. The combined total for the two quarterbacks last night is almost half of what A.J. McCarron of Alabama (10) and Jarrett Lee of LSU (13) have thrown for the entire season.
Toledo's Eric Page caught five touchdown passes in the game while accumulating 150 yards receiving on nine catches. Page had more touchdown receptions last night than any Alabama player has up to this point in the season. Rueben Randle leads the Tigers with seven touchdown catches.
Alabama and LSU would have to play twice to even come close to the combined 1,121 total yards of offense put up by Northern Illinois and Toledo. That total doesn't even include the 468 yards gained on kick returns.
Alabama's Trent Richardson and LSU's Spenser Ware will provide plenty of excitement running the ball Saturday, but Northern Illinois and Toledo didn't achieve all their yardage through the air. Along with passing for 265 yards, Harnish ran for 133. Senior Adonis Thomas carried the ball 25 times for 160 yards while scoring two touchdowns for the Rockets.
To top the game off, Northern Illinois scored the winning touchdown with 19 seconds left when Harnish found Perez Ashford open in the end zone. The game ended when Page caught a pass from Dantin but was stopped at the 25-yard line of Northern Illinois.
Nothing can compare to playing for the top spot in the BCS poll, but NIU's win ties them with Toledo with a 4-1 conference record and puts the Huskies in control of their own destiny to win the MAC West and play in the conference title game.
It will be hard to find that many games that were better than Toledo-Northern Illinois game. Alabama vs. LSU may get the higher ratings, but last night's masterpiece proves that bigger is not always better.
The Huskies had a tumultuous off-season involving their star running back graduating, their star LB forced to redshirt after getting shot, as well as losing head coach Jerry Kill...
