HUSKIE BITES
- The NIU Huskies bring a six-game winning streak, the program's longest since 2015, into the inaugural Mallory Cup game versus Miami Wednesday night.
- Going forward, the series between the teams will honor former head coach Bill Mallory. Mallory, who passed away in May, led both NIU and Miami to MAC titles during his hall of fame coaching career and members of his family, as well as former players, will be on hand at the game.
- In addition to the Mallory Cup, Wednesday is Senior Night for 19 Huskie players, including nine starters, who will be honored before the game.
- NIU and Miami meet for the 19th time Wednesday night, and for the first time since 2015, with the Huskies holding a 10-8 edge in the all-time series. NIU has won seven of the last eight meetings with the only exception the 2010 MAC Championship game.
- Rod Carey's NIU teams own a 38-8 mark in MAC regular season games since 2013 for an .826 winning percentage; his 51 total wins are tied for 18th all-time among MAC coaches, and his .654 career winning percentage ranks in the Top 25 FBS coaches (minimum five seasons).
- Left tackle Max Scharping, who will start his 50th game Wednesday, is one of 13 finalists for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the top Scholar-Athlete in college football.
- Tre Harbison and Marcus Jones earned NIU's sixth and seventh 100-yard rushing games of the season versus Toledo when both eclipsed the mark. NIU has had a player rush for 100 yards in each of its six MAC games, led by Harbison with four; Jones has two and Marcus Childers one.
- NIU is 21-3 in weeknight #MACtion games played on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays since 2010.
- Sutton Smith collected his second blocked punt of the season, which he scooped and score on in a momentum-changing play versus Toledo. Smith's block was the Huskies' third blocked punt and fifth blocked kick of 2018 and gives NIU 11 blocked kicks in the last two seasons.
HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
Head Coach:
Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years:51-27/Sixth
Career Record/Years: 51-27/Sixth
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 586-491-51
2017 Record/MAC Record/Finish: 8-5/6-2/T2nd West
Last Bowl Game: 2017 Quick Lane Bowl (Detroit)
Bowl Appearances (FBS): 12
MAC Championship Appearances, Last: 7, 2015
Letterwinners Returning/Lost: 54/28
Starters Returning: 17 (9 offense, 6 defense, 2 specialists)
Starters Lost: 9 (3 offense, 5 defense, 1 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
Nickname: Huskies
Stadium: Brigham Field at Huskie Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /23,595
President: Dr. Lisa Freeman
Assoc. VP/Athletic Director:
Sean T. Frazier
Alma Mater, Year: Alabama '92
Tickets: 815-753-PACK (7225) or
NIUHuskies.com
MIAMI FACTS
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Chuck Martin (Milikin/1990)
Record at Miami/Years: 20-39/Fifth
Career Record/Years: 94-46/18th
2017 Record: 5-7
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 4-4/3rd
Location: Oxford, Ohio
Enrollment: 17,557
Conference: Mid-American, East Division (MAC)
Colors: Red & White
Stadium: Yager Stadium
Surface/Capacity: FieldTurf /24,286
President: Dr. Gregory Crawford
Athletic Director: David Sayler
Athletics Website: MiamiRedHawks.com
Twitter: @MiamiOHFootball
Ticket Information: muredhawks.com/tickets
Miami Schedule & Results
