HUSKIE BITES

• The NIU Huskies will make their seventh appearance in the MAC Championship in the last nine years; since the advent of FBS conference championship games, only one other school - Florida (1992-96, 1999-2000) in the SEC - has made a similar run.
• NIU is 3-4 all-time in MAC Championship games; when the Huskies kick off against Buffalo in Detroit, they will have played every team currently in the MAC East at least once in a MAC title game.
• The Huskie defense has held an opponent to less than 100 yards rushing in seven games this season and NIU opponents are averaging just 2.6 yards per rush in 2018.  
• Rod Carey has led NIU to the MAC Championship game for the fourth time in his six seasons as head coach, and for the sixth time since he arrived in DeKalb as offensive line coach in 2011; his 51-29 record and .638 winning percentage rank fourth all-time among Huskie head coaches and in the MAC Top 15.  
• Left tackle Max Scharping, who will start his 52nd game in the MAC Championship contest, is one of 13 finalists for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, given to the top Scholar-Athlete in college football and will travel to New York on Dec. 4 for the NFF Honors Dinner.
• NIU standout defensive end Sutton Smith is coming off one of the best days of his career at Western Michigan with a career best four sacks and five tackles for loss, as well as an 85-yard fumble return touchdown. Smith currently ranks fourth nationally in sacks (13.0) and sixth in tackles for loss (21.0) with four forced fumbles and three recoveries.  
• Sophomore tailback Tre Harbison has led NIU offensively with 950 rushing yards on 177 carries to average 5.4 yards per rush. He can become the Huskies' first 1,000-yard rusher since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 and has five 100-yard games this year.  
• Following the MAC Championship game, NIU will play in a bowl game for the 10th time in the last 11 seasons, a record of consistency matched by just one other current "Group of Five" team (Boise State). 

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HUSKIE FOOTBALL FACTS
Head Coach: Rod Carey
Record at NIU/Years:51-29/Sixth
Career Record/Years: 51-29/Sixth
Alma Mater/Year: Indiana/1993
Basic Offense/Defense: Multiple/4-3
First Year of Football: 1899
All-Time Record: 586-493-51
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

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BUFFALO FACTS
Head Coach (Alma Mater/Year): Lance Liepold (Wisconsin-Whitewater/1987)
Record at Buffalo/Years: 23-25/Fourth
Career Record/Years: 133-31/12th
2017 Record: 6-6
Mid-American Conference Record/Finish: 4-4/3rd
Location: Buffalo, N.Y.
Enrollment: 30,658
Conference: Mid-American, East Division (MAC)
Colors: Blue and White 
Stadium: UB Stadium    
    Surface/Capacity: A-Titan Turf /30,270
President: Satish K. Tripathi
Athletic Director: Mark Alnutt
Athletics Website: ubbulls.com
Twitter: @UBFootball
Ticket Information: 877-UB-THERE

Buffalo Schedule & Results
 

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NIU-BUFFALO SERIES
Overall: NIU leads 11-1
In Buffalo: NIU leads 5-0
In DeKalb: NIU leads 6-1
In MAC Games: NIU leads 7-0
Streak: NIU, 11
First Meeting: Nov. 9, 1968; UB 20, NIU 7 (H)
Last Meeting: Oct. 14, 2017 NIU 14, UB 13 (A)

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NIU IN THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME

Date	Opponent	Score
Dec. 1, 2005	Akron	L, 31-30
Dec. 3, 2010	Miami	L, 26-21
Dec. 2, 2011	Ohio	W, 23-20
Nov. 30, 2012	Kent State	W, 44-37 (2OT)
Dec. 6, 2013	Bowling Green	L, 47-27
Dec. 5, 2014	Bowling Green	W, 51-17
Dec. 4, 2015	Bowling Green	L, 34-14

 

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FOLLOW THE HUSKIES

TV: THE MAC CHAMPIONSHIP ON ESPN2

• NIU will make its ninth appearance on national television, its seventh appearance on an ESPN Network and its second on ESPN2 in the Marathon MAC Championship game.
• In addition to ESPN2, watch the game on mobile devices via the ESPN App or online (with appropriate provider login) at ESPN.com. 
• Clay Matvick (play-by-play) and Dan Orlovsky (color analyst) will call the game on ESPN2 with Paul Carcaterra on the sidelines.

RADIO: HUSKIE SPORTS RADIO NETWORK

• The Huskie Sports Radio Network broadcast for the MAC Championship game begins at 5:30 p.m. CT, 30 minutes prior to kickoff. 
• Listen to the game on NIU network affiliates WLBK AM 1360/FM 98.9 (DeKalb), AM 560 The Answer (Chicago), and on SportsFan Radio AM 1330 (Rockford).
• Hear the broadcast online via NIUTube (subscription), and on mobile devices via TuneIn. Download the app for free and find the NIU Huskies channel. 
• Bill Baker is wrapping up his 39th season as the radio play-by-play "Voice of the Huskies." Color analyst Mark Lindo joins him for the 33rd season, while Andy Garcia is in his sixth season on the NIU sidelines. 

