By Woodrow Carroll
First-year Northern Illinois University head football coach Thomas Hammock’s season did not go as planned. A Northern Illinois University product, Hammock saw the defending MAC champion Huskies falter badly at times, especially, when so much was expected.
Last week’s 45-17 loss at home to Eastern Michigan ended any hope of a bowl bid for the Northern Illinois, 4-7 and 3-4, and consigned Northern Illinois to a losing season. A home game with Western Michigan Tuesday closed the Huskies’ book for this season.
One bright spot for the Huskies this season has been the play of redshirt junior, Tre Harbison. Against Eastern Michigan, Harbison ran for 112 yards, which allowed him to surpass 1,000 yards rushing this season. A transfer from Virginia, Harbison put together back-to-back 1,000-yard seasons at Northern Illinois.
It’s hard to believe Northern Illinois failed to do better this season. The MAC lacks in quality teams. Opportunity abounded for the Huskies to step up. It didn’t happen! Not once this season did a MAC team receive a vote in any of the polls.
A MAC team did not knock off a recognized name in the college football. Consider if you will, the fact that six Big Ten teams, Ohio State, Penn State, Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Iowa, enter the last weekend with eight or more victories. Western Michigan, Central Michigan, and Miami (Ohio) with seven victories lead the MAC.
One thing that ended Northern Illinois’ chances of a successful season was the Huskies’ failure to master West Division rivals Ball State and Eastern Michigan.
Northern Illinois had a 10-game winning streak against Ball State which ended October 5 when the Cardinals beat the Huskies, 27-20, in DeKalb. Last week’s Eastern Michigan victory over Northern Illinois ended an 11-game losing streak for the Eagles at the hands of Northern Illinois.
• Illinois would be lucky to win three games was in the mind’s of many early observers. Illinois has secured bowl-eligibility.
When Northwestern, 2-9 and 0-8, plays at Illinois, 6-5 and 4-4, at 11 a.m. Saturday it will be Northwestern in the role of spoiler. For the Wildcats, a Northwestern victory could sooth the anguish of a season that went down in flames early. Northwestern won the Big Ten West Division championship last season.
As a member of a Power 5 conference, Illinois has been penciled into a bowl game by those who follow the scene. A victory over Northwestern could add to the Illini’s attractiveness.
• Minnesota, with Kaneland High School and Northern Illinois product, P.J. Fleck, as held coach, has locked up a share of the Big Ten West championship.
A Minnesota victory over visiting Wisconsin, at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, would send Minnesota to the Big Ten championship game, December 7, in Indianapolis. The winner of the Minnesota-Wisconsin showdown Saturday will play Ohio State for all of the Conference marbles.