THE FACTS
WHAT: NIU Huskies (3-7, 3-3 MAC) at Eastern Michigan Eagles (6-4, 3-3 MAC)
WHERE: Ypsilanti, Michigan | Rynearson Stadium | 30,500
WHEN: Wednesday, November 16, 2016  | 7 p.m. (CT)
WATCH: ESPNU  | WatchESPN
LISTEN: WYLL AM 1160 (Chicago)  |  WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb)  |  Sportsfan 1330 AM (Rockford)   |  TuneIn
 
HUSKIE BITES

• After four consecutive home games, including last week versus Toledo at Chicago's Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox, NIU hits the road for its final two games of 2016.
• Wednesday night at 7 p.m. (CT), the Huskies take on a resurgent Eastern Michigan team at Rynearson Stadium on ESPNU before traveling to Kent State on Friday, November 25 (time TBA).
• NIU receiver Kenny Golladay continued to stake his claims as one of the best to ever wear Cardinal and Black with 14 catches for 149 yards versus Toledo; his catches were the most in a game by a receiver in the league this year.
• Golladay became the first NIU receiver to record TWO 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career as he now has 1,029 yards on 79 catches in 2016 to lead the MAC. His receiving yardage total is eighth on the NIU single season list while his catches rank third.  
• NIU leads the all-time series with Eastern Michigan 30-14-2 and has won 14 of the last 15 games between the MAC West schools, including the last eight.
• Of NIU's seven losses this season, four have been by seven points or less, including a pair of triple overtime defeats (at Wyoming and versus Central Michigan), a 28-23 decision to Western Illinois and the 31-24 loss to Toledo.
• The Toledo game marked the first time in 45 wins that NIU had lost a game after holding a lead entering the fourth quarter.
• The combined record of NIU's non-conference opponents entering this weekend is 28-8, including San Diego State's 8-1 mark.
• Indiana ('93) graduate Rod Carey is in his fourth season as NIU head coach; he ranks fourth all-time in wins as the Huskies' head coach with 34 behind only Chick Evans, Howard Fletcher and Joe Novak.

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HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
2015 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 8-6/6-2/T1st West
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years: 34-19/4th
Career Record/Years: 34-19/4th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record.: 569-483-51
Consecutive Bowl Appearances: 8
Last Bowl Game: 2015 SDCCU Poinsettia Bowl
MAC Championship Appearances, Last:  7, 2015
Letterwinners Returning/Lost:  51/16
Starters Returning: 16 (6 off., 6 def., 4 spec.)
Starters Lost: 10 (5 offense, 5 defense, 0 specialist)
 
NIU FACTS
Location: DeKalb, Illinois
Founded: 1895
Enrollment: 19,015
Affiliation: NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision
Conference: Mid-American (West Division)
Colors: Cardinal and Black
Stadium: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium
    Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /23,595
President: Dr. Douglas D. Baker
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director: Sean T. Frazier
    Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Ticket Information: 815-753-PACK (7225)
 
NIU 2016 Schedule
 

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EAGLES' FACTS
2015 Record: 2-10
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 0-8/6th West
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Chris Creighton (Kenyon/1991)
Record at Eastern Michigan/Years: 9-25/3rd
Career Record/Years: 147-71/20th
Location: Ypsilanti, Mich.
Enrollment:  22,430
Conference: Mid-American, West Division
Colors: Green & White
Stadium: Rynearson Stadium   
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /30,200
President: Dr. Kim Schatzel
Athletic Director: Heather Lyke
Athletics Website: EMUEagles.com
Twitter: @EMUFB
Ticket Information:  www.emueagles.com/tickets
 
EMU 2016 Schedule
   
NIU-EMU SERIES HISTORY
Overall.............................................................. NIU leads 30-14-2
In Ypsilanti.......................................................... NIU leads 14-7-1
In DeKalb........................................................... NIU leads 16-7-1
In MAC Games................................................. NIU Leads 20-4-2
Streak.................................................................................. NIU, 8
Carey vs. EMU......................................................................... 3-0
   
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
 
TV: NIU-EMU ON ESPNU

• Watch NIU's game versus Eastern Michigan on ESPNU.
• Kevin Brown (play-by-play) and Craig Haubert (analyst) are on the call of the game for ESPNU.
• The game is also available to mobile users and online via the WatchESPN app and WatchESPN.com.
• WatchESPN requires an active subscription from an affiliated provider.
• Get the direct link to the game stream on GameDay Central at NIUHuskies.com.