NIUTUBE (HUSKIE ALL-ACCESS)

• See weekly and post-game press conferences, video features and Huskie Olympic sports.
• 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, niufootball
• YouTube: NIU Athletics
• See more at NIU Athletics' social media hub online.

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NEWS AND NOTES

MAC CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY

UNPRECEDENTED SUCCESS: With its 2018 division title, NIU will represent the MAC West in the 2018 MAC Championship game for a league-record eighth time and for the seventh in the last nine years. Since 2010, no other Football Bowl Subdivision school has advanced to its conference title game seven times. The only other FBS program to advance to their conference's title game seven times in nine years is Florida, who appeared in the SEC Championship game from 1992-96 and 1999-2000. 

MOTOR CITY REGULARS: NIU has played more games, eight, in Detroit's Ford Field than in any neutral site location. The Huskies fell to Duke, 36-14,  in the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl on Dec. 26, 2017 in their last visit to Ford Field. NIU's last win in the home of the NFL's Detroit Lions was Dec. 5, 2014, a 51-17 victory over Bowling Green in the MAC Championship game.

MAC-NIFICENT SEVEN: Seven Huskies on the 2018 roster – Josh Corcoran, D.J. Brown, Dale Brown, Tifonte Hunt, Marcus Jones, Hayden Sak and Max Scharping – saw action in the 2015 MAC Championship game, NIU's last appearance in the conference title game. Scharping is the Huskies' lone returning starter from that game as the Green Bay, Wis. native started at right tackle against Bowling Green.

CHAMPIONSHIP PLAYER-COACH: NIU cornerbacks coach Melvin Rice is the first former Huskie football player to play and coach in the league's championship game. Rice was a member of the 2005 NIU football team that faced Akron in the MAC Championship game. Rice, who was a freshman cornerback on that team, recorded a solo tackle in the game.

HUSKIE ANNIVERSARY: The Huskies won their third MAC championship on Nov. 30, 2012 when NIU defeated Kent State, 44-37, in double overtime. The win helped the Huskies earn a berth in the 2013 Orange Bowl.

HOW THE WEST WAS WON: NIU won its seventh MAC West Division title in the last nine years and eighth overall before it took the field against Miami (Nov. 14). It was the earliest the Huskies, who finished 6-2 in league play this year, have clinched a division crown. The Huskies clinched the MAC West in the second to last game with wins over Toledo in 2012 and 2013 and in the final game of the season in 2005, 2010, 2011, 2014 and 2015.

BEST IN THE WEST: With this year's MAC West Division title, the Huskies have won a league-best eight outright division crowns. Trailing NIU are Toledo with six and Miami, Ohio and Bowling Green with four division championships. Central Michigan and Western Michigan have each won three, while Akron and Buffalo have won two division titles. Ball State and Kent State each have one first-place division finish to their credit.

CHAMPIONSHIP HISTORY: NIU is 3-4 in its previous MAC Championship games in Detroit. NIU has won four Mid-American Conference titles all-time, as the Huskies' first MAC crown came in 1983 under head coach Bill Mallory (Rod Carey's college coach). That season, NIU went 8-1 versus league teams and clinched the championship with a 26-14 win over Toledo before the days of conference championship games.  

RUNNING TO A TITLE: The Huskies are 2-0 in MAC Championship games when rushing for 300 yards or more. NIU's only victory when rushing for less than 300 yards was in 2011 when NIU rallied from a 20-0 deficit to Ohio. The Huskies rushed for 155 yards on 36 carries, while passing for 250 yards in the win over the Bobcats.

MAC SIX-PACK: With its match up against Buffalo, NIU will have faced all six current MAC East teams in the championship game. The Huskies fell to Akron in 2005 and Miami in 2010 before winning back-to-back titles versus Ohio and Kent State in 2011 and 2012, respectively. The Huskies faced Bowling Green in three straight MAC Championship games from 2013-15, winning in 2014.

THIS WEEK'S GAME

SERIES HISTORY: This is the fourth consecutive year NIU and Buffalo have played, and is the 13th game in the all-time series. The Huskies own an 11-1 record in the all-time series with the Bulls and have won the last 11 meetings, including a 14-13 victory at Buffalo last season (Oct. 14).  The only Huskie loss was a 20-7 setback in the initial meeting between the two schools on Nov. 9, 1968 in DeKalb. This is the first neutral site game between the two teams.

INFREQUENT FOE: Friday's game with Buffalo is the 13th meeting all-time between the two schools. It is the fewest meetings for the Huskies versus a MAC opponent, just ahead of Akron, which NIU has faced 15 times since 1966. The longest drought in meetings between the Bulls and NIU is 29 years. The Huskies and Buffalo met in 1970 and didn't face each other again until 1999. This year's game marks the fourth straight year the teams have played, and the seventh time since 2010.

