MOUNT PLEASANT, Mich. – The Northern Illinois University Huskies staged a furious second half comeback on a snowy Halloween night at Central Michigan, cutting a 26-point lead to six, before CMU's Nahree Biggins' interception allowed the Chippewas to hold on and defeat NIU, 37-31 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium.
 
The loss snapped NIU's three-game winning streak as the Huskies fell to 4-5 overall, 3-2 in the Mid-American Conference. Central Michigan improved to 5-4, 3-2 MAC.
 
"We gave the game away in the first half, and that's unfortunate," said NIU head coach Thomas Hammock. "It's disappointing that we dug ourselves a hole that ended up being too deep. We had opportunities, we had chances. In the second half we tried to come fighting back; in the end, we hurt ourselves. We missed too many tackles. We had too many penalties, dropped passes and lost the turnover battle. It's important that we recoup, we lick our wounds, and we get back to playing the style of football we need to play."
 
NIU trailed 37-11 with 6:32 to play in the third quarter after Central Michigan quarterback Jase Bauer scored on a one-yard run, capping a seven-play, 47-yard drive. The score was the last of the game for the Chippewas, who led 24-3 at halftime. NIU took the second half kickoff and cut into the lead in just three plays on Antario Brown's 61-yard touchdown run. Rocky Lombardi's two-point conversion pass to Grayson Barnes made it 24-11 just three plays into the second half.
 
CMU came right back to extend the lead to 30-11 on a Sam Hicks 16-yard touchdown run to finish a six-play, 70-yard drive. Following Bauer's touchdown at 6:32 for his second rushing score of the game, NIU responded in just three plays when Lombardi found Trayvon Rudolph on a wide receiver screen pass. The junior evaded two tacklers and outran everyone to the end zone for a 72-yard score. The two-point conversion attempt was no good as the Huskies closed the gap to 37-17 at 5:56 of the third quarter.
 
Central Michigan's Tristan Mattson missed a 35-yard field goal on the Chippewas' next possession as the Huskie defense, which gave up a season-high 331 rushing yards on the night, tightened.  Taking over on its 20, NIU used just four plays to reach the end zone again. Lombardi again found Rudolph, who finished the game with a season high 172 yards on eight catches, for 46 yards to the CMU 34. Brown picked up eight yards and a CMU penalty put NIU on the 22-yard line. Barnes caught the next Lombardi pass and tight-roped into the end zone. With 13:53 to play, NIU trailed by 13, 37-24.
 
NIU's defense forced Central Michigan into four consecutive three-and-out possessions and following the second CMU punt of the quarter, the Huskies made it a six-point game. From its 26-yard line, the running of Brown, who gained 167 yards on 22 carries and the passing of Lombardi, who completed 20-of-35 passes for a season best 298 yards and three touchdowns, led the way on a 10-play, 74-yard drive. Lombardi connected with Chris Carter for a pair of completions and hit Rudolph for 18 yards before finishing the drive with a six-yard touchdown pass to Dane Pardridge for the redshirt freshman's first career score. With Woodill's PAT, NIU closed the gap to 37-31 with 3:27 on the clock.
 
After CMU's next punt, the Huskies started a potential game-winning drive with 1:43 to play. Completions to Gavin Williams (10 yards) and Rudolph (6) put NIU on its 41-yard line. Two plays later, Lombardi's pass across the middle was picked off by Biggins. It was the first interception thrown by Lombardi in 142 passes and the first by a MAC opponent in 2023.  
 
The first half, and especially the second quarter, was a house of horrors for the Huskies. Central Michigan outscored NIU 17-0 in the second period to build a 24-3 halftime lead. The Chippewas racked up 272 yards of offense on 32 plays, including 191 on the ground, while holding NIU to 0-of-6 on third downs in the half.  After Mattson extended the lead to 10-3 less than a minute into the period with a 35-yard field goal to complete a seven-play, 41-yard drive, CMU made it 17-3 one possession later with Marion Lukes weaving through the NIU defense for a 46-yard rushing score.
 
NIU fumbled the snap on a fourth and one attempt from its 44 on the Huskies' next possession and CMU took just three plays to extend its lead to 24-3, Bauer hitting Mitchel Collier for 20 yards with 6:32 left in the half.
 
CMU opened the game by taking the opening drive and marching 68 yards in seven plays and 2:32, with Bauer scoring from nine yards out for a 7-0 Chippewa lead after the PAT.
 
NIU drove from its 16 to the CMU 31 before its opening drive stalled and Woodill's 48-yard field goal attempt fell short. The Huskie defense forced the Chippewas to punt on their ensuing possession; NIU then drove from its 20 to the CMU 24. Woodill put the Huskies on the board with a 40-yard field goal with 1:52 left in the quarter.
 
NIU returns to Huskie Stadium next Tuesday, November 7 to take on Ball State in the Battle for the Bronze Stalk. Kickoff will be at 6 pm (CT) and the game will air on CBS Sports Network.  Tickets for NIU's final two home games are on sale anytime at NIUHuskies.com/myhuskies with prices starting at $18 for East Side general admission and $23 for West Side reserved.
 
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