Dec. 4, 2015
Recap |
Final Stats
Pictures from tonight’s game are available for download at
http://photos.media.niu.edu/cgi-bin/photos.cgi
Credit NIU Media Imaging (Scott Walstrom)
NIU FOOTBALL 2015
Marathon MAC Championship Game
Bowling Green vs. NIU – December 4, 2015
Ford Field – Detroit, Michigan
Bowling Green 34, NIU 14
NIU Post-Game Notes
***NIU is now 3-4 all-time in seven appearances in the MAC Championship Game, including a 3-3 record in its run of six consecutive appearances since 2010.
***With the loss, NIU fell to 8-5 on the season. The Huskies will seek their ninth win of the season in a bowl game, the destination of which will be announced in the coming days.
***NIU sophomore cornerback Shawun Lurry scored his first career touchdown on a 64-yard interception return in the third quarter. Lurry, who came into the game tied with Desmond King of Iowa for the FBS lead in interceptions, now is the FBS solo leader in interceptions (9) and passes defended (23) this season. He also added to the NIU FBS record he had already set for picks in a season. His nine INTs in 2015 are second all-time in program history only to Al Jones, who had 10 interceptions in 1951 when the Huskies were a “Small College” (now-FCS) program.
***Lurry’s 64-yard interception return gives him 273 season AND career interception return yards, enough to surpass Alabama’s Eddie Jackson (230 yards) for the 2015 FBS lead in that statistic as well. Lurry also added to the NIU single season record for interception return yards he had previously set. His 64-yard return tonight gave him the CAREER interception return yards mark as well.
***Lurry’s INT return touchdown was the Huskies’ second of the season and first since the Murray State game (Sept. 12) when Mayomi Olootu recorded a 42-yard interception return for a score.
***The Huskies have intercepted at least one pass in every game this season (13 consecutive games). NIU’s Brandon Mayes recorded his third interception of the season in the first half to extend that streak.
***With two interceptions tonight, NIU has 21 on the year, the most by a Huskie team since 2003 and tied for the sixth-most in school history.
***Two Huskies – Boomer Mays and Sean Folliard – had record-setting tackling games. Mays’ 16 stops set a career high, breaking his previous best of 15 tackles against Western Michigan (Nov. 18) and topping the NIU team-best in 2015 as well. Also, Folliard finished with 10 tackles to tie his career high.
***NIU offensive linemen Aidan Conlon and Andrew Ness made their 55th consecutive starts for the Huskies to break the school record for most consecutive games started. The two had been tied with former NIU tackle Trevor Olson at 54 career starts.
***Cameron Clinton-Earl recorded his third sack of the season on the first series of the game. Ladell Fleming also notched his third sack of the year in the fourth quarter.
***Marlon Moore blocked a Bowling Green PAT in the fourth quarter, the first blocked kick of his career and the third block of the year by the Huskies. NIU has blocked a kick in three of the last four games with a PAT block versus Buffalo and a field goal knocked down versus Ohio (both by Ben Compton).
***NIU tight end Desroy Maxwell caught his third touchdown pass of the year to put the Huskies on the board in the third quarter. Maxwell’s 32-yard score was the seventh by a NIU tight end in 2015. Maxwell led the Huskies with a career-high 68 yards receiving on three catches.
***In his first career start, Tommy Fiedler tossed for 152 yards on 12-for-28 passing. His touchdown pass was the second of his collegiate career, but his three interceptions were the most by a Huskie passer in a game this season. Fiedler also rushed for 22 yards in the game.
***Along with the three interceptions thrown, NIU also lost two fumbles to total five turnovers committed in the game – the most by the Huskies this season.
--NIU--
