July 31, 2009

DETROIT - The Northern Illinois Huskies will finish third in the Mid-American Conference West Division in 2009, according to the MAC Football Preseason Poll released Friday by the league office at the league's annual Football Media Preview in Detroit. Two media voters from each of the MAC's 13 football schools voted in the poll with Central Michigan and Buffalo selected as the top teams in the West and East, respectively.

Northern Illinois collected 103 points in the poll to rank behind CMU (154 points) and Western Michigan (126) in the West. Toledo (71), 2008 MAC West Champion Ball State (58) and Eastern Michigan (34) rounded out the West Division predictions. On the East side, defending MAC Champion Buffalo (155) topped the poll, followed by Temple (144), Akron (128), Ohio (116), Bowling Green (101), Kent State (51) and Miami (33). Central Michigan was picked to win the Marathon MAC Championship game by 18 of the 26 voters.

Second-year Northern Illinois Head Coach Jerry Kill said that good or bad, the Huskies put little stock in preseason polls.

"The polls are fun for the fans and the media, but as coaches and players we don't pay much attention to them," Kill said. "We are going to stay focused on working hard and doing what we need to do to prepare for the season."

A year ago, MAC media picked the Huskies to finish sixth (last) in the MAC West, but NIU proved the voters wrong, finishing the regular season with a 5-3 league mark and a 6-6 overall record en route to a berth in the 2008 Independence Bowl in Shreveport, La.

Northern Illinois' 2009 preseason workouts begin Thursday, August 6 at Huskie Stadium in DeKalb. NIU returns 44 letterwinners and 13 starters, including seven on offense, in 2009. The Huskies' open the 2009 campaign at Wisconsin on Sept. 5 before returning home to play host to Western Illinois on Sept. 12 at 6:30 p.m. in the first of six home games.

Season, as well as single game, tickets for the 2009 campaign are on sale now at www.niuhuskies.com or by calling 815-752-6800. Season tickets are available for just $90 to the general public and $78 for NIU faculty and staff, varsity club or alumni association members and senior citizens. Three-game, individualized mini-plans are available for just $50 while single game tickets are $20 (general public) or $15 (senior citizens, youth, student guest). Northern Illinois students are admitted free.

Complete results of the 2009 MAC Football Preseason Poll are listed below.

West Division
1. Central Michigan (154 points)
2. Western Michigan (126)
3. Northern Illinois (103)
4. Toledo (71)
5. Ball State (58)
6. Eastern Michigan (34)

East Division
1. Buffalo (155 points)
2. Temple (144)
3. Akron (128)
4. Ohio (116)
5. Bowling Green (101)
6. Kent State (51)
7. Miami (33)

Marathon MAC Championship Game Winner
Central Michigan 18, Western Michigan 4, Buffalo 2, Temple 2

-- NIU --

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