 
RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast for the Eastern Michigan game begins at 6:30 p.m. CT, 30 minutes before kickoff.
• The game will be carried on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb) and Sports Fan 1330 (Rockford) as well as on WYLL AM 1160 in Chicago.
• Hear the broadcast online via NIU All-Access (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app free and find the NIU Huskies channel.
• Bill Baker is completing his 37th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 31st season, while Andy Garcia is in his fourth season on the sidelines.

 
INSIDE HUSKIE FOOTBALL RADIO SHOW

• Airs LIVE on Monday, Nov. 21 from 7-8 p.m. CT with host Bill Baker, football head coach Rod Carey, two Huskie student-athletes and other head coaches and administrators each week.
• The hour-long show can be heard on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and SportsFan 1330 AM in Rockford.
• Listen online via NIUTube and on the TuneIn app.
• Fans are invited to attend the show at Fatty's Pub & Grille in DeKalb (1312 W. Lincoln Hwy)

 
NIU WEEKLY RADIO SHOW

• Airs Friday at 10 p.m. CT in Chicago on AM 560 The Answer, Saturday at 8 a.m. on WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 in DeKalb and on Sports Fan 1330 in Rockford.
• Also hear it on NIUTube (subscription).
• Hosts are Andy Garcia and NIU Associate Vice-President/Director of Athletics Sean T. Frazier.
• The 30-minute show features interviews with football head coach Rod Carey, as well as other NIU head coaches and administrators.

 
NIU ALL-ACCESS

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features, Huskie Olympic sports and special events.
• Hear all NIU live radio broadcasts, including football and basketball games and NIU radio shows.
• Purchase a daily, monthly or annual subscription.
• Go to NIUHuskies.com for rates and information.

 
GETTING SOCIAL

• Twitter: @NIUAthletics, @NIUScores, @NIU_Football
• Facebook: NIU Huskies, NIU Football
• Instagram: niuhuskies, niuhuskiefootball
• YouTube: niuhuskiesdotcom
• See NIU Athletics' social media hub online to see all of the Huskie team and coaching staff accounts.

 

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NIU NEWS & NOTES
 
ON THE ROAD AGAIN: After playing its last four games as the home team, including last week at Chicago's Guaranteed Rate Field, the NIU football team returns to the road for its final two contests of the regular season. NIU faces Eastern Michigan Wed., Nov. 16 (7 p.m. CT/ESPNU) before closing out 2016 at Kent State in a post-Thanksgiving game with the Golden Flashes on Fri., Nov. 25.
 
SERIES HISTORY: NIU holds a 30-14-2 advantage in the all-time series with EMU and has won 14 of the last 15 meetings, including the last eight contests. The only Huskie loss to Eastern Michigan in the last 14 games was 2007, when EMU posted a 21-19 victory in DeKalb. Since 2006, NIU has outscored Eastern Michigan, 261-48, while the Huskie defense has pitched two shutouts (2006 and 2008). The last NIU loss in Ypsilanti came on Nov. 11 2000, a 39-32 setback to the Eagles.
 
THE LAST TIME WE MET: The NIU offense tallied 374 yards on total offense and 35 points in the first half en route to a 49-21 Huskie victory over Eastern Michigan on Oct. 24, 2015. Tailback Joel Bouagnon rushed for 137 yards on 26 carries, while Jordan Huff added 128 yards on 13 rushes. Both backs scored a touchdown in the game as well. NIU quarterback Drew Hare threw for 267 yards on four touchdowns on 24-of-38 passing.
 
MIDWEEK MACTION: Since 2010, NIU has posted a 15-2 record in league games played on either Tuesday or Wednesday. The Huskies fell to Toledo last week at Guaranteed Rate Field for just its second loss after Ohio posted a 26-21 win over NIU on Nov. 24, 2015 at Huskie Stadium. This is the first midweek contest between the Huskies and Eagles. Toledo is NIU's most frequent opponent in MACtion games as the Huskies and Rockets have faced off seven times in primetime.
 