WHEN LAST WE MET: NIU quarterback Marcus Childers rushed for a game-high 79 yards and a touchdown, while throwing for 224 yards and a TD on 20-of-31 passing as NIU edged out Buffalo, 14-13, at UB Stadium on Oct. 14, 2017. All the game's scoring occurred in the first half, with all of the Huskies' scoring coming in the second quarter. After Buffalo took an early 3-0 lead, NIU came back with 14 points in the second period. Childers capped a 12-play 75-yard drive with a 10-yard touchdown run. He connected with tight end Shane Wimann later in the quarter on a 34-yard touchdown pass. The Huskie defense held Buffalo to 39 yards rushing and tallied four sacks.

HUSKIE HOMECOMING: Senior cornerback Jalen Embry, freshman special teamer Zhamaine March and freshman wide receiver Rodney Hall are returning to their hometown for the game as all three Huskies hail from Detroit. Embry graduated from King High School, while Hall is a product of Cass Technical and March attended East English Village Prep. NIU tight end Maximillian Thrower is from Royal Oak, Mich., a Detroit suburb.

NIU-BUFFALO IN CAREY ERA: The Huskies are 3-0 versus Buffalo under head coach Rod Carey. NIU has averaged 492 yards of offense in those three games, while Buffalo has gained 417.7 yards a game. The Huskies have outgained the Bulls on the ground 287.7-117.3 yards, while Buffalo has won the passing battle 300.3-204.3. NIU has outscored Buffalo 99-50 in those three games.

COMMON BONDS: Buffalo quarterbacks coach/co-offensive coordinator Jim Zebrowski was a member of former NIU head coach Jerry Kill's staff in 2010 and was part of the staff that led NIU to the MAC Championship game that season. Zebrowski was the Huskie quarterbacks coach under Kill. NIU quarterbacks coach Craig Harmon worked for Lance Leipold for one season at UW-Whitewater before coming to NIU. 

CONFERENCE CALL

HUSKIES IN THE MAC: With its loss to Western Michigan, NIU fell to 152-101-2 all-time in MAC play and 116-56 (.674) in league action since 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 60-11 and has recorded three undefeated campaigns and two one-loss seasons in league play, with six-straight division championships and eight overall. The Huskies are in their 33rd season as a member of the Mid-American Conference in 2018-19, including an initial stint in the league from 1975-85.

NIU VS. MAC EAST: NIU finished 2-1 this season versus the MAC East division following its loss to Miami (Nov. 14). NIU has won 25 of its last 27 regular season games over MAC East Division opponents and 30 of 33 since the 2008 season. Miami joined Ohio as the only MAC East foes to defeat the Huskies during that time, with the Bobcats posting wins in 2009 at Ohio and 2015 in DeKalb. NIU defeated former league members Temple in 2010 and UMass in 2012 and 2013. The Huskies are 3-3 versus the MAC East in conference title games since 2010, defeating Ohio (2011), Kent State (2012) and Bowling Green (2014), while falling to Miami (2010) and Bowling Green (2013 & 2015).

CAREY KERNELS

FASTEST TO FIFTY: NIU's victory over Akron was the 50th of NIU head coach Rod Carey's 78-game NIU career making him the fastest Huskie head coach to win 50 games, surpassing George "Chick" Evans, who won his 50th game as NIU head coach in his 80th game. Evans (1929-54) is NIU's all-time leader with 132 wins. Carey, who currently ranks fourth on NIU's all-time coaching list for wins with 51, is 12 behind Joe Novak (1996-2007). He also ranks fourth in games coached with 80.

CAREY-ING THE MAC: One of the longest tenured coaches in the MAC with six years in the conference, Carey's .638 winning percentage is the highest among league active coaches with a minimum of five years coaching in the league. His 51 wins trail only Frank Solich, the MAC's longest tenured coach, who has amassed 104 wins in 14 seasons at Ohio.
 

Coach (School)	Seasons	Record	Pct.
Rod Carey (NIU)	6	51-29	.638
Frank Solich (Ohio)	14	105-75	.583
Terry Bowden (Akron)	7	35-50	.412
Chris Creighton (EMU)	5	22-39	.361
Chuck Martin (Miami)	5	22-39	.361

MOVING UP IN THE MAC: Carey's 51st career win moved the sixth-year head coach to No. 18 on the Mid-American Conference's Top 20 list for overall wins, tying Bill Cubit (WMU, 2005-12). Don Nehlen (BGSU, 1968-76) ranks 17th with 53 victories. Carey's career winning percentage of .638 currently ranks 13th in MAC history, and he needs to get to .658 to move into the top 10.

PLAYING THE PERCENTAGES: Carey owns a 38-10 (.791) record in conference-only games in his six-year career at NIU and is 15th in MAC wins. He needs two more victories to pass Tom Amstutz (Toledo, 2001-08) for 14th. His winning percentage ranks fifth among coaches that coached at least three years in the league.
 

