Oct. 4, 2008

Final Stats | Game Book  

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. - In a performance that head coach Jerry Kill called, "more than valiant," the Northern Illinois Huskies (2-3, 1-1) battled Tennessee (2-3, 0-2) down to the final play before falling, 13-9, in front of a crowd of 99,539 at Neyland Stadium in Knoxville, Tenn.

Northern Illinois held the Volunteers to 225 yards and just one touchdown in the game, including just 69 on the ground, behind a defense led by Larry English, who totaled 2.5 sacks and forced a key third-quarter fumble. The Huskies won the turnover battle, 2-1 and allowed XXX to convert just 3 of 13 first downs.

The NIU offense, which played the final two and half quarters with back-up quarterback DeMarcus Grady under center, controlled the ball for 33-plus minutes to the Vols' 26:49. Grady led the Huskies in rushing with 47 yards on 15 attempts.

"This was more than a valiant effort, it was a great effort," Kill said. "The kids played incredible. They gave a tremendous effort. The credit goes to the players who fought their tail ends off. People don't understand how physical SEC football is, and we were in it to the bitter end."

The Huskies moved the ball effectively versus the Vols' defense, especially in the first half under Dan Nicholson, but could not reach the end zone. Northern Illinois took a 3-0 lead in the first quarter after a nine-play, 44-yard drive. Mike Salerno hit the first of three field goals on the day, a 25-yarder to give NIU a lead.

Tennessee took advantage of Northern Illinois' only turnover of the game to tie the game in the second quarter. After Eric Berry intercepted a Nicholson throw and returned it to the Huskie 16, the NIU defense once again held firm and held UT to a 36-yard Daniel Lincoln field goal at the 6:44 mark.

That score stood until the third quarter when Tennessee took the opening kickoff of the half and drove to the Northern Illinois 17, where Lincoln put the Vols ahead 6-3 with a 34-yard effort.

UT extended its lead to 13-3 one possession later thanks to the big play as QB Nick Stephens hit Denarius Moore with a 52-yard strike for the lone touchdown of the game.

Northern Illinois answered with a 10-play, 68-yard drive to the Tennessee 7. Grady hit Landon Cox with a 17-yard completion and threw a 35-yard pass to Willie Clark, leading to Salerno's 24-yard effort and cutting UT's lead to 13-6.

English and the Huskie defense gave the offense another chance as English sacked Stephens, forcing a fumble that Mike Krause recovered at the Tennessee nine yard line. Tennessee once again held NIU to a Salerno field goal as the kicker connected from 25 yards out again.

"Larry English is a great football player," Kill said. "He stepped up his game."

The teams' defensive battled continued through the fourth quarter with neither defense surrendering. Northern Illinois' last chance came on fourth and seven from the NIU 21 yard line when Grady came up inches short on a rush.

After playing four of its first five games on the road, NIU returns home for three straight home MAC games beginning next week versus Miami (Ohio).