NOVEMBERS TO REMEMBER: With its 31-24 setback to Toledo last week, NIU has posted a 23-2 record in the month of November since 2010, including a victory over Kent State in the 2012 MAC Championship Game. The only other team to defeat the Huskies during that time is Ohio with a 26-21 victory over NIU last season at Huskie Stadium.
 
HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is now 139-97-2 all-time in MAC play with a 103-52 (.664) record in league action since 1997, when NIU rejoined the league. Since 2010, NIU is 47-7 and has recorded three undefeated campaigns and two one-loss seasons in league play, and won six-straight division championships during that stretch. The Huskies are in their 31st season as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2016-17, including an initial stint in the league from 1975-85.
 
HUSKIE HOMECOMING: Three Huskies will be returning to their home state when NIU travels to Eastern Michigan. Safety Mycial Allen and offensive linemen Ron Brown and Ryan Roberts are Michigan natives. Both Allen and Brown are from Detroit, while Roberts hails from Northview. NIU offensive line coach Joe Tripodi is also coming home. The fifth-year coach is from Chelsea.
 
DO I KNOW YOU?: Four Huskies will look across the field at Rynearson Stadium and see some familiar faces. Defensive linemen William Lee and Rajshawn Mosley will be reunited with cornerback and fellow Arsenal Tech alumnus Jason Beck of Eastern Michigan. Chicago's St Rita will also be well represented as wide receiver Kenny Golladay and tailback Tommy Mister will look across the line at former classmate and Eagle defensive lineman Pat O'Connor.
 
HOLD THE LINE: The NIU offensive line and tight ends group extended its streak without allowing a quarterback sack to four consecutive games, as Ryan Graham was not taken to the ground in 43 passing attempts versus Toledo. The last time NIU did not allow a sack in four straight games was in the 2014 season. The Huskie offensive line did not allow a sack in four straight games that season (Oct. 4-25). The last team to sack a Huskie quarterback was Western Michigan (Oct. 8, 2016).
 
TOP NOTCH PROTECTION: After not allowing a quarterback sack for the fourth-straight game, NIU's offensive line ranks second in the nation and leads the MAC in fewest sacks allowed this season. The Huskies, who trail Troy for the national lead, are allowing just seven sacks through 10 games, for a 0.70 per game average.
 
SACK LUNCH: After tallying two sacks through the first four games of the season, the Huskie defense has amassed 17 sacks in the last six games. The Huskie defense tallied three sacks against the Rockets, a week after recording three against Bowling Green. NIU amassed a season-high five quarterback sacks at Ball State, two each versus Western Michigan and Central Michigan, and Buffalo. The five sacks at Ball State were the most for the Huskies since 2014 when NIU recorded five in its 23-15 victory over Northwestern (Sept. 6).
 
AIR HUSKIES: All three of NIU's touchdowns against Toledo came through the air. Ryan Graham threw touchdown passes of one yard, four yards and 19 yards. It was the first time this season the Huskies did not score a rushing touchdown and the first time since the 2015 San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl.
 
SENIOR SALUTE: NIU's 21 seniors include 17 listed on the depth chart and 10 slated to start against Eastern Michigan. The offensive line features seniors Levon Myers and Josh Ruka with reserve lineman Ron Brown. Tailback Joel Bouagnon and wide receivers Kenny Golladay, Clayton Glasper, and Aregeros Turner round out the NIU seniors on the offensive side of the ball. Defensive linemen Mario Jones, Corey Thomas, Ladell Fleming and Lincoln Howard, linebackers Jamaal Payton and Sean Folliard, and injured cornerback Anthony Brooks comprise the Huskie seniors on the defense. Punter Jake Ambrose, kicker Josh Orne and long snapper Bobby Ramlet provide experience on the special teams.

HISTORY MADE: NIU and Toledo made history Nov. 9, 2016 when they took the field at Guaranteed Rate Field, home of the Chicago White Sox. They became the first to play a college football game in the stadium's 25-year history.
 
POWER OF NIU'S "19" DUO: Double numbers are common on college football teams, but rarely do two players star with the same number. All-American cornerback Shawun Lurry and NIU's leading receiver, Kenny Golladay both wear No. 19. Other than playing on opposite sides of the ball, there is another "big" difference between the two. Golladay stands 6-4, 213, while Lurry has a 5-8 180-pound frame. Golladay leads the Huskies in receiving with 1,029 yards on 79 receptions. Lurry has 33 tackles, two interceptions and a team-leading seven pass break ups.
 