Coach	School	Years	W-L	Pct.
Sid Gillman	Cincinnati	1949-52	13-1	.929
Ara Parseghian	Miami	1951-55	19-2-1	.886
Bob Pruett	Marshall	1997-2004	54-10	.844
Doyt Perry	Bowling Green	1955-64	46-9	.836
Rod Carey	NIU	2013-present	38-10	.791

RECAPPING LAST WEEK

KEEP IT UNDER 100: The NIU defense is one of four FBS teams to not allow a 100-yard rusher in each of its games this season, and has a streak of 13 consecutive games dating back to the 2017 Quick Lane Bowl (Dec. 26). The last opponent to rush for 100 yards versus NIU was Central Michigan's Jonathan Ward, who gained 159 yards on 21 carries in a CMU win over the Huskies on Nov. 24, 2017. Clemson (18 consecutive games), Southern Miss (14) and Marshall (12) also have also not allowed a 100-yard rusher in their games this season.

SUTTON ON THE SCORE: Defensive end Sutton Smith scored his second touchdown of the season, and fourth of his career, when he returned a fumble 85 yards for a score in the third quarter at Western Michigan. He scored his first TD of 2018 versus Toledo when he blocked a punt and returned it 27 yards. 

SUTTON SETS SCHOOL RECORD: Sutton Smith's 85-yard fumble return for a TD at Western Michigan was the third fumble return TD of his career, which broke his own school record. He scored his first career touchdown on a fumble he forced, running it back 16 yards at Bowling Green (Oct. 21, 2017). His second, a 58-yard fumble return for a touchdown came against the Broncos at Huskie Stadium in 2017. 

QUITE THE NIGHT FOR SUTTON: In addition to his touchdown return, Sutton Smith recorded career highs in sacks and solo tackles at Western Michigan. Smith tallied seven tackles, all solo, and four sacks, to tie as the most by any player in an FBS game this year. Of those seven stops, five were for a loss. His previous career best in sacks was three set against Kent State (Oct. 7) last year, while his six solo stops against Utah this season was his career high. 

TEARS OF JOY: Spencer Tears recorded a season-high 84 yards receiving, including a 58-yard touchdown catch, on a career-best six receptions at Western Michigan. They are the most receiving yards for Tears since he amassed a career-high 105 at San Diego State (Sept. 30) last season. His 58-yard TD reception is his longest catch since his 81-yard touchdown reception at San Diego State. He is currently third on the team in receiving with 299 yards on 28 receptions.

GROUNDED: The NIU defense held its seventh opponent to under 100 rushing yards this season when Western Michigan rushed for just 94 yards on 46 carries. The last time an NIU defense held seven opponents to under 100 yards rushing in a game was 2010. NIU's season-low for rushing yards allowed is 35 by Akron, which was the lowest rushing total by an opponent since Arkansas State rushed for 28 yards on 29 carries in the 2012 GoDaddy Bowl (Jan. 8). NIU, which leads the MAC and ranks 13th in the nation in rushing defense, is 4-3 this season when holding an opponent under 100 yards. 
 

Opponent	Net Rushing Yards	W-L	Score
Utah	68	L	17-6
Eastern Michigan	62	W	26-23 (3OT)
Ohio	46	W	24-21
BYU	93	W	7-6
Akron	35	W	36-26
Miami	94	L	7-6
Western Michigan	94	L	28-21

HUSKIE HEADLINERS

BOWL-ELIGIBLE HUSKIES: After earning its sixth win of the season at Akron on Nov. 1, NIU is bowl eligible for the 10th time in 11 seasons. The Huskies appeared in eight straight bowl games from 2008-15, including the 2013 Discover Orange Bowl. The only other Group of Five team to qualify for 10 bowls in the last 11 years is Boise State.

SCHARP-ING AS A TACK-LE: Senior offensive tackle Max Scharping became NIU's first three-time academic all-district selection when he earned Google Cloud Academic All-District 5 First Team honors from the College Sports Information Directors of America. Scharping previously earned second team honors in 2016 and first team accolades in 2017. He was a second team CoSIDA Academic All-American last year.

ACADEMIC HEISMAN CANDIDATE: Max Scharping is one of 13 student-athletes across all divisions of college football to be named a finalist for the 2018 William V. Campbell Trophy, one of the most prestigious awards in college football, which annually recognizes the best scholar-athlete in the nation and is presented by the National Football Foundation & College Football Hall of Fame. Scharping is the fifth NIU player all-time to earn the NFF Scholar-Athlete Award, joining Nabal Jefferson (2011), Chandler Harnish (2010), Josh Haldi (2004) and Patrick Stephen (1998).

HUSKIE HONOREES: Sutton Smith earned his fourth MAC Player of the Week honor Monday after his four-sack, five-TFL performance versus Western Michigan. Seven different Huskie players have earned 11 Player of the Week honors this year, including in each of the last six games. NIU has won seven defensive awards, two for special teams and one on offense. 

