Nov. 17, 2006

Final Stats |  Notes

DEKALB, Ill. (AP) - Garrett Wolfe flashed the Heisman form he displayed early in the season and set Northern Illinois' career rushing record, running for 203 yards to lead the Huskies to a 31-10 victory over Central Michigan on Friday night.

Wolfe now has 4,972 yards in his career, eclipsing Michael Turner's previous mark of 4,941.

The nation's leader in rushing (153.3 yards per game) and all-purpose yards (176.3) entering the game, Wolfe carried 33 times and scored three touchdowns. He ran for 66 yards in the first half, with a 10-yard touchdown run on Northern's first possession and a 2-yarder on its second. And he added a 13-yard touchdown in the fourth quarter as the Huskies snapped a two-game losing streak.

Sophomore Dan Nicholson completed 11-of-18 passes for 116 yards, with a touchdown and interception, after starter Phil Horvath left with a knee injury in the first quarter.

Central Michigan (7-4, 6-1 Mid-American Conference) lost its five-game winning streak. The West Division champions visit Buffalo before playing Ohio in the MAC championship game in Detroit on Nov. 30.

Dan LeFevour was 25-for-42 with 217 yards and a touchdown, but was picked off twice. He also ran for 88, but the Chippewas were no match for Northern (6-5, 4-3).

Not with Wolfe performing his ballet act - gliding through holes, spinning around defenders. It was the 10th 200-yard game of his career and his third this season. He set a career high with 1,736 yards - the third best in NIU history.

Wolfe had cooled off after setting an NCAA record with 1,181 rushing yards through the first five games and entering the Heisman Trophy discussion. Although he began the night with 1,533 yards, Wolfe had just 190 in his previous four games thanks in part to hamstring and shoulder problems.

He opened the season with 171 yards against Ohio State on Sept. 2, ran for 263 against Buffalo on Sept. 16 and topped that two weeks later at Ball State with 353 - the nation's season high and a school record.

Wolfe struck early on Friday.

He extended his school record when he scored his 54th touchdown on the Huskies' first possession, turning the left corner and running it in from the 10. The lead quickly grew to 14-0 after Melvin Rice intercepted LeFevour on a sideline pass near midfield, setting up a 46-yard drive that ended with Wolfe scoring untouched from the 2 with 5:31 left in the first quarter.

Central Michigan threatened twice in the second but did not score.

The Chippewas drove to the 29 early in the quarter, before Northern recovered a fumble by Damien Linson. That led to a 20-yard touchdown catch by David Koronkiewicz, which made it 21-0.

Central's Rick Albreski missed a 34-yard field goal with just under a minute left in the half. The Chippewas finally broke through a minute into the fourth, when LeFevour and Ontario Sneed connected on a 1-yard touchdown that made it 21-7.

The Huskies, trying to finish above .500 for the eighth straight year, finish the regular season at Eastern Michigan next Friday.