ONE OF A KIND: With his career-high 14-catch, 149-yard game against Toledo, Kenny Golladay became the first Huskie to post two 1,000-yard receiving seasons. The Huskie senior, a transfer from North Dakota, has amassed 1,029 yards receiving on 79 receptions this season after totaling 1,129 yards on 73 catches a year ago.
 
PURSUING PETZKE: Kenny Golladay's 1,029 receiving yards this season ranks third behind Justin McCareins's 1,168 and all-time leader Dave Petzke, who tallied 1,215 in 1978. His 79 receptions are 13 away from Petzke's mark set in 1978. First, he will have to get past former teammate Tommylee Lewis who tallied 86 in 2013. 
 
GOLLADAY STREAKING: Golladay has recorded at least one reception in all 24 games of his Huskie career after making a career-high 14 catches for 149 yards versus Toledo. Golladay had one catch for 15 yards against Bowling Green in the 2015 MAC Championship game to keep the streak alive. Robert Davis of Georgia State and Corey Davis of Western Michigan lead the nation with a 44-game reception streak.
 
LAW OF AVERAGES: After his 14-reception, 149-yard performance versus Toledo, Golladay is averaging 89.9 yards receiving per game for his Huskie career. His receiving yards per game average ranks ahead of NIU's all-time leader, Dave Petzke, who averaged 89.0 yards a game during his two years as a Huskie. Golladay's 6.3 catches per game ranks second to Petzke, who averaged 6.7 from 1977-78.
 
CATCHING ON: Golladay's 1,029 yards in 2016 gives the Huskie senior 2,158 yards on 152 receptions in 24 games at NIU. He needs five yards to surpass P.J. Fleck (1999-2003) for sixth place. Golladay is the only two-year player with 2,000 yards or more in his career. With his 14 catches against Toledo, Golladay surpassed Dave Petzke for seventh on the all-time receptions list at NIU. He is just the second two-year player to make both lists. Golladay transferred to NIU in 2014 after two seasons at North Dakota.
 
REACHING HIGHER: Golladay's career-high 14 receptions againt Toledo are the most by Huskie since Sam Hurd caught 14 passes versus Akron on Sept. 24, 2005. Golladay's 14 catches is the third 10-plus catch day of his career and the most by a MAC receiver this year. He caught 13 passes at Ball State and 10 in the season opener at Wyoming.
 
COMBINING A CAREER: With 2,158 yards and 18 touchdowns on 152 catches in two seasons at NIU, Kenny Golladay has had an impressive Huskie career. If you add his numbers from North Dakota you will see Golladay had had quite a college career overall. In two seasons at North Dakota, the Huskie senior amassed 1,313 yards and eight TDs on 99 catches to give Golladay 3,471 for his career. If he had tallied all those yards at NIU, he would rank fifth among active receivers in receiving yards in the NCAA.
 
MOVING ON UP: With a four-yard touchdown reception against Toledo for his eighth receiving score this year, Kenny Golladay is tied for eighth on NIU's career chart for touchdown receptions. Golladay is tied with Dan Sheldon (2001-04) with 18 career touchdown catches. Justin McCareins (1997-2000) holds the school record with 29.
 
LURRY-ING THE BALL: Shawun Lurry's interception of Toledo's Logan Woodside in the second quarter gave the Huskie junior his second of the season and 11th of his career. Lurry is now tied with three players for ninth on NIU's all-time list.
 
GRAND LARCENY: Since the beginning of conference play, the Huskies have intercepted 10 passes, including a season-high four in its victory over Buffalo. Mycial Allen, Shawun Lurry, who intercepted his second pass this season versus Toledo, Mayomi Olootu, who made two picks against Buffalo, and safety Trequan Smith share the team lead in interceptions.
 
BOUAGNON GAINING GROUND: With 84 yards on 19 carries against Toledo, tailback Joel Bouagnon surpassed former Huskie quarterback Stacey Robinson (1989-90) for 11th place on NIU's all-time leading rushers list. The Huskie senior has amassed 2,754 yards on 567 attempts and is NIU's leading rusher in 2016 with 728 yards on 149 carries. Bouagnon needs 163 yards to displace Chad Spann (2007-10), who tallied 2,916 yards on 536 carries, for 10th place.
 
