THE FACTS
WHAT: NIU Huskies (4-7, 4-3 MAC) at Kent State Golden Flashes (3-8, 2-5 MAC)
WHERE: Kent, Ohio | Dix Stadium | 25,319
WHEN: Friday, November 25, 2016  | 11 a.m. (CT)
WATCH: CBS Sports Network
LISTEN: Radio: AM 560 WIND (Chicago)  |  WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb)  |  Sportsfan 1330 AM (Rockford)   |  TuneIn
 
HUSKIE BITES

• NIU closes out the 2016 regular season with a "Black Friday" game at Kent State and for the first time in six seasons, the Huskies go into their final game without a chance to win the MAC West and play in the MAC title game.
• After defeating Eastern Michigan, 31-24, in overtime last Wednesday in Ypsilanti, the Huskies' have played in a school-record three overtime games in 2016 and are 6-4 all-time in overtime, 2-1 this season.
• NIU has played more overtime games in 2016 than any FBS team in the nation.
• Senior All-America candidate Kenny Golladay became the first NIU receiver to record TWO 1,000-yard receiving seasons in his career and now has 1,065 yards on 83 catches in 2016. His receiving yardage total is tied for sixth on the NIU single season list while his catches rank third.   
• NIU leads the all-time series with Kent State 19-7 and has won 13 of the last 14 games between the 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 a 31-24 loss to Toledo.
• Overall, the Huskies have played in six "one-possession" games, including last week's overtime win at Eastern Michigan. Three games have been decided by a 31-24 score, including each of the last two.
• The Huskie offensive line ranks SECOND in the country in fewest sacks allowed and NIU has not given up a sack in its last five games. 
• 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 35 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: 35-19/4th
Career Record/Years: 35-19/4th
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 570-483-51
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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FLASHES' FACTS
2015 Record: 3-9
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish:  2-6/5th East
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Paul Haynes (Kent State/1993)
Record at Kent State/Years: 12-34/4th
Career Record/Years: 12-34/4th
Location: Kent, Ohio
Enrollment: 42,000
Conference: Mid-American Conference
Colors: Navy Blue and Gold
Stadium: Dix Stadium   
      Surface/Capacity: Turf /25,319
President:  Dr. Beverly Warren
Athletic Director: Joel Nielsen
Athletics Website: www.kentstatesports.com
Twitter: @KSUAthletics
Ticket Information: 330-672-2244
 
KSU 2016 Schedule
   
NIU-KSU SERIES HISTORY
Overall.................................................................... NIU leads 19-7
In DeKalb, Ill........................................................... NIU leads 11-2
At Kent, Ohio........................................................... NIU leads 7-5
Neutral Site Games.................................................. NIU leads 1-0
In MAC Games....................................................... NIU leads 17-3
Streak...................................................................................NIU, 8
First Meeting........................... Nov. 18, 1949; KSU 21, NIU 19 (H)
Last Meeting.................................... Oct. 4, 2014; NIU 17, KSU 14
   
FOLLOW THE HUSKIES
 
TV: NIU-KENT STATE ON CBS SPORTS NETWORK

• The NIU-Kent State game is the fifth Huskie game this season to be broadcast on the CBS Sports Network (CBSSN).
• Find the CBSSN channel in your area by using the Channel Finder at CBSSportsNetwork.com.
• CBS Sports Network does not stream or offer games via mobile app.
• The announce crew for the NIU-KSU game is Ben Holden (play-by-play), Jay Feeley (color analyst) and Jill Savage (sidelines).

 
RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Network broadcast for the Kent State game begins at 10:30 a.m. CT, 30 minutes before kickoff.
• The game will be carried on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb), AM 560 The Answer (Chicago) and Sports Fan 1330 (Rockford).
• 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

• The final two shows of the season are Monday, Nov. 21 and Monday, Nov. 28 from 7-8 p.m. CT with host Bill Baker, football coach Rod Carey, Huskie student-athletes and head coaches and NIU administrators.
• The 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 coach Rod Carey, other NIU head coaches and guests.

 
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 subsciption.
• 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
 
SERIES HISTORY: Friday's contest between Kent State and Northern Illinois will be the 27th meeting between the schools all time. The Golden Flashes are NIU's most frequent MAC East foe. NIU leads the all-time series, 19-7, and won the last eight games between the teams dating back to 2001. The Huskies are 7-5 in games played in Kent, with a 38-24 win on a rainy afternoon in 2013 in NIU's last trip to Dix Stadium. In MAC competition, NIU leads the all-time series 17-3, including a 44-37 double overtime victory in the 2012 MAC Championship game. 
 