Sutton Smith (Defense) - Utah, Ohio, Western Michigan
Antonio Jones-Davis (Defense) - Eastern Michigan
Mykelti Williams (Defense) - BYU
Matt Ference (Special Teams) - BYU
Jalen McKie (Defense) - Akron
Tre Harbison (Offense) -  Akron, Toledo
Sutton Smith (Special Teams) - Toledo
Josh Corcoran (Defense) - Miami

IMPRESSIVE STRETCH: From Sept. 22 to Nov. 1, the Huskies played a stretch of five of six games away from Huskie Stadium. NIU went 5-1 in those games, with NIU's only loss coming at Florida State on Sept. 22,. NIU posted wins at BYU and at Akron in the final two games of that stretch.

FIRST TIME FOR EVERYTHING: A year after becoming the first MAC team to win at Memorial Stadium in Nebraska, NIU achieved another first for a league member when the Huskies became the first MAC team to defeat BYU at LaVell Edwards Stadium with their 7-6 victory over the Cougars on October 27. Western Michigan is 0-2 in its visits to Provo (1964 and 1967), while Bowling Green (1983) and Toledo (2016) each lost games at BYU. 

NIU vs. THE POWER FIVE: NIU's victory over BYU on Oct. 27 is considered a "Boneyard Win," as Huskie victories over prominent opponents from larger conferences are characterized. The BYU win was NIU's 16th versus such an opponent in 88 games. Of those 16 wins, eight have come in the last nine years and five have occurred under Rod Carey. The Huskies' entire 2018 nonconference schedule was made up of "Boneyard" opponents, and the Huskies have faced at least one larger conference school in 35 of the last 36 seasons.

LUCKY NUMBER SEVEN: NIU's 7-6 victory at BYU was the Huskies' first win when scoring seven points or less since Sept. 3, 1988 when NIU defeated Akron, 7-6, at Huskie Stadium. 

NO TDs ALLOWED: The Huskie defense held BYU to two field goals in the win in Provo. The last time NIU did not allow a touchdown in a game was on Oct. 7, 2017 when the Huskies defeated Kent State, 24-3, in the 111th Homecoming Game. The last time the Huskie defense limited an opponent to less than six points in a victory on the road was Nov. 26, 2010 when NIU defeated Eastern Michigan, 71-3.

MAX SCHOLAR-ATHLETE: Max Scharping was named MAC Scholar-Athlete of the Week following his performance in NIU's victory over Ohio. Scharping, who is scheduled to graduate in December with his master's degree in exercise physiology and fitness leadership, took a lateral into the end zone on a two-point conversion and led the Huskies to a 400-yard day on offense. He is the first Huskie, male or female, to earn the MAC's weekly academic award this year and the first football player since Jackson Abresch last season. 

WORKING OVERTIME: NIU improved to 8-4 in overtime games with their triple overtime win at Eastern Michigan on Sept. 29. It was the third consecutive overtime game between the Huskies and Eagles, all NIU victories. The Huskies defeated EMU, 31-24, in Ypsilanti in 2016 and 30-27 at Huskie Stadium last season. This year's game was NIU's first triple overtime contest since a 34-28 loss to Central Michigan Oct. 15, 2016.

JUST FOR KICKS: The Huskie defense has forced 71 punts this season, five shy of the school record of 76 set in 2014. The Huskies' best performance of the season came at Eastern Michigan. After EMU scored on its first two possessions of the game (including a field goal after starting a drive at the NIU 28 off an interception), the Huskie defense held EMU without a first down on its next NINE possessions and on 10 of the Eagles' 12 possessions the rest of the game. The dominance continued in the second and third overtimes as, after scoring a touchdown in the first OT, EMU gained just four total yards in the second and third OTs. The Huskies forced a season-high 10 punts by Miami.

DOGGED DEFENSE

GETTING DEFENSIVE: In addition to some outstanding individual performances, the NIU defense has turned in some spectacular efforts as a unit. From tallying a season-high seven sacks against Utah, to forcing a season-high four turnovers at Florida State, the Huskie defense has stepped up each week. 

Iowa -- Held Iowa to three points in first half
Utah -- Tallied a season-high seven sacks
CMU -- Intercepted a pass on Chippewas' final drive to seal win 
Florida State -- Forced four turnovers
EMU -- Held Eagles w/o a 1st down on 9 straight possessions
Ball State -- Forced three field goal attempts
Ohio -- Allowed 46 rushing yards
BYU -- Did not allow a touchdown
Akron -- Scored a defensive touchdown
Toledo -- Held Toledo to minus four yards rushing in 3rd quarter
Miami -- Allowed a season-low 201 yards of total offense
WMU -- Did not allow a 100-yard rusher for 13th-straight game

SACK LUNCH: The Huskie defense recorded six sacks at Western Michigan to give NIU 46 on the season. The school record for sacks in a season is 47 set in 2002. Cornerback Jalen McKie became the 12th different Huskie to record a sack when he tallied his first career sack in the win over BYU (Oct. 27). As a team, the Huskies lead the nation in quarterback sacks and average 3.83 a game. 