FLYING HIGH AGAINST THE EAGLES: Bouagnon has rushed for 258 yards and two touchdowns on 46 carries in three games versus Eastern Michigan. In last year's game, he rushed for 137 yards and a TD on 26 carries and added 50 yards receiving on three receptions.
 
HUSKIE HIGH FIVE: Bouagnon scored a career-high five touchdowns in NIU's 45-20 victory over Bowling Green. The Huskie senior scored on runs of 14, 1, 2, 15 and 6 yards. It's the most rushing touchdowns scored by a Huskie since Garrett Wolfe had five versus Western Michigan on Nov. 23, 2005.
 
SIXTH FOR SEVENTH: Bouagnon's five rushing touchdowns against Bowling Green gave the Aurora Christian product six on the season and 29 for his career. Add his three career receiving TDs and the Huskie senior has 32 touchdowns for his career, good for seventh-place on NIU's career list for touchdowns scored. Bouagnon is one away from passing Mark Kellar (33) for sixth.
 
QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL: Ryan Graham was under center for the third time as the starting quarterback versus Toledo. Graham was in for the injured Anthony Maddie, who will miss the remainder of the 2016 season. Graham, who came in for Hare in the third quarter of the South Florida game, also started against San Diego State and Western Illinois. Maddie became the third Huskie quarterback to start a game this season when he stepped under center at Ball State and made five starts on the year and in his career. Drew Hare started at Wyoming and at South Florida before going down with a career-ending injury in the third quarter of the game against the Bulls. The Huskies started three quarterbacks last season when Hare, Graham and Tommy Fiedler each started at least one game for NIU.
 
NIU's Starting Quarterbacks Since 2007 (Games Started)
2016       Drew Hare (2), Ryan Graham (3), Anthony Maddie (5)
2015       Drew Hare (9), Ryan Graham (4), Tommy Fiedler (1)
2014       Matt McIntosh (2), Drew Hare (12)
2013       Jordan Lynch (14)
2012       Jordan Lynch (14)
2011       Chandler Harnish (14)
 
CAREER DAY FOR GRAHAM: In his third start of the season, and first start since the fourth game of the season, NIU quarterback Ryan Graham turned in a career performance against Toledo. The redshirt-sophomore threw for 221 yards and three touchdown passes on 24 completions on 43 attempts, all career highs. Graham's previous career best was 17-of-35 for 213 yards and three touchdown passes against San Diego State in week three this season.
 
GRAHAM'S GROUND GAME: In addition to establishing career highs in the air, Graham rushed for a career-high 97 yards on 17 attempts against the Rockets. The sophomore signal caller led a Huskie ground game that rushed for 214 yards.
 
SMAHA ON THE SACK: Defensive end Austin Smaha recorded his fourth sack of the season when he dropped Toledo quarterback Logan Woodside for a 12-yard loss in the first quarter of Wednesday's game against the Rockets. It was his third sack in the last two games and allowed him to take the team lead in the category. He leads Ladell Fleming, Jamaal Payton and Josh Corcoran who each have three sacks on the year.
 
SCHARP IN THE CLASSROOM: NIU right tackle Max Scharping has been named to the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic All-District 5 Team for 2016. Scharping, a sophomore who carries a 3.98 grade point average in Kinesiology has started every game of his two-year NIU career (23 total) and has developed into one of the Huskies' top players. He is now eligible for CoSIDA Academic All-America honors.
 
RECORD RETURN MAN: Aregeros Turner passed Deon Mitchell (1995-98) for the school's all-time mark for kickoff return yards when he returned six kickoffs for 124 yards against Toledo. The Huskie senior has 2,357 kickoff return yards on 97 career returns.  He needs four kickoff returns to break the career mark of 100, also held by Mitchell, who had 2,306 return yards for his career. 
 
KICKOFF RE-TURNER: Aregeros Turner took the opening kickoff 97 yards for a touchdown in NIU's 44-7 victory over Buffalo on Oct. 22. It was his third career kickoff return for a touchdown and first of the season. Last year, Turner had two kickoff returns for a touchdown, a 96-yarder against Boise State in the San Diego County Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl and an 86-yard kickoff return at Boston College.
 
