August 29, 2002

FINAL SCORE: NORTHERN ILLINOIS 42, WAKE FOREST 41 (OVERTIME)

DeKALB, IL---What a scintillating way to open the 2002 college football season. It was the Northern Illinois University remake of the 1950s movie classic “The Wild One.” The school’s first overtime game. A fans’ delight with a combined 83 points and 871 yards total offense. The Huskies’ initial triumph over a Bowl Championship Series program since 1990. A reel full of highlights for ESPN and the entire country. Whew.

To make things even more exciting Thursday night (August 29) at Huskie Stadium, the hosts came from behind for the sixth time in its last seven wins and finally caught Atlantic Coast Conference representative Wake Forest University at the end of regulation before posting a 42-41 OT thriller before 19,653 spectators and a regional TV audience.

“Let me catch my breath,” said Huskie head man Joe Novak in the post-game. “That was a great, great victory. That was a great football game. I have a lot of respect for (Wake Forest) Jim Grobe . The call (two-point conversion) at the end took a lot of courage. I don’t know if I have the nerve to do that. That’s (Wake Forest) a good football team and that’s what makes it a great win for NIU.”

Northern Illinois---which won its second straight home opener---again made some big plays when it counted. The Huskies blocked a 48-yard Demon Deacon field goal attempt with 3:35 left in regulation and then drove 35 yards in eight plays to set up the game-tying 46-yard field goal by junior placekicker Steve Azar as time expired in regulation.

Azar booted a clutch field goal---a 51-yarder that tied the school distance record set by Vince Scott in 1983---as the first half ended.
“Steve Azar,” Novak said. “The thing about Steve, he has ice water in his veins.” Added Huskie teammate and tailback Thomas Hammock: “Steve has this demeanor. He’s just so cool.” Grobe agreed about the Northern Illinois Lou Groza Collegiate Placekicker Award candidate: “The one (field goal) at halftime was a great kick. The one at the end of the game was special. We thought we could pressure him.”

With the game tied at 35-all, Wake Forest then won the OT coin toss and opted to play on defense. NIU scored on its first possession in four plays with Hammock going around left end for a seven-yard TD. Azar converted on the PAT kick for a 42-35 lead. WFU responded with a score of its own in four plays---the fourth TD of the game by fullback Ovie Mughelle on a one-yard run. Grobe opted for the win and a two-point attempt. Back-up free safety Devron Francis---subbing for the injured Lionel Hickenbottom---made the game saving tackle on Wake Forest runner Cornellius Birgs to preserve the win, the school’s first against an ACC representative.

“Our kids kept responding---losing Lionel (right knee injury) early in the game, my heart fell into my stomach,” Novak added in the post-game press conference. “Devron Francis did a great job. Oh, you (turning to Francis), you made that play (tackle on two-point PAT)? Let me give you a hug. You get one tomorrow.”

The heroes for Northern Illinois were many. For example, Hammock responded with a game-high 172 yards vs. Wake Forest---the 12th 100-yard outing of his career (and the ninth time the Huskies have won in those games).

“We came into the game thinking we had to stop the run,” WFU’s Grobe admitted. “We knew that Thomas Hammock was a great player. We did not do a very good job of defending the run.”

Soph quarterback Josh Haldi made his first start for Northern Illinois and completed 13-of-25 passes for 192 yards and two TD throws—a 30-yarder to tight end Matt Dunker and---a 44-yarder to wide receiver Dan Sheldon.

“I had no idea what he was going to do,” Novak said. “The kid is a great kid, a 3.95 grade point in engineering. He was calmer today than he was in two-a-days. He made a lot of plays today.”

Junior back-up tailback Michael “The Burner” Turner got the Huskies out of the early doldrums and a 14-0 first period deficit with an exciting 93-yard kickoff return TD. The play represented the fifth-longest KO return in Northern Illinois history and tied the eighth longest scoring play in the Huskie Record Book.

Novak’s staff and senior punter Jimmy Erwin produced a trick play that kept a touchdown march going during the second half comeback. In a fourth down-and-four-yards-to-go punting situation on the NIU 35 yard line, Erwin completed a 22-yard pass to Rob Lee for a key first down. Two plays later, Haldi connected with Sheldon on the 44-yard TD strike.

“We saw that on film,” Novak explained. “Some times you see things on film. (Assistant coach) Mike Sabock thought we could do that. Momentum was slipping away. Bless (Jimmy) Erwin and Rob Lee, they executed it.”

For Northern Illinois, which has had some near-misses with “major” opponents such as Illinois, Vanderbilt, Auburn, Northwestern, etc., in recent years, the WFU victory put the Huskies in the same league with Mid-American Conference brethren such as Toledo, Marshall, Miami (OH), Bowling Green State who seem to upset BCS types on a regular basis.

“It’s about time we held up our end,” Novak---a Miami (OH) grad---admitted. “It’s time the Huskies jumped on the bandwagon. If you followed us last year, we came from behind five times. These kids believe.”

Afterwards, Haldi also demonstrated a maturity beyond his sophomore year status. “As a program, we finally can say we beat a BCS team,” he said, “it’s a feather in our hat. It’s only big if you do well the rest of the season.”

Northern Illinois, now 1-0, jets down to South Florida next Saturday (September 7) for a 7:05 p.m. (EDT) kickoff in Raymond James Stadium. USF opened its 2002 schedule with a 51-10 success over Florida Atlantic Thursday night.

(For further information, please contact Mike Korcek) -30-