Infocision Stadium/Summa Field – Akron, Ohio
One of the MAC’s top teams visits Infocision Stadium Thursday as the Northern Illinois Huskies meet Akron.
NIU is fresh off a non-conference win that says at least two key things about the Huskies. They’ve got a special defense and they are in a winning mode as they head into a crucial homes stretch for the 2018 regular season.
The Huskies yielded just two field goals and repelled several late challenges as they edged Brigham Young Saturday. Although it was a non-conference game, other results from MAC play have left Norther atop the MAC West with its 4-0 conference mark.
Akron, meanwhile, evened its Mid-American Conference record at 2-2 and improved to 4-3 overall Saturday by defeating Central Michigan at home, 17-10.
Thursday’s game will be the 16th lifetime meeting between the two schools, with NIU holding a 9-5 edge. It will be the seventh game played in the Rubber City, with the Huskies holding a 4-2 edge, winning both games at InfoCision in 2010 and 2012. UA’s last win in the series was the 2005 MAC Football Championship Game in Detroit, 31-30.
Here’s more on the two teams . . .
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIES (5-3, 4-0 MAC)
➤➤ The Huskies traveled to the Wasatch Mountain range of Utah last Saturday and defeated the BUY Cougars 7-6 in a defensive battle in Provo.
➤➤ Sophomore WB Marcus Childers’ one-yard touchdown run on the first possession of the third quarter proved to be the winning score.
➤➤ The victory was NIU’s fourth straight victory, improving its record to 4-3 overall. The Huskies are one of two teams (Buffalo being the other) that are undefeated in MAC play (both at 4-0).
➤➤ Head Coach Ron Carey is in his sixth season in DeKalb. He has an overall record of 49-27 and 36-8 against MAC competition
➤➤ So far in 2018 the Huskies are averaging 17.1 points and 287.6 yards offensively.
➤➤ Childers is the leader of the offense. He has completed 54.5 percent of his passes (128-of-235) for 1,064 yards with eight touchdowns and five interceptions.
➤➤ Sophomore Tre Harbison leads the ground attack with 496 yards and three touchdowns.
➤➤ Seniors Jajuan Wesley & D.J. Brown leads the receivers with 37 catches each
➤➤ The offensive line has allowed 20 sacks.
➤➤ The Huskies defense has allowed 21.1 points and 345.1 yards. They have 27 sacks with five interceptions, 21 pass breakups, 11 forced fumbles and 10 fumble recoveries.
➤➤ Junior LB Antonio Jones-Davis leads in tackles with 78 total (46 solo), with four sacks and five pass breakups.
➤➤ Junior DE Sutton Smith, the 2017 MAC Defensive Player of the Year, leads with seven sacks and 13 tackles for losses. Smith has also blocked two kicks this season
➤➤ According to NIU Athletic Communications, the 7-6 win on Saturday marked the first time the Huskies won a game scoring seven points or less since 1988 when they defeated Akron 7-6
➤➤ The Huskies have won 24 of their last 25 games against the MAC East -- the only loss coming against Ohio in 2015
➤➤ It’s next victory makes NIU bowl eligible, joining Buffalo and Western Michigan
➤➤ The game is the second of three cross-division games for the Huskies who defeated Ohio 24-21 on October 13th and the finale comes at home against Miami on November 14th
AKRON ZIPS (4-3, 2-2 MAC)
➤➤ Last Saturday, the Zips ended a six-game losing streak to Central Michigan as they defeated the Chippewas 17-10.
➤➤ UA is 6-1 in its last seven games at InfoCision Stadium dating back to last season.
➤➤ Through the first seven games, Akron’s offense is averaging 22.4 points and 315.3 yards offensively
➤➤ RB Van Edwards leads the ground game with 379 yards and three touchdowns. Last week against CMU he gained 96 yards and his 20-yard touchdown run in the second quarter proved to be the margin of difference.
➤➤ QB Cato Nelson is completing only 50.5 percent of his passes (105 of 208) for 1,348 yards with nine touchdowns and seven interceptions.
➤➤ WR Andre Williams leads the receivers with 28 catches for 411 yards and four touchdowns
➤➤ The offensive line has allowed 16 sacks
➤➤ The UA defense is allowing 23.6 points and 362.6 yards per game and total 11 sacks, six interceptions (two for touchdowns), 29 pass breakups, 35 passes defensed, with seven forced fumbles and six recovered -- two for touchdowns.
➤➤ LB John Lako leads the defenders with 78 total tackles (44 solo)
➤➤ Against CMU, Lako had a career day with 23 total tackles and was named MAC East Defensive Player of the week.
➤➤ LB’s Josh Ward and Ulysses Gilbert leads with three sacks each
➤➤ DB Alvin Davis leads the MAC with four interceptions two for touchdowns (both in the victory at Nebraska)
➤➤ Gilbert has two fumble recoveries both for touchdowns (against NU & Miami)
➤➤ PK Nick Gasser is 11-of-14 on field goals, going 1-for-2 against CMU. His miss in the third quarter ended a streak of seven consecutive makes. Gasser leads the team in scoring with 48 points, and he also is the Zips punter averaging 39 yards per kick
➤➤ Head Coach Terry Bowden is 0-2 lifetime against NIU and Ron Carey
➤➤ The game is the second of three games against the MAC Wesst for UA, with the last coming at Eastern Michigan on November 10th