DeKALB, Ill. – Eastern Michigan used a 24-point third quarter to break open a 14-7 game and went on to defeat the Northern Illinois University Huskies, 45-17, Tuesday night at Huskie Stadium.
 
EMU quarterback Mike Glass completed 20-of-24 passes for 235 yards and three touchdowns while Shaq Vann ran for 101 yards as the Eagles earned their first win over NIU since 2007.
 
"Give credit to Eastern Michigan," said NIU Head Coach Thomas Hammock. "They played a great football game. They attacked some of our weaknesses and did a good job. Our kids battled and didn't quit. At this stage in the season we're trying to make sure we go out the right way against Western Michigan next week."
 
Tailback Tre Harbison led the Huskie offense with 112 rushing yards on 30 carries as he surpassed the 1,000-yard mark for the second consecutive season, becoming the first NIU tailback to go over 1,000 rushing yards in back-to-back seasons since Chad Spann in 2009-10. Harbison has 1,021 yards on 230 carries on the season.
 
The Huskies fell to 4-7 with the loss, 3-4 in the Mid-American Conference, while EMU improved to 6-5, 3-4.
 
Quarterback Marcus Childers, starting his second game of the season in place of Ross Bowers, rushed for 92 yards on 13 carries. He completed 12-of-26 passes for 99 yards, and threw a career-high three interceptions.
 
Leading 14-7, Eastern Michigan scored on each of its first three possessions of the third quarter to build a 31-10 advantage.  Glass led the Eagles on a nine-play, 75-yard drive to open the quarter with Vann scoring from eight yards out for the first score.
 
After the Huskies responded with a 34-yard field goal by John Richardson to narrow the margin to 21-10, EMU took just two plays to go 75 yards for a 28-10 lead.  Vann escaped for 24 yards and a Huskie penalty moved the ball to the NIU 36-yard line.  From there, Glass completed his second 36-yard TD pass of the game, this time to Line Latu for a 28-10 advantage.
 
A pair of turnovers led to EMU's next 10 points. Childers fumbled while getting sacked and EMU recovered at the NIU 38-yard line. Five plays later, kicker Chad Ryland converted from 27 yards out. Then, one play after the Eagles' Brody Hoying returned an interception 48 yards to the NIU 22, Glass hit Jackson for a 22-yard touchdown and a 38-10 EMU lead.
 
"We're not going to make excuses," Hammock said. "Our guys went out there and battled and did the best they could do. We're not going to take the easy way out. Eastern Michigan beat us and beat us soundly. We'll learn from it and grow from it and it's up to me to continue to find ways to help improve our team."
 
Eastern Michigan led 7-0 after one quarter and 14-7 at the half.  The Eagles scored on their first possession of the game, driving 62 yards in eight plays and 4:16 with Glass scoring from one yard out.
 
EMU doubled its lead on its first drive of the second quarter with a seven-play, 86-yard drive. Glass hit Arthur Jackson with a 36-yard completion for the score after the defensive back fell down on the play. 
 
The Huskies responded with a 10-play, 65-yard drive to cut the lead in half with 6:35 to play in the half.  Harbison picked up 35 yards on the ground on the drive and Childers completed three passes before taking it in from eight yards out for the score.
 
The Huskies play host to Western Michigan in the 2019 regular season finale on Tuesday, November 26 at 6 p.m. (CT).  The game will be televised on ESPNU.  Tickets for the senior day game are on sale now at NIUHuskies.com.
 
-- NIU --