DeKALB, Illinois – The Northern Illinois University Huskies' 2022 season came to a close at Huskie Stadium Saturday with NIU falling to the Akron Zips, 44-12. The Huskies finish the season 3-9 overall, 2-6 in the MAC. Akron improved to 2-9, 1-6 in the league with a game remaining next week at Buffalo.
 
NIU got four field goals from kicker John Richardson to account for all of the Huskies' points on the day. Richardson hit from 22 and 32 yards in the first quarter, made a 34-yard field goal in the third quarter and added a 24-yard three to close out the scoring in the final period.  
 
Akron scored 20 points in the second quarter to build a 20-6 halftime lead. They extended the lead to 27-6 with 10:45 to play in the third quarter on a 61-yard pass from quarterback Jeff Undercuffler to Alex Adams. Undercuffler finished the game 21-of-32 passing for 312 yards and three touchdowns, two to Adams, who also scored on a four-yard reception in the second quarter.
 
NIU struggled to run the football with its top two running backs reportedly out, although Harrison Waylee came back to play in the game after freshman starter Jaiden Credle went down. NIU finished the game with 89 rushing yards on 38 carries.
 
"I take full responsibility for the way we played," said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. "It wasn't good enough. We didn't execute, we didn't play with urgency. We didn't play with energy and that's on me. That's unfortunate. We couldn't do anything on offense, couldn't run the ball, couldn't throw it. Then with our team struggling on offense, we couldn't get any pressure, they ran the ball, they kept us off balance."
 
The game was the finale for 13 NIU seniors who were honored prior to the game. Sixth-year senior wide receiver Cole Tucker, who played through an injury, became just the eighth NIU player to record 2,000 career receiving yards with four catches for 33 yards Saturday. Tucker finished his 52-game career with 2,030 yards on 155 catches. He is tied for seventh all-time at NIU in catches.
 
Akron built a 17-6 lead on a Smigel 33-yard field goal, a 15-yard pass from quarterback Jeff Undercuffler to Daniel George and a four-yard Undercuffler to Alex Adams completion.
 
The Zips sealed the win early in the fourth quarter with a 76-yard interception return by Tyson Durant with 13:07 to play to take a 41-9 lead. The return came one play after NIU converted a fourth and nine play with a 25-yard completion from starting quarterback Nevan Cremascoli to Fabian McCray.
 
Cremascoli finished the game 14-of-30 for 144 yards.  McCray led NIU with 52 receiving yards on four catches. JaVaugn Byrd led the Huskies with 10 tackles.
 
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