FREQUENT FOE: This year's NIU-Kent State game will be the fifth meeting in the last six years between the two cross-divisional foes, with four of those coming in the regular season. The stretch began in 2011 with a 40-10 NIU victory at Huskie Stadium. The two met in the 2012 MAC Championship game, a double overtime victory for the Huskies. NIU claimed a 38-24 win over the Golden Flashes in 2013 and edged out Kent State, 17-14, at Huskie Stadium in 2014. Bowling Green is the only other MAC East team the Huskies have faced in five of the last six years, with three of those meetings coming in the conference title game.
 
THE LAST TIME WE MET: NIU held off a late Kent State rally to post a 17-14 victory over the Golden Flashes on Oct. 4, 2014 at Huskie Stadium. After the two played a scoreless first quarter, NIU opened up a 17-3 lead over Kent State. However, The Golden Flashes rallied, scoring 11 unanswered points and were driving in the closing minutes of the game. Kent State attempted a game-tying field with 2:15 left in the game. However, the 56-yard attempt missed and the Huskies ran out the clock.
 
NIU VS. MAC EAST: With its 45-20 victory over Bowling Green on Nov. 1, NIU has won 19 of its last 20 regular season games over MAC East Division opponents and 24 of 26 since the 2008 season. NIU's last regular season loss to a MAC East foe was on Nov. 24, 2015 when the Huskies fell to Ohio, 26-21 in Huskie Stadium. The Huskies are 5-0 versus Buffalo, 4-0 versus Akron, Kent State and Miami, 3-0 versus Bowling Green, and have one win over Ohio in the regular season during that time. NIU defeated former league members Temple in 2010 and UMass in 2012 and 2013. Miami defeated NIU in the 2010 MAC title game and Bowling Green won the 2013 and 2015 MAC Championship games over NIU.
 
NOVEMBERS TO REMEMBER: With its 31-24 victory at Eastern Michigan last week, NIU has posted a 24-2 record in the month of November since 2010, including a victory over Kent State in the 2012 MAC Championship Game. Toledo, which knocked off NIU, 31-24, at Guaranteed Rate Field on Nov. 9 and Ohio are the only two teams to post wins over the Huskies during that time.
 
MIDWEEK MACTION: Since 2010, NIU has posted a 16-2 record in league games played on either Tuesday or Wednesday. The Huskies rebounded from a 31-24 setback to Toledo, only their second loss in midweek games, by defeating Eastern Michigan, 31-24, last week at Rynearson Stadium. Ohio, which posted a 26-21 win over NIU on Nov. 24, 2015 at Huskie Stadium, is the only other team to post a victory over NIU in midweek games the last seven seasons.
 
HUSKIES IN THE MAC: NIU is now 140-97-2 all-time in MAC play with a 104-52 (.667) record in league action since 1997, when NIU rejoined the league. Since 2010, NIU is 48-7 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.
 
PLAYING FOUR QUARTERS: NIU's 31-24 overtime win over Eastern Michigan was clearly a tale of two halves. The Huskies went into halftime trailing 21-0 and were outgained by EMU, 313-141. In the second half, however, NIU outscored the Eagles, 24-3, and outgained Eastern Michigan, 344-324. The Huskies amassed 241 of their 324 rushing yards in the second half, while throwing for 103 yards through air. NIU finished the day with 161 passing yards.
 
CALL IT A COMEBACK: The Huskies' 21-point halftime deficit was the largest NIU has overcome since Dec. 2, 2011 when NIU rallied from a 20-0 halftime lead by Ohio in the 2011 MAC Championship game. The Huskies won that affair, 23-20, in regulation on a game-winning field goal from Mat Sims.
 
THREE TIMES A CHARM: NIU's overtime win at Eastern Michigan was the Huskies' third overtime game of the season and their first overtime victory of the season. It is NIU's first overtime win since Nov. 30, 2012 when the Huskies defeated Kent State, 44-37, in double overtime in the 2012 MAC Championship game.
 
WORKING OVERTIME: The Huskies are one of eight teams to have played in multiple overtime games this season and are the only team in the country to play three overtime contests. The Huskies are also one of two teams to play in two triple overtime affairs. NIU is 1-2 in those games after defeating Eastern Michigan in overtime on Nov. 16. NIU suffered triple overtime losses at Wyoming (40-34) in the season opener and to Central Michigan in Huskie Stadium (34-28). The two triple overtime games are the longest in NIU history while three overtime games in one season are the most in school 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, OT
UL-Lafayette       0-2          OT, 4OT
 
ALL-TIME IN OVERTIME: With its 31-21 overtime win at Eastern Michigan, NIU improved to 6-4 all-time in overtime games. 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.
 