DYNAMIC DUO: Huskie defensive ends Sutton Smith and Josh Corcoran rank No. 1 and No. 4 in the MAC and fourth and 12th in the nation, respectively, in sacks per game. Smith, is averaging 1.08 sacks a game, while Corcoran tallies 0.80 a game. Smith leads NIU with 13 sacks on the year, while Corcoran is second on the team with eight.

SUTTON ON THE SACK: Sutton Smith moved three sacks closer to second place on NIU's all-time list for quarterback sacks after recording a career-best four sacks at Western Michigan. The Huskie junior, leads the MAC and ranks fourth in the country in quarterback sacks. He has 28 for his career, and is three sacks from tying Cary Caliendo (1987-90) for second. Huskie great Larry English amassed a school record 31.5 sacks from 2004-08. 

AT A LOSS: With five tackles for loss at Western Michigan, Sutton Smith has 52.5 for his career, which ranks third on NIU's all-time list. Smith ranks third among active players averaging 1.42 tackles per loss per game. The Huskie defensive end leads the MAC and ranks sixth in the nation, averaging 1.8 tackles for loss a game. Larry English holds the school record for career tackles for loss with 63.

UN-CORKED-ORAN: Josh Corcoran, who recorded two sacks against Miami, has tallied seven of his career-high eight sacks this season in five of the last seven games. He also contributed two sacks at BYU and at Akron and one against Ohio. Corcoran, who ranks second on the team in sacks, has 13 for his career and needs two more to move into the top 10 on NIU's all-time sack list.

TOTALLY NOT ALLOWED: The Huskie defense allowed a season-low 201 yards of total offense in the setback to Miami. They were the fewest total yards allowed in a game by the Huskies since NIU held Kent State (Oct. 7) to 131 yards of total offense last season. They are the fewest yards allowed in a loss since NIU gave up 228 yards in a 38-31 loss at Ohio (Nov. 21) in 2009.

STRIPPING AGENT: Josh Corcoran became the latest Huskie to join this strip sack list when he recorded one versus Miami. Sutton Smith leads the team in strip sacks this season with four and has five for his career. Smith recorded a strip sack in the season opener at Iowa (Sept. 1), at Florida State (Sept. 22) and versus Ohio (Oct. 13) this year, and had a half sack and forced fumble last season at Buffalo (Oct. 14). Smith has seven career forced fumbles. The school record for forced fumbles in a career is 12 set by C.J. Rose (1992-95).

YOU DON'T KNOW JACK: Defensive tackle Jack Heflin tallied four tackles, all solo, with a sack and a tackle for loss at Western Michigan. He has 20 tackles, eight tackles for loss and six sacks in the last six games. The redshirt sophomore's best game came against Toledo, when he recorded 2.5 sacks, 3.5 tackles for loss and seven tackles, five solo, all career highs, in NIU's win over Toledo. Heflin also returned to the starting line-up for the first time this year versus Toledo. He has already almost tripled his tackle total from a year ago.

DOUBLE YOUR PLEASURE: Jalen McKie sealed the Huskie victory over Akron when he made his second career interception nine plays after his first. McKie, the son of former Chicago Bears fullback Jason McKie, is the first Huskie to intercept two passes in a game since Mayomi Olootu versus Buffalo on Oct. 22, 2016. His returned his first career INT 23 yards for the Huskies' first defensive touchdown of the season and their first since Nov. 24, 2017, and made a fourth-down INT later in the game. 

DEFENSIVE PAT ON THE BACK: In addition to his two interceptions, McKie became the first Huskie to score on a defensive PAT since Sept. 20, 2003 when he ran Ben LeRoy's blocked PAT back 86 yards for two huge points, as the play turned a potential tie score into a three-point Huskie lead. Kevin Woods scored the Huskies' last defensive PAT in NIU's historic 19-16 win at Alabama. McKie accounted for NIU's last eight points at Akron.

THE FIRM: Antonio Jones-Davis – nicknamed "Law Firm" –  ranks 61st in the nation and seventh in the MAC in total tackles with a team-best 104 after recording six at Western Michigan. Jones-Davis has four double-digit tackle performances this season, tallying a career-high 16 twice, against Central Michigan (Sept. 15) and at Ball State (Oct. 6). Jones-Davis' 13 stops at Eastern Michigan helped him earn MAC West Defensive Player of the Week honors. 

A HUSKIE DOZEN: The 12 solo stops by Antonio Jones-Davis at Ball State are the most by a Huskie since linebacker Boomer Mays made 12 against Western Michigan Nov. 18, 2015 at Huskie Stadium. Mays finished the game with 15 stops. 

