STARKVILLE, Miss. - The Northern Illinois University football team trailed the Mississippi State Bulldogs 14-10 at the half on Saturday at Davis Wade Stadium, but the hosts outscored NIU 24-0 in the second half to pull away for a 38-10 victory.

"Obviously its not the result we wanted, but I'm proud of our players," said head coach Thomas Hammock following the game. "I thought we stayed in the fight as long as we could. We played a good first half and got worn a little bit in the second half. Their style of play can do that and we were not able to stay on the field offensively."

The Huskies were outgained 452-267 in the game with Mississippi State rushing for 292 yards. Josh Holst (Marengo, Ill./Marengo) threw for a season-high 135 yards on 14-for-23 passing. DeAree Rogers (Lexington, S.C./Lenoir-Rhyne) caught six passes for 84 yards and his first NIU touchdown. Defensively Quinn Urwiler (Mooseheart, Ill./North Dakota) led all players with a career-high 14 tackles. Jasper Beeler (Farmington, Mich./Saginaw Valley State) added 10 tackles including a half-sack.

NIU (1-2) took the ball to start the game and scored on the opening drive. The Huskies drove 63-yards on 10 plays, highlighted by a 32-yard run by Telly Johnson Jr. (Augusta, Ga./Hephzibah) to get the Huskies into Mississippi State territory. NIU's drive stalled at the Bulldogs' 12 yardline, where Andrew Glass (Wheeling, W. Va./Kent State) made a 30-yard field goal to give NIU a 3-0 lead.

Mississippi State (4-0) drove 75 yards on its opening drive to go up 7-3 on a 10-yard end around by Brenen Thompson. The Bulldogs had to convert a 4th and one at the NIU 40 to keep its drive alive. NIU converted with its best field position early in the second quarter. The Huskies got the ball on a short Mississippi State punt at the Bulldogs' 27 yardline. Two plays later, Holst found Rogers in the end zone for a 21-yard touchdown pass to give NIU a 10-7 lead with 14:53 to go until halftime. Mississippi State answered with an eight-play drive capped by a one-yard touchdown pass from Blake Shapen to tight end Seydu Traore to go up 14-10 at the 11:31 mark, a lead the hosts took into halftime.

The Bulldogs extended their lead on the first drive of the second half. Mississippi State drove 75 yards in six plays, including a 45-yard pass from Shapen to Jordan Mosely, to score on a one-yard touchdown run by Davon Booth to go up 21-10 with 12:55 to go in the third. The Huskies were able to drive the football down to the Bulldogs 20 yardline on their next possession. On 3rd and 11, Holst threw a pass to the end zone that was intercepted by Isaac Smith. Mississippi State turned that turnover into three points on a Kyle Ferrie 48-yard field goal to go up 24-10. The Bulldogs tacked on two touchdowns in the fourth quarter.

"We know we can play better and we have to continue to work to get better as we move forward," Hammock said.

Shapen threw for 160 yards and a touchdown and added 51 rushing yards. Fluff Bothwell rushed for 101 yards on 17 carries. The Mississippi State defense held NIU to 1-for-9 on third down while the NIU defense held the Bulldogs to 5-for-13.

NIU returns home for the final non-conference game of the regular season against San Diego State on Saturday, Sept. 27 at 2:30 p.m. at Huskie Stadium. Tickets for all remaining NIU home football games are on sale now. Purchase tickets for the 2025 NIU Football season anytime online at NIUHuskies.com/tickets. For more information, call the NIU Ticket Office at 815-753-PACK (7225) weekdays between 9 a.m.-5 p.m. or email huskiestickets@niu.edu.

—NIU—