RULE OF THIRDS: One of the big factors in NIU's second half comeback at EMU was the third quarter. The Huskie offense scored 17 points and gained 220 yards, 140 rushing and 80 passing. The NIU defense held the Eagles scoreless, limiting them to 42 yards on 21 plays and forcing five punts.
 
RUSHING TO A WIN: As important a role the Huskie defense played in the second half comeback at Eastern Michigan, so too did the Huskie run game. The Huskies rushed for 344 of their 485 yards in the second half, led by NIU tailback Jordan Huff. The Huskie junior tallied 140 of his career-high 173 rushing yards on 15 carries in the second half, including a 60-yard touchdown run on the first play from scrimmage to NIU on the scoreboard.
 
IN A HUFF: Huskie tailback Jordan Huff established career highs in carries (23), yards rushing (173) and touchdowns (3) in NIU's 31-24 victory at Eastern Michigan. His previous career best were 13 carries on two separate occasions, 159 yards against Western Michigan (Nov. 18) last season and two rushing touchdowns against Ball State (Oct. 10), also in 2015.
 
CRAMMING A SEASON INTO A GAME: Reserve linebacker and special teams player Alex Schwab made more tackles at Eastern Michigan, 14, than he had all season. Stepping in for injured starter Sean Folliard, Schwab's game and career-high 14 stops has allowed him to move into 10th on NIU's tackle list in 2016 with 27 tackles. He has 39 tackles for his career.
 
TOP-NOTCH PROTECTION: After not allowing a quarterback sack for the fifth-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, have given up just seven sacks through 11 games, for a 0.64 per game average.
 
HOLD THE LINE: The NIU offensive line and tight ends group extended its streak without allowing a quarterback sack to five consecutive games, as neither Ryan Graham nor Daniel Santacaterina were dropped for a sack in 25 passing attempts at Eastern Michigan. The last time NIU did not allow a sack in four straight games was in the 2011 season. The Huskie offensive line did not allow a sack in five straight games that season (Oct. 8-Nov. 8). The last team this year to sack a Huskie quarterback was Western Michigan (Oct. 8, 2016).
 
SENIOR SALUTE: NIU's 21 seniors include 17 listed on the depth chart and 10 slated to start against Kent State. 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.  See the PDF for a list with stats of the 2016 seniors. 
 
SACK LUNCH: After tallying two sacks through the first four games of the season, the Huskie defense has amassed 18 sacks in the last seven games. Austin Smaha kept the streak alive with a sack of EMU quarterback Brogan Roback in the third quarter last week. The NIU defense tallied three sacks against Toledo, 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).
 
SMAHA ON THE SACK: Defensive end Austin Smaha recorded his fifth sack of the season when he dropped Eastern Michigan quarterback Brogan Roback for a five-yard loss in the third quarter. It was his third-consecutive sack and fourth in the last three games. He leads Ladell Fleming, Jamaal Payton and Josh Corcoran who each have three sacks on the year.
 
QUARTERBACK CAROUSEL: Ryan Graham was under center for the fourth time as the starting quarterback in NIU's game at Eastern Michigan. However, Graham left the EMU game due to injury and NIU's fourth-string quarterback, Daniel Santacaterina, finished the final three quarters of the game and is expected to make his first career start at Kent State. Graham assumed the starting role in the Toledo game for injured Anthony Maddie. 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. Drew Hare started at Wyoming and at South Florida before going down with a ruptured hamstring in the third quarter of the game against the Bulls.
 
NIU's Starting Quarterbacks Since 2011 (Games Started)
2016     Drew Hare (2), Ryan Graham (4), 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)
 
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 1,065 yards on 83 receptions. Lurry has 38 tackles, three interceptions and a team-leading 11 pass break ups. To add to the confusion, both have served as NIU's punt returner this year.
 
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 1,065 yards receiving on 83 receptions this season after totaling 1,129 yards on 73 catches a year ago.
 
PURSUING PETZKE: Kenny Golladay's 1,065 receiving yards this season ranks tied for sixth behind all-time leader Dave Petzke, who tallied 1,215 in 1978. His 83 receptions are nine away from Petzke's mark set in 1978. First, he will have to get past former teammate Tommylee Lewis who caught 86 passes in 2013. 
 
GOLLADAY STREAKING: Golladay has recorded at least one reception in all 25 games of his Huskie career after making four receptions for 36 yards at Eastern Michigan. He tallied a career-high 14 catches for 149 yards versus Toledo on Nov. 9. 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 (48 games) and Corey Davis of Western Michigan (47) lead the nation in consecutive games.
 