WEEKLY HARDWARE: Joel Bouagnon became the fourth Huskie this season to earn one of the league's weekly honors when he garnered MAC West co-Offensive Player of the Week following his play versus Bowling Green. He joins Aregeros Turner and Christian Hagan, who each were named MAC West Special Teams Player of the Week, following performances against Buffalo and Western Michigan, respectively. Linebacker Sean Folliard was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week honors following a career-high 17 tackles at Ball State.
 
TE SCORING TDs: NIU tight end Shane Wimann's one-yard touchdown reception against Toledo gives him six on the season and tied the school's all-time single season record for touchdown receptions by a tight end. Matt Dunker (1999-2002) also caught six touchdown passes in 2002. Wimann had a season-high two touchdown receptions versus San Diego State and has touchdown catches against Western Michigan, Western Illinois and Wyoming in addition to Toledo.
 
PASSING DUNKER: Wimann's one-yard score against the Rockets gave the Huskie junior 10 for his career and the school record for touchdown receptions by a tight end. Wimann surpassed Dunker, who had nine career touchdown receptions from 1999-2002.
 
TOUGH SLATE: Heading into week 11, the combined record of NIU's 10 opponents this season is 61-38, which includes six teams with winning records, one that is .500 and three with a losing record. Of those six teams with winning records, Western Michigan is undefeated at 10-0, and San Diego State has only one loss. South Florida and Toledo are both 8-2, while Wyoming is 7-3.
 
FINISHING THE JOB: NIU's setback to Toledo last week ended a streak of 45 straight wins by the Huskies when leading heading into the fourth quarter. The Huskies took a 21-17 lead into the final quarter of play against the Rockets. The last NIU loss when leading after three quarters was an 18-17 setback to Iowa at Soldier Field on Sept. 1, 2012. The Huskies led the Hawkeyes, 17-9, after three quarters.
 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: NIU head coach Rod Carey claimed sole possession of fourth place on NIU's all-time coaching wins list with his 34th career victory. He ranks behind Chick Evans (1929-54) who has 132 wins, Howard Fletcher (1956-68) with 74 victories and Joe Novak, who tallied 63 wins from 1996-2007. Carey is the fastest coach to reach 34 wins among the three coaches, tallying his victories in 53 games.
 
TWO FOR THREE: Wide receiver Kenny Golladay and tight end Shane Wimann are the only two Huskies to catch a touchdown pass from each of NIU's starting quarterbacks in 2016. The two Huskies each had a TD reception from Drew Hare at Wyoming in the season opener and from Ryan Graham in his start versus San Diego State. Golladay has two touchdown receptions from Anthony Maddie and Wimann caught his first scoring reception from the Huskie senior at Western Michigan.
 
BLOCK PARTY: NIU special teams blocked both a point after touchdown attempt and field goal try in the Huskies' 45-20 victory over Bowling Green. Defensive tackle William Lee blocked the Falcons' second PAT attempt of the game, while defensive end Josh Corcoran knocked down a 49-yard field goal in the second quarter. It was the first field goal block since last year when Ben Compton blocked an Ohio (Nov. 24) field try. The last PAT block was by Marlon Moore vs. Bowling Green in last year's MAC Championship game (Dec. 4).
 
LIFE BEGINS AT 40: A week after scoring a season-high 44 points against Buffalo, NIU topped that total with 45 points in its victory over Bowling Green. Bouagnon scored five TDs, while quarterback Anthony Maddie reached the end zone on a two-yard run in the second quarter. Christian Hagan connected on a 41-yard field goal in the second quarter.
 
WORKING OVERTIME: The Huskies are one of eight teams to have played in multiple overtime games this season and are one of two teams to play in two triple overtime affairs. NIU is 0-2 in those games, suffering a 40-34 setback at Wyoming in the season opener and falling to Central Michigan, 34-28, in Huskie Stadium. This is the first time since 2003 the Huskies have played in two overtime games in one season. NIU defeated then-No. 15 Maryland, 20-13, on Aug. 28 and edged out Ohio, 30-23 on Oct. 4 of that season. The two triple overtime games are the longest in NIU history. Below is a list of teams that have played in multiple overtimes this season.
 
