DEKALB, Ill. – A second-half rally by the Vanderbilt Commodores led the visitors to a 38-28 victory of the Northern Illinois University football team Saturday afternoon at Huskie Stadium.
 
"We didn't play well enough to win the game and that's 100 percent on me," said head coach Thomas Hammock. "We have to find a way to make plays. Our players played hard. We have to figure out a way to come back and respond."
 
The two teams traded touchdowns to start the game, with NIU tying the game at 14-14 late in the second quarter. With the Huskies driving into Vanderbilt territory, Rocky Lombardi (Clive, Iowa/Valley/Michigan State) ran for eight yards to the Commodores 15-yard line but was injured on the play. Ethan Hampton came into the game and led the Huskies to the end zone, throwing a four-yard touchdown pass to Kacper Rutkiewicz (Mount Prospect, Ill./Hersey/Illinois State) for the tying score at the 5:32 mark. The Huskie defense forced a three-and-out on Vanderbilt's next possession and had the ball at their own 19 with 3:49 left until halftime.
 
Led by strong running from Harrison Waylee (Johnston, Iowa/Urbandale) and three straight completions by Hampton, NIU got to midfield in three minutes. On second down and three from the NIU 49 running back Antario Brown (Savannah, Ga./Beach) got loose for a 51-yard touchdown, the longest of his career, to give NIU a 21-14 lead with 0:37 to go until the break.
 
The Huskies were able to extend their lead on the first possession of the second half. From its own 25, NIU took just three plays to find the end zone again. Hampton connected with Cole Tucker (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb), who caught a two yard pass and weaved his way across and down the field, accompanied by several of his fellow receivers, for a 70-yard touchdown. The play put NIU up 28-14 with 13:37 left in the third quarter.
 
Vanderbilt drove into Huskie territory on its first drive of the half, but the NIU defense came up with its fifth turnover of the season. Commodores quarterback AJ Swann completed a pass to Jayden McGowan to the 26-yard line, where Jordan Gandy (DeKalb, Ill./DeKalb/South Dakota State) knocked the ball free from McGowan and C.J. Brown (Canton, Mich./Walled Lake Western) recovered the fumble to give NIU the ball at its own 23 after a penalty negated a long return.
 
The Commodores got back within seven points late in the third quarter. On fourth-and-four from the NIU 21-yard line, Swann connected with running back Ray Davis for a 21-yard touchdown pass to make the score 28-21 with 6:44 to go in the quarter. Vanderbilt's defense forced a turnover on downs on NIU's next drive, stopping Waylee behind the line of scrimmage on fourth-and-1 from the Huskies' 34.
 
Swann needed just one play to tie the game, connecting with Will Sheppard for a 31-yard touchdown pass that put the score at 28-28 with 4:31 left in the third. Vanderbilt took the lead for the first time since the 14:12 mark of the second quarter on its next drive after forcing an NIU punt. The Commodores drove 70 yards in six plays as Sheppard caught a 13-yard touchdown from Swann that gave the visitors a 35-28 lead with just over a minute to go in the quarter.
 
Needing a touchdown to tie the game, NIU went for it on fourth down and three from its own 35 early in the fourth quarter. Hampton completed a pass to Tristen Tewes (Pleasant Plains, Ill./Pleasant Plains) who was tackled one yard shy of the first down by Vanderbilt's Tyson Russell. The Commodores tacked on a field goal to take a 38-28 lead with 12:21 remaining in the game. The Huskies drove down to Vanderbilt's 27 with under five minutes to go, but the Commodores' De'Rickey Wright intercepted a heavily-pressured Hampton to seal the game.  
 
"We have to play cleaner football," Hammock said. "We're not executing plays we practice all week in critical situations. We have to find ways to stay ahead of the sticks on offense and be more consistent in the run game."
 
Hampton finished the game with 124 passing yards and two touchdowns, completing 12-of-19 pass attempts. Antario Brown led NIU with 60 rushing yards and a touchdown. Tucker had four catches for 88 yards while Shemar Thornton (Miami, Fla./Hallandale/FIU) led the Huskies with five receptions on the day for 37 yards. C.J. Brown led all players with 13 tackles and added a pass breakup. Kyle Pugh (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Township) had a season-high 12 tackles.
 
NIU (1-2) goes on the road next week, Sept. 24, to face #9 Kentucky (3-1). The game is set for 6 p.m. CT and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The Huskies next home game is Saturday, October 8 when NIU will celebrate its 115^th Homecoming versus Toledo.
 
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