LAW OF AVERAGES: After his four-reception, 36-yard game against Eastern Michigan, Golladay is averaging 87.8 yards receiving per game for his Huskie career. His receiving yards per game average ranks just behind NIU's all-time leader, Dave Petzke, who averaged 89.0 yards a game during his two years as a Huskie. Golladay's 6.2 catches per game for his career ranks second to Petzke, who averaged 6.7 from 1977-78.
 
CATCHING ON: Golladay's 1,065 yards in 2016 gives the Huskie senior 2,194 yards on 156 receptions in 25 games at NIU. With his 36-yard game at Eastern Michigan (Nov. 16), Golladay moved into sixth place on NIU's career list for receiving yards. Golladay is the only two-year player with 2,000 yards or more in his career. With his four catches against the Eagles, Golladay surpassed Da'Ron Brown for sixth 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 against 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 2,194 yards and 18 touchdowns on 156 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 has 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 3,507 for his career. That total ranks 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 Eastern Michigan Brogan Roback in the fourth quarter gave the Huskie junior his third pick of the season and 12th of his career. Lurry is now tied with Dan DeVito and Rich Marks for seventh on NIU's all-time list. He needs five more interceptions to move past Dan Meyer (1964-66) for first all-time at NIU.
 
BREAKING UP IS HARD TO DO: In addition to cornerback Shawun Lurry's 12 career interceptions, the Huskie junior has 27 career pass break ups. Lurry ranks fifth on NIU's all-time list for career pass break ups, trailing Vince Thompson (1999-2002) who sits in fourth with 28. Randee Drew (2000-03) who holds the record with 38. Lurry knocked down four passes at Eastern Michigan, one off the NIU single game record.
 
GRAND LARCENY: Of NIU's 13 interceptions this season, 12 have come in conference play, including a season-high four in its victory over Buffalo (Oct. 22). Shawun Lurry leads NIU with three interceptions this season, while four different Huskies follow with two each.
 
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. Despite missing most of the EMU game due to injury, the Huskie senior now has 2,778 yards on 571 attempts and is NIU's leading rusher in 2016 with 752 yards on 153 carries. Bouagnon needs 139 yards to displace Chad Spann (2007-10), who tallied 2,916 yards on 536 carries, for 10th place.
 
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.
 
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.
 
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 2,430 kickoff return yards on 99 career returns.  He needs two kickoff returns to break the career mark of 100, also held by Mitchell, who had 2,306 return yards in his career. 
 
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 the Buffalo and Western Michigan games, respectively. Linebacker Sean Folliard was named MAC West Division Defensive Player of the Week honors after he made a career-high 17 tackles to lead NIU at Ball State.
 
TE SCORING TDs: NIU tight end Shane Wimann's one-yard touchdown reception against Toledo was his sxith of the season to tie 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 12, the combined record of NIU's 11 opponents this season is 73-48, which includes eight teams with winning records, and three with a losing record. Of those six teams with winning records, Western Michigan is undefeated at 11-0, and San Diego State, South Florida and Toledo are all 9-2, while Wyoming is 8-3.
 
CLIMBING THE CHARTS: NIU head coach Rod Carey added to his career win total when he won his 35th game after the Huskies rallied for a 31-24 win over Eastern Michigan. He ranks behind only 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 at NIU. Carey is the fastest coach to reach 35 wins among the three coaches, tallying his victories in 54 games.
 
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).
 
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 five 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 seven games at right guard. True freshmen Daniel Isom (CB) and Mitchell Brinkman (TE) have started four and two games, respectively, while Lance DeVeaux has started NIU's last two contests at linebacker.
 
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 11 games for NIU at cornerback. In all, 14 other redshirt freshmen have seen their first collegiate action in 2016 as well.
 
QUICK STRIKE: NIU's offense has scored in two plays or less five times this season, including twice at Eastern Michigan. Jordan Huff provided the Huskies with their shortest scoring drive of the season when he reached the endzone on a 60-yard run in 16 seconds to open the second half. It was the Huskies' fastest scoring drive in terms of both plays and time, surpassing a two-play, 61-yard TD drive in 21 seconds against Western Illinois. The Huskies scored their second touchdown of the night later in the third quarter against Eastern Michigan, when Aregeros Turner scored on a 74-yard touchdown reception on the second play of NIU's fourth possession of the game.
 
METHODICAL DRIVES: While NIU's offense has shown the ability to score quickly, scoring in two plays or less five 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 of 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 last 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.
 
FINISHING THE JOB: NIU's setback to Toledo 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.
 
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.