STUCK IN THE MIDDLE WITH PUGH: After missing the final nine games of the 2017 season, Kyle Pugh returned to the starting line-up in 2018. He is second on the team in tackles with 90 after amassing a team-high nine tackles against Western Michigan and is tied for the team lead with two fumble recoveries. Pugh also recorded his first career solo sack versus Toledo and has four tackles for loss and at least eight tackles, while leading or tying for the team lead in tackles, in the last four games.

ON THE OFFENSE

MILLENIAL: With his 139 rushing yards against Toledo, Tre Harbison became the 41st Huskie to rush for 1,000 yards in his career. The redshirt sophomore has 1,244 career yards after gaining 43 yards on 16 carries at Western Michigan, which moves him past Akeem Daniels (2010-14) for 33rd on NIU's all-time list. Harbison is 50 yards from reaching 1,000 for the season and would become the first Huskie since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 to reach that mark. 

KEEPING UP WITH THE JONESES: With 527 yards on 91 carries this season, tailback Marcus Jones is 14 yards from 1,000 career rushing yards. Jones has tallied 986 yards on 182 carries during his three-year career at NIU.

HUNDRED FOR HARBISON: NIU tailback Tre Harbison has recorded five 100-yard games this season, including a stretch of three in a row from Nov. 1-14. Harbison became the first Huskie to record three straight 100-yard games since Heisman Finalist Jordan Lynch posted four straight in 2013. He is the first Huskie since Joel Bouagnon in 2015 to amass five 100-yard games in a season. Harbison tallied a career-high 169 yards on 23 carries and a touchdown in the 36-26 victory at Akron (Nov. 1) and is averaging 5.4 yards per carry this season. He ranks third in the league in rushing, averaging 79.2 yards a game.

COUNTER TRE: The Huskies are 4-1 when Tre Harbison rushes for 100 yards or more in a game. In NIU's seven wins, Harbison has averaged 99.0 yards on 17.4 carries. Conversely, in the Huskies' five losses, Harbison is averaging 51.4 yards a game and 11 carries. 

RUNNING TO WINS: NIU has won 10 of its last 11 games when rushing for 200 yards or more in a game. The Huskies have rushed for 200 yards or more in six games in 2018, including a season-high 296 yards in their victories over Toledo and Akron. NIU's only loss during that stretch was a 13-7 decision to Miami when the Huskies ran for 212 yards. 

PLAYING THE 45: NIU is 33-3 in the Rod Carey era when rushing the ball 45 times or more in a game. The Huskies are 4-0 this season when running the ball 45 times or more and are averaging 241.5 yards in those games. NIU is 19-1 in its last 20 such games, with the lone loss coming last season at San Diego State (Sept. 30) when NIU ran 45 times for 155 yards in a 34-28 setback to the Aztecs.

QUITE THE COMPARISON: The NIU offense is averaging 15.2 points more a game in conference play than in its non-conference contests. The Huskies have almost tripled their rushing average in MAC play, with 225.9 yards a game compared to 78.2 in its four non-conference games. On the season, NIU is averaging 176.7 rushing yards a game.
 

	MAC Games	Non-Conference Games	All Games
Games	8	4	12
Points/Game	25.0	9.8	19.9
Points/Game Allowed	19.8	23.2	20.9
Rushing Yards/Game	225.9	78.2	176.7
Rushing Yds/Game Allowed	99.1	122.8	107.0
Total Offense/Game	369.0	216.0	318.0
Total Offense/Game Allowed	333.1	370.0	344.0

ALL MY CHILDERS: Quarterback Marcus Childers currently ranks sixth on NIU's all-time list for career passing yards per game, averaging 140.4 yards. Childers' 343 career completions rank eighth all-time at NIU and trail Phil Horvath, who ranks seventh with 397. Childers has also completed 57.8 percent of his passes for his career, which ranks seventh, behind Dan Nicholson, who completed 59.2 percent of his passes. His career average of 25.0 pass attempts a game over the last two seasons is No. 1 on NIU's all-time list.

TOUCHDOWNS TO SHARE: Quarterback Marcus Childers has thrown touchdown passes to six different players in 2018. Childers connected with Ty Harmston in overtime at Eastern Michigan, completed TDs to Jauan Wesley and D.J. Brown at Florida State and threw a season-best three TD passes versus Central Michigan, hitting receivers Spencer Tears (14 yards), Dennis Robinson (seven yards) and Brown (two yards). He has thrown a pair of TD passes to Corey Lersch - at Akron and versus Miami.  Childers has thrown for 3,370 yards in 24 games (20 starts) over the last two seasons. 

TWO FOR 100: Tre Harbison (139) and Marcus Jones (103) became the first Huskie duo to rush for 100 yards in the same game since Oct. 1, 2016, when the two rushed for 139 and 103 yards, respectively, in NIU's win over Toledo. Joel Bouagnon (153) and Anthony Maddie (160) accomplished the feat at Ball State. It is the 26th time NIU has had two 100-yard rushers in the same game. 

