Football | October 14

DeKALB, Ill. – The Northern Illinois University football team plays its second Mountain West game of the season this weekend, traveling to Wyoming on Saturday, Oct. 17 for a 2:30 p.m. CT kickoff. Saturday's game will be broadcast on The CW with Jack McMullen, Cody Kessler and Marshall Newhouse calling the game.

Andy Garcia, Mark Lindo and Terry Bonadona will be on the air for the radio call 30 minutes prior to kickoff in Laramie on 94.9 WDKB.

NIU and Wyoming have played two previous times, 2016 and 2021, with the Cowboys winning each contest by one score. Both games in the series have included high scoring outcomes with a combined point total of 167. The 2016 matchup in Laramie needed triple overtime to determine a winner while the return match in DeKalb saw the Huskies erase a 26-point second half deficit.

NIU (0-5, 0-1 MW) hits the road for the fourth time in its first six games. The Huskies rank fifth in the Mountain West and 37th in the FBS in passing yards allowed at 185.2 per game.

Running back Telly Johnson Jr. (Augusta, Ga. / Hephzibah) recorded his second straight game with a rushing touchdown last weekend against Air Force. The junior has scored a touchdown in three of the last four games and has rushed for 300 yards on 65 carries this season. Wide receiver DeAree Rogers (Lexington, S.C. / Lenoir-Rhyne) followed up his 100-yard performance against Georgia State by going for 81 yards on seven catches against the Falcons.

Three Huskies posted 10 tackles last week in linebackers Brady Kerperin (Jefferson City, Mo./Blair Oaks), Jack Murray (Brookfield, Wis./Brookfield East) and Jashawn Nelson (Fort Wayne, Ind./Wayne). Saturday night was Kerperin's second straight game with 10 stops and also added a sack. Murray has total 36 tackles this season, tied for a team-high alongside safety Kyon Conyers (Millville, N.J. / Long Island University).

Wyoming (3-3, 2-1 MW) has won two of the last three, all Mountain West contests, including a 16-13 overtime win at San José State last week. The Cowboys rushing attack is guided running backs Samuel Harris and Markell Holman, who average a combined 107.7 rushing yards a game. Tight end Jake Wilson, who had seven catches last week, is the team's leading receiver with 197 yards on 19 receptions.

Wyoming's defense is allowing 20.5 points per game and 362.2 yards through six games this season. Linebacker Ethan Stuhlsatz is the team's leading tackler at 8.4 per game, fourth in the MW, and defensive end Esaia Bogar is tied for the second most sacks in the conference with 3.5.

NIU returns home next weekend to host Hawai'i on Hall of Fame Weekend, a 2:30 p.m. CT kick on MW+. Fans can sign up for MW+ to catch games, replays and extra content using the following link.