By Woodrow Carroll
In a game Northern Illinois University needed to win prior to the stretch of eight consecutive Mid-America Conference (MAC) games, the Huskies prevailed, 41-14, against the visiting Maine University Black Bears. Maine made it interesting for a while Saturday, Sept. 25.
Northern Illinois, 2-2, and Maine, 1-3, were tied 14-all late in the second quarter then the Huskies asserted themselves. Northern Illinois led, 21-14, at halftime and dominated the rest of the game.
The Huskies will play host to Eastern Michigan at 1:30 p.m. Saturday in the MAC season opener. In recent seasons, Northern Illinois had been a football force in the MAC which makes last season’s 0-6 COVID-shortened campaign painful.
Northern Illinois and Eastern Michigan, 3-1 overall, are in the MAC’s West Division. The MAC West may be the stronger of the MAC’s two divisions. Northern Illinois will have its work cut out. The eight Northern Illinois MAC foes are 16-16 combined.
One of the keys to the Northern Illinois victory was the play of Huskies’ quarterback Rocky Lombardi who accounted for 401 yards passing and rushing combined. Two rushing touchdowns by Lombardi in the fourth quarter erased all doubt on the outcome. Lombardi earned MAC West Offensive Player of the Week honors.
Four non-conference games this season for Northern Illinois found the Huskies upsetting Georgia Tech, losing a tough one to Wyoming, being mauled by Michigan and then taking the measure of Maine.
• Take that P.J. Fleck! Former Kaneland High School and Northern Illinois University receiver star and MAC Coach of the Year at Western Michigan University prior to taking the University of Minnesota job, was on the wrong end of Bowling Green’s 14-10 upset victory Saturday, Sept. 25.
Minnesota, 2-2, was a 31-point favorite to beat MAC member Bowling Green. The Falcons turned in the upset of the day.
• Those fans of field goals found a real treat September 25-26. The NFL led the way with a spate of long game-winning kicks, including a 66-yard kick by Justin Tucker of Baltimore to set the record which had stood since 2013 set by Matt Prater of Denver of 64 yards.
University of Illinois’ three field goals were leading Purdue’s two field goals late Saturday. Then, with 6:15 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Purdue scored the game’s lone touchdown for Purdue’s 13-9 victory.
The Fighting Illini will be host at 11 a.m. to Charlotte Saturday, Oct. 2 in their final non-conference game this season. The Charlotte (North Carolina) 49ers, 3-1, are members of Conference-USA.
There is a bit of pressure on the Illini to beat Charlotte. The Big Ten is 30-9 against non-conference opposition and only Illinois has lost more than one game to non-conference foes.