BOWLING GREEN, Ohio – The Northern Illinois University football team put together its most complete performance of the year, defeating Bowling Green 48-17 Saturday at Doyt Perry Stadium in Bowling Green.
 
The win improved NIU's record to 3-0 in the MAC and 5-2 overall as NIU moved within one win of bowl eligibility. Bowling Green fell to 1-7, 1-3 in the MAC.  NIU has now won 23 of its last 24 regular season meetings with MAC East Division opponents after collecting wins over Kent State, Buffalo and Bowling Green in the last three weeks.
 
In his second career start, freshman quarterback Marcus Childers accounted for 312 yards of total offense, passing for career high 239 yards on 21-of-33 passing and rushing for 73 yards on 19 carries.  Childers threw three touchdown passes, including a career-long 73-yard scoring pass to Chad Beebe, and was not intercepted.
 
Beebe, a senior from Aurora, Ill., caught six passes for 124 yards to record the first 100-yard receiving game of his career while Chicago product Tommy Mister ran for 115 yards on 17 carries for his first 100-yard rushing game, to lead a 338-yard rushing attack by NIU.
 
The Huskies took advantage of five turnovers by Bowling Green with interceptions by Trayshon Foster, Jackson Abresch and Mycial Allen, a fumble recovery by Jawuan Johnson caused by a Foster sack, and a strip, steal and score by sophomore defensive end Sutton Smith.  
 
"Takeaways were the key to the game," said NIU Head Coach Rod Carey.  "We were certainly happy with the way [the defensive backs] ballhawked today.  We wanted to get pressure on their quarterback, but they came out with a good plan for taking away our speed rushers, although Sutton was still able to get in there and score.  Turnovers is the whole game every game, but especially this game."
 
Foster earned his first career interception, Abresch his first of the year and second of his career and Mycial Allen his second of the season as NIU is now just one INT away from its 2016 season total of 14.  Smith's score, which came as he pulled the ball away from Bowling Green running back Andrew Clair and ran 16 yards to the end zone, was the third by the Huskie defense in 2017. 
 
Offensively, NIU totaled a season-high 577 yards on 89 plays, including a season-best 338 rushing yards and 29 total first downs.
 
"Extremely pleased with the offense.  They ran the ball and had the best game so far," Carey said.  "We made a commitment to the run and you saw the improvement.  Tommy ran downhill and he wasn't getting brought down by the first guy." 
 
Mister started the scoring for NIU with a 30-yard touchdown run, the first of his NIU career, as leading rusher Jordan Huff missed the game due to injury.  The Huskies' other rushing score came at the very end of the game as receiver Jauan Wesley went in from nine yards out on the jet sweep as the second team offense played most of the fourth quarter. 
 
In between the rushing touchdowns, Childers threw first half scoring passes of eight, 15, and 73 yards to tight end Shane Wimann, receiver Spencer Tears and Beebe, respectively.  NIU took a 31-7 halftime lead when Huskie kicker Christian Hagan made a 29-yard field goal as time expired in the first half as he went two-for-two on field goals for the day.
 
"Marcus started well.  He distributed the ball, he was making good decisions," Carey said.  "I was very happy with him minus the fumble at the end." 
 
Bowling Green became just the second NIU opponent to score a first quarter touchdown when they got on the board on an 11-yard pass from James Morgan to Quintin Morris.   By the time they scored again – on a 34-yard field goal by James Suder, NIU had put 27 points on the board.  The Falcons' final touchdown came versus the Huskie back-ups.
 
"I think everyone we had on the trip who could play, did," Carey said. "It was good to see because those guys practice hard every day too."   
 
NIU now faces its shortest turnaround of the year as the Huskies play host to Eastern Michigan on Thursday night at 6 p.m. at Huskie Stadium in a game that will be televised by CBS Sports Network. 
 
Tickets for the Eastern Michigan contest and all three of NIU's remaining home games are available now at NIUHuskies.com or by calling 815-753-PACK (7225) Monday through Friday.
 
-- NIU --