Team                   Record         Overtime
Texas A&M             2-0             2OT, OT
California                1-1             2OT, OT
Tennessee               1-1             OT, 2OT
Tulsa                        1-1             2OT, OT
Wisconsin               1-1             OT, OT
Wyoming                1-1             3OT, 3OT
NIU                          0-2             3OT, 3OT
UL-Lafayette           0-2             OT, 4OT
 
ALL-TIME IN OVERTIME: NIU's all-time record in overtime games stands at 5-4. The Huskies have posted wins over Wake Forest in 2002, Maryland and Ohio in 2003, Ball State in 2004 and Kent State in the 2012 MAC Championship Game. Two of the four Huskie losses in OT have come at the hands of Central Michigan, both at Huskie Stadium. The Chippewas escaped DeKalb with wins in 2008 and 2016. NIU opened the 2016 season with a triple overtime loss at Wyoming.
 
YOUTH MOVEMENT: While the Huskies boast 18 seniors on its depth chart, nine on offense, six on defense and three specialists, the Huskies have 11 freshmen, including four true freshmen, at either a starting spot or back-up position. Redshirt freshman Trequan Smith has started the last four games at safety, earning the team's defensive player of the week honors following the CMU game. Fellow redshirt freshman Jordan Steckler has started the last six games at right guard. True freshmen Daniel Isom (CB) and Mitchell Brinkman (TE) have started three and two games respectively, while Lance DeVeaux made his first career start at linebacker in the Toledo game.
 
DEBUTS: With his appearance in the Toledo game, quarterback Daniel Santacaterina became the 20th Huskie to take the field for the first time for NIU this season, including true freshmen Mitchell Brinkman, Lance Deveaux, Jr., Daniel Isom and Ben LeRoy. Junior college transfer Joe Sanders has made four starts at defensive end, while JC product Damarius Brinson, Jr. has seen action in all eight games for NIU at cornerback. In all, 14 other redshirt freshmen have seen their first collegiate action in 2016 as well.
 
QUICK STRIKE: While NIU's offense has shown the ability to score quickly, scoring in two plays or less three times this season, the Huskie offense showed it can put together a slow methodical drive. All four of NIU's scoring drives against Toledo were 10 plays of more. NIU's second drive of the game was its longest in terms of yardage, going 86 yards in 12 plays and 4:15. The Huskies' ran 14 plays in 5:41 on their third scoring drive of the night, the longest in terms of plays and time.
 
DEGREES IN HAND: Five Huskies – Ladell Fleming, Clayton Glasper, Drew Hare, Lincoln Howard and Levon Myers – were among the 58 NIU student-athletes to walk across the stage at graduation and receive their degrees in May. Glasper and Howard earned their degrees in kinesiology, Fleming graduated with a degree in organizational & corporate communications, Hare and Myers majored in leadership and management and marketing, respectively. The five are all in postgraduate studies or grad school this fall.
 
MAKING THE GRADE: The NIU football program continues to be as successful in the classroom as it is on the field. The Huskie football program matched its multi-year Academic Progress Rate (APR) of 970, a school record, which it set last year.  The multi-year APR for each NCAA Division I team is based on the past four year's totals for eligibility and retention of each scholarship student-athlete. NIU's 970 ranks above the national average of 964 for Football Subdivision schools and is tied for second in the MAC.
 
ORANGE YOU GLAD YOU CAME TO NIU: The 22-man 2016 NIU senior class, the largest in Rod Carey's tenure as head coach of the Huskies, boasts 15 redshirt seniors. Of those 15 redshirt seniors, 11 made the trip to South Beach for NIU's appearance in the 2013 Orange Bowl. They are the last remaining Huskie class who had the Orange Bowl experience.
 
ONE LAST (GOLLA)DAY: Kenny Golladay ranks sixth in the country in receptions per game (7.9), 13th in receiving yards (1,029) and 14th in receiving yards per game (102.9) but he is even more important than that to the Huskie offense as he has accounted for 45.3 percent of NIU's receiving yards this season.
 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: Junior kicker Christian Hagan continues to climb the NIU career lists as he now ranks 10th in all-time scoring (208 point), fifth in kick scoring, seventh in field goals made (32) and fifth in PATs made (112).  The Nebraska product has made field goals in seven of the Huskies' 10 games this year.