After squeaking out a 14-13 victory over Buffalo last week, the Northern Illinois Huskies will try to post a third straight win Saturday in Bowling Green.
It’s been a tough year for BG, which is scoring a lot of points, but usually giving up more. The Falcons have just one win through seven games, and that was aided by a Miami fumble with first and goal at the Falcons one-yard line.
That was two weeks ago, and turnovers . . .
It’s been a tough year for BG, which is scoring a lot of points, but usually giving up more. The Falcons have just one win through seven games, and that was aided by a Miami fumble with first and goal at the Falcons one-yard line.
That was two weeks ago, and turnovers . . .
. . . went the other way in a 48-30 loss to Ohio. The Bobcats committed two turnovers, but BG gave it up four times.
The Falcons also gave up 335 yards rushing, cementing Bowling Green’s last place ranking in rushing defense (246 ypg).
Northern Illinois, on the other hand, tops the league in rushing defense (93.5 ypg), scoring defense (16.7 ppg) and total defense (281.2 ypg). It is a very respectable third in pass defense, an area that is likely to be tested by the Falcons.
The Falcons also gave up 335 yards rushing, cementing Bowling Green’s last place ranking in rushing defense (246 ypg).
Northern Illinois, on the other hand, tops the league in rushing defense (93.5 ypg), scoring defense (16.7 ppg) and total defense (281.2 ypg). It is a very respectable third in pass defense, an area that is likely to be tested by the Falcons.
The Huskies offense, meanwhile, has been a work in progress behind freshman quarterback Marcus Childers. It is the third straight year injuries have forced NIU to go three deep on its signal-callers.
The last Northern Illinois visit to Doyt Perry Stadium was a 45-14 Huskies triumph in 2011. Last year’s meeting in DeKalb went to NIU by a 45-20 count.
Prior to that, the two teams met in three consecutive MAC Championship games. The Falcons won titles in 2013 and 2015, while NIU won the 2014 contest.
The last Northern Illinois visit to Doyt Perry Stadium was a 45-14 Huskies triumph in 2011. Last year’s meeting in DeKalb went to NIU by a 45-20 count.
Prior to that, the two teams met in three consecutive MAC Championship games. The Falcons won titles in 2013 and 2015, while NIU won the 2014 contest.
Here’s more on the two teams:
BOWLING GREEN FALCONS (1-6, 1-2 MAC)
>>> Even with last week’s minus-2 turnover deficit against Ohio, the Falcons are plus-2 on the 2017 season. That is a big change from last year when BG finished at minus-16 in turnover margin.
A major part of the turnaround is fumble recoveries. Bowling Green leads the nation with 11 fumble recoveries, and the 93-yard fumble recovery at Miami likely saved the Falcons lone 2017 win.
>>> Among MAC teams, BG ranks 10th in scoring offense (21-0 ppg), seventh in total offense (374.6 ypg), ninth in rushing offense (144.3 ypg) and sixth in pass offense (230.3 ypg).
>>> Sophomore QB James Morgan ranks fifth (MAC) in passing yards per game (198.2 ypg), but is 10th in passing efficiency.
Morgan hit just 16 of 41 pass attempts for 182 yards with one TD and one pick against Ohio last Saturday.
>>> Redshirt senior Teo Redding leads BG receivers with 426 yards on 29 catches three scores. However, he was injured against NIU and is a question mark going into this week.
Scott Miller’s 37 catches tops the group and has yielded 401 yards with two touchdowns.
>>> BG has nine passing TDs and five rushing scores.
>>> Josh Cleveland (94 carries, 490 yards, 2 TDs) and Andrew St. Clair (48 carries, 346 yards, 2 TDs) leading the Falcons ground game.
Clair leads the Falcons with 668 all-purpose yards (286 kick return, 346 rushing, 36 receiving). His per game average of 111.3 all-purpose yards is fourth in the country among freshmen.
>>> Junior kicker Jake Suder has converted 13 of 14 PATs and 12 of 13 field goal attempts, with a long of 42. His 92.3 field goal percentage tops the MAC.
>>> LB Brandon Harris (52), rover Fred Garth (48) and MLB Nate Locke (47) lead BG tacklers. Kyle Junior has registered 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIE (4-2, 2-0 MAC)
>>> Saturday will be the fourth road game for NIU in its last five contests. It is also the Huskies last Saturday game of 2017.
>>> The one-point win over Buffalo last week was NIU’s first one-point win since a 41-40 victory at Army in September of 2012.
>>> The Huskie defense ranks in the FBS Top 10 nationally in eight statistical categories, including total defense (7th), rushing defense (9th), passing efficiency defense (6th), sacks (6th), tackles for loss (2nd) and third down conversion percentage defense (4th).
>>> Northern Illinois’s defense has surrendered just one touchdown in the last 10 quarters and also has held its last three opponents to an 11.4 percent mark on third down conversions.
