Glass Bowl -- Toledo, OH
CBS Sports Network
Both Northern Illinois and Toledo opened with victories in MAC play, so Saturday's battle between the two will be key win in the race for a MAC West title.
Saturday’s game marks the 49th meeting between NIU and Toledo, with the Rockets holding a 32-16 edge in the all-time series and an 18-6 lead in games played in Toledo, although four of NIU’s wins have come in the last five games at the Glass Bowl.
Here's more on the two teams . . .
Northern Illinois (3-2, 1-0 MAC)
>> The Huskies’ 3-2 record through five games is NIU’s best start to a season in four years, since the 2017 Huskies won three of their first five games. NIU is looking for its first three-game winning streak since 2018.
>> NIU is coming off a 27-20 home win over Eastern Michigan in its MAC opener.
>> The Huskies never trailed and burst out to a 17-0 lead early in the second quarter. Eastern Michigan climbed back to within seven points three times after that, but the Eagles could not catch NIU.
>> The Huskies had 24 first downs despite going 4-of-13 on third down conversions. They registered 326 yards, with just 84 coming via passes. The remaining 242 were products of the ground game, with freshman Antario Brown leading the way. He had 16 carries for 101 yards -- all in the second half. Harrison Waylee and Clint Ratkovich combined for 32 carries, 137 yards and a touchdown.
>> MAC leading rusher Harrison Waylee reached another milestone Saturday when he became the 43rd player in school history to pass the 1,000-yard mark in career rushing yards. The MAC’s leading rusher in 2021, Waylee has 1,030 yards in just 11 career games.
>> QB Rocky Lombardi was 9-of-20 for 84 passing yards. Tyrice Richie topped receivers with five catches for 42 yards.
>> The NIU defense limited EMU to 38 yards on the ground and recorded five sacks. Jaaden Dolphin contributed with a 59-yard interception return for a score.
>> Converted defensive back Dillon Thomas leads NIU in sacks and was named the MAC West Defensive Player of the Week after making two drive-stopping sacks and tipping a pass that was intercepted by Jaden Dolphin.
>> The Huskie defense was up to the challenge against the MAC’s top scoring offense last week, holding Eastern Michigan to 20 points (nearly 16 below their average entering the game).
Toledo (3-2 MAC, 1-0 MAC)
>> Toledo ranks first in the MAC in scoring defense (16.6) and is second in total defense (299.8). The Rockets lead the MAC in tackles for loss with 37, led by Terrance Taylor (6.0), Desjuan Johnson (4.5), Jamal Hines (4.0) and Dyontae Johnson (4.0).
>> UT’s Bryant Koback has 2,990 career rushing yards. He needs 130 yards to pass Jalen Parmele (3,119 yards from 1991-94) to move into seventh place on Toledo’s all-time list. He also has 34 career touchdowns, which puts him in fifth place in career Rocket rushing scores.
>> Toledo’s 45-7 victory over UMass was its largest margin of victory since a 45-0 win over Murray State in 2019.
>> Toledo scored 28 points off of four UMass turnovers, scoring three times in the first half on the very next play after the turnover – Dequan Finn’s 34- yard TD run in the first quarter, Bryant Koback’s five-yard rushing score in the second quarter and Drew Rosi’s
eight-yard TD grab, also in the second quarter.
>> UMass did not get a first down until five minutes into the second quarter. Toledo’s streak of not allowing a touchdown on defense ended at 11 quarters, going back to the fourth quarter of the Notre Dame game.
>> Carter Bradley completed 11-of-18 pass attempts for 110 yards and one TD. DeQuan Finn hit 8-of-10 attempts for 102 yards and a TD.
>> Toledo's balance on offense showed against UMass as the Rockets registered 232 passing yards and 227 rushing yards (along with four TDs). Koback and JacQuez Stuart each rushed 11 times, with the former gaining 82 yards with two TDs. Stuart produced 53 yards.
>> Twelve different Rocket players caught at least one pass. Isaiah Winstead led the way with four receptions for 75 yards.
>> Toledo ranks second in the MAC in scoring (30.2), fourth in total offense (390.8), and sixth in passing (227.8) and rushing (163.0).
>> Sophomore Thomas Cluckey leads the MAC with eight field goals.