ALLS WESLEY THAT ENDS WELL: Huskie wide receiver Jauan Wesley leads the Huskies in receiving yards (543), yards per catch (11.6) and yards per game (46.2). He has more than doubled his receiving yards from last season, and passed his 2017 reception total of 10 against Utah in the second game of the year.

WORKING ON THE LINE: The Huskies have employed seven different starting offensive line combinations this season, led by Academic All-American tackle Max Scharping who has started a team-leading 51 consecutive games, every game of his NIU career. Center Luke Shively has started all 12 games at center this season, and has made 37 starts for his career. JC transfer Christopher Perez has made 10 starts at left guard, while Nathan Veloz and Braden Patton have split time at right guard with Veloz starting seven games and Patton starting five. Patton has also made two starts at left guard. Jordan Steckler (8), Ryan Roberts (2) and Isaac Hawn (2) have each started at right tackle this year.

TACKLING A TWO-POINT CONVERSION: NIU converted its first two-point conversion attempt since Oct. 1, 2011 when left tackle Max Scharping took a lateral pass into the end zone to give NIU a 24-21 lead over Ohio. Scharping's score came in his 46th start and marked the first time the offensive tackle has handled the football in his college career.

SPECIAL FORCES

PINNING THEM DEEP: Sophomore punter Matt Ference has placed 29 of his 79 punts inside the 20-yard line and has 13 punts of 50 yards or more on the season. Ference landed three of his nine punts at BYU inside the 10-yard line, including one that landed at the one foot-line, to eventually earn MAC West Specialist of the Week honors. He outdueled Ray Guy Award winner Matt Wishnowsky of Utah, averaging 46.0 yards on eight punts, and pinned Utah inside the 20 yard-line four times. 

ON THE RIGHT FOOT: Punter Matt Ference's 40.7 yards per punt career average ranks second on NIU's all-time list for punting average, while his 6,600 punting yards ranks eighth all-time behind Jim Gilbert's 6,874 punting yards. Ference's 162 career punts ranks ninth all-time, five punts shy of Jimmy Erwin for eighth place. 

NINE IS FINE: Ference booted a season-high nine punts for 421 yards, also a career best, for an average of 46.8 yards in NIU's victory at BYU, the second-highest single game punting average of his career. His career best came in the 2018 season opener at Iowa when he averaged 47.2 yards on six punts for 283 yards. He ranks seventh in the MAC and 63rd in the country with a 41.2 yard average.

SUTTON SPECIAL: Sutton Smith recorded his second career punt block in NIU's victory over Toledo and returned it 27 yards for a touchdown to turn a 10-9 NIU lead into a 17-9 halftime margin. Smith's first career punt block occurred in the Huskies' win over Central Michigan (Sept. 15) in the third game of the season.

BLOCK PARTY: With Sutton Smith's punt block in the second quarter against Toledo, NIU special teams have blocked five kicks this season and 11 in the last two years. It was Smith's second punt block this season and the third for NIU this year. Smith blocked a punt against CMU (Sept. 15), while Jauan Wesley recorded a block in the season opener at Iowa. Ben LeRoy blocked an extra point attempt in the win at Akron, which was returned for two points by Jalen McKie, while Jack Heflin had a blocked field goal versus Utah.

Jauan Wesley, Punt vs. Iowa
Jack Heflin, Field Goal vs. Utah
Sutton Smith, Punt vs. Central Michigan
Ben LeRoy, PAT vs. Akron
Sutton Smith, Punt vs. Toledo

AHEAD OF PACE: With five blocked kicks this season, the Huskies are one way from their total of last season. NIU blocked six kicks, two field goals and four punts, in 2017. NIU ranks second in the nation in blocked kicks and blocked punts.

ALL ABOUT THE TEAM

ABOVE THE AVERAGE: Eighty-six players have suited up and taken the field for the Huskies this season, the most since 2014 when 78 players saw action in a contest. Since 2013, NIU has played an average of 77.3 players a season.

ALL-AMERICA ATTENTION: In addition to being named to numerous preseason watch lists, NIU left tackle Max Scharping and defensive end Sutton Smith garnered multiple preseason All-America honors. Last season, Smith became NIU's first consensus All-American since LeShon Johnson in 1993.
Sutton Smith, DE -    USA Today (2nd Team), Athlon (2nd),  The Athletic (2nd), The Sporting News (2nd), Phil Steele (4th)
Max Scharping, OT -    USA Today (2nd), Athlon (4th) 

DEGREES IN HAND: Seven players on the NIU roster are college graduates. Five have earned their degrees from NIU, while two came to DeKalb as graduate transfers. 
Andrew Gantz (K)  - Sport Administration, Univ. of Cincinnati
Ryan Graham (QB) - Leadership and Management, NIU
Ty Harmston (TE) - Biology, NIU
Max Scharping (LT) - Kinesiology, NIU
Luke Shively (C) - Chemistry-Biochemistry, NIU
Albert Smalls (CB) - Kinesiology, NIU
Jaden Huff (LB) - Finance, St. Cloud State