>>> Sophomore defensive end Sutton Smith lea the country in both tackles for loss (16.0) and quarterback sacks (8.5).
>>> Shawun Lurry added to his school record for career interception return yards when he ran back a pass 45 yards versus Kent State. He leads the nation with 132 interception return yards this season and has 435 in his NIU career to rank as the NCAA active career leader. Lurry set the NIU single season record in 2015 with 273 interception return yards.
>>> Jordan Huff is the top Huskie rusher. His 85 attempts have produced 450 yards (5.3 ypc) with one TD.
>>> Freshman QB Marcus Childers is second in rushing yards with 202 on 56 attempts. Childers and Marcus Jones each have two of the Huskies five rushing TDs.
>>> Childers has completed 34 of 54 passes with four TDs and one interception.
>>> Three Huskie players account for 10 of 12 NIU receiving touchdowns: Christian Blake (23 catches, 279 yards, 3 TDs); Spencer Tears (22 catches, 248 yards, 3 TDs); and Shane Wimann (14 catches, 144 yards, 4 TDs).
BOWLING GREEN FALCONS (1-6, 1-2 MAC)
>>> Even with last week’s minus-2 turnover deficit against Ohio, the Falcons are plus-2 on the 2017 season. That is a big change from last year when BG finished at minus-16 in turnover margin.
A major part of the turnaround is fumble recoveries. Bowling Green leads the nation with 11 fumble recoveries, and the 93-yard fumble recovery at Miami likely saved the Falcons lone 2017 win.
>>> Among MAC teams, BG ranks 10th in scoring offense (21-0 ppg), seventh in total offense (374.6 ypg), ninth in rushing offense (144.3 ypg) and sixth in pass offense (230.3 ypg).
>>> Sophomore QB James Morgan ranks fifth (MAC) in passing yards per game (198.2 ypg), but is 10th in passing efficiency.
Morgan hit just 16 of 41 pass attempts for 182 yards with one TD and one pick against Ohio last Saturday.
>>> Redshirt senior Teo Redding leads BG receivers with 426 yards on 29 catches three scores. However, he was injured against NIU and is a question mark going into this week.
Scott Miller’s 37 catches tops the group and has yielded 401 yards with two touchdowns.
>>> BG has nine passing TDs and five rushing scores.
>>> Josh Cleveland (94 carries, 490 yards, 2 TDs) and Andrew St. Clair (48 carries, 346 yards, 2 TDs) leading the Falcons ground game.
Clair leads the Falcons with 668 all-purpose yards (286 kick return, 346 rushing, 36 receiving). His per game average of 111.3 all-purpose yards is fourth in the country among freshmen.
>>> Junior kicker Jake Suder has converted 13 of 14 PATs and 12 of 13 field goal attempts, with a long of 42. His 92.3 field goal percentage tops the MAC.
>>> LB Brandon Harris (52), rover Fred Garth (48) and MLB Nate Locke (47) lead BG tacklers. Kyle Junior has registered 5.5 TFL and 2.5 sacks.
NORTHERN ILLINOIS HUSKIE (4-2, 2-0 MAC)
>>> Saturday will be the fourth road game for NIU in its last five contests. It is also the Huskies last Saturday game of 2017.
>>> The one-point win over Buffalo last week was NIU’s first one-point win since a 41-40 victory at Army in September of 2012.
>>> The Huskie defense ranks in the FBS Top 10 nationally in eight statistical categories, including total defense (7th), rushing defense (9th), passing efficiency defense (6th), sacks (6th), tackles for loss (2nd) and third down conversion percentage defense (4th).
>>> Northern Illinois’s defense has surrendered just one touchdown in the last 10 quarters and also has held its last three opponents to an 11.4 percent mark on third down conversions.
>>> Sophomore defensive end Sutton Smith lea the country in both tackles for loss (16.0) and quarterback sacks (8.5).
>>> Shawun Lurry added to his school record for career interception return yards when he ran back a pass 45 yards versus Kent State. He leads the nation with 132 interception return yards this season and has 435 in his NIU career to rank as the NCAA active career leader. Lurry set the NIU single season record in 2015 with 273 interception return yards.
>>> Jordan Huff is the top Huskie rusher. His 85 attempts have produced 450 yards (5.3 ypc) with one TD.
>>> Freshman QB Marcus Childers is second in rushing yards with 202 on 56 attempts. Childers and Marcus Jones each have two of the Huskies five rushing TDs.
>>> Childers has completed 34 of 54 passes with four TDs and one interception.
>>> Three Huskie players account for 10 of 12 NIU receiving touchdowns: Christian Blake (23 catches, 279 yards, 3 TDs); Spencer Tears (22 catches, 248 yards, 3 TDs); and Shane Wimann (14 catches, 144 yards, 4 TDs).
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