To Akron -- and Beyond!

NIU played a substandard game against a lousy Akron team last week to win. A win is a win, but games like that are not going to get NIU past Ohio or Central Michigan - or into a bowl game.

It's shaping up to be a tough battle for the not-quite-best. Central Michigan has already locked in a bowl, with a 7-2 record, and got just a few votes short of being listed in the top 25 before last weeks loss to Boston College. NIU is second in the MAC West behind CMU, helped a lot by Western Michigan's loss to Kent State last week. NIU is now 3-1 in the MAC West. However, Ohio and Kent State are both 4-1 behind Temple in the MAC East. WMU's loss to KSU puts them at 3-3 in the MAC West, and probably out of the running. But that leaves NIU, Kent State, and Ohio to vie for bowl game scraps, assuming Temple and CMU are lock-ins.

Fortunately for NIU, they play Eastern Michigan tomorrow, which should be an easy win (if they lose, however, the rest of the season is, for all intents and purposes, tanked). If they win on Thursday, they go to 4-1 in the MAC, and 6-3 overall. Assuming Ball State continues to suck as bad as EMU, the Huskies should go into the last two weeks, against Ohio and CMU, with a 5-1 conference record, and a 7-3 record overall. Frankly, I don't see NIU being consistent or strong enough to knock off CMU (if so, it would be as awesome as the Purdue game), but they seem pretty evenly matched against Ohio. That one's a toss-up.

As for their opponents and bowl slots: Western Michigan - for some ungodly reason, scheduled a game against Michigan State this week. An easily predicted loss there will drop them to 4-6 overall and should end any remote post-season chance for them. Both Kent State and Ohio still have to play Temple in coming weeks, which could affect the MAC East title.

It's going to be an interesting November. Five MAC teams - NIU, CMU, KSU, Ohio, and Temple - will have winning records, and all five will probably have seven wins (CMU should have 9 wins before facing NIU on the 27th). Five winning teams, but there aren't gong to be five bowl slots (Somebody is goin' to get screwed).

From last week's Tribune:

NIU rally overcomes upset-minded Akron 27-10
Chad Spann's 2 4th-quarter touchdowns lift the Huskies

By Fred Mitchell, Tribune reporter

November 1, 2009


DEKALB -- Northern Illinois saved its best for last Saturday, overcoming a four-point fourth-quarter deficit to dispatch upset-minded Akron 27-10 at Huskie Stadium as Chadd Spann rushed for two touchdowns and Nathan Palmer added another in the final period.

NIU (5-3, 3-1 MAC) prevailed with redshirt sophomore DeMarcus Grady starting at quarterback in place of injured starter Chandler Harnish. On a day when gusting winds were swirling at 30 mph, Grady passed for 62 yards and ran for 109.

"I just tried to play my game and not think so much," Grady said of his second straight start. "I took what the defense gave me."

The Huskies enjoyed an advantage in the kicking game that resulted in good field position. Mike Salerno averaged 52.7 yards on three punts with rugby-style kicks, and two of them landed inside the 20. Josh Wilber later punted twice for a 43.5-yard average.

Akron (1-7, 0-4) entered the contest with 13 scholarship players out with injuries. Freshman quarterback Patrick Nicely completed 11 of 27 passes for 124 yards and was sacked three times.

The Zips started the season with three-year starter Chris Jacquemain at quarterback, but coach J.C. Brookhart dismissed him from the team before the Sept. 19 Indiana game for breaking team rules. His successor was sophomore Matt Rodgers, who was lost for the season with a knee injury suffered in the Oct. 10 loss to Ohio University.

Salerno put NIU on the board on its second possession, converting a 22-yard field goal after an eight-play, 46-yard drive. With 2 minutes, 50 seconds left until halftime, Salerno added a 37-yarder.

The Zips scored on their opening drive of the second half when Branko Rogovic connected on a 34-yard field goal.

Akron used a little razzle-dazzle to take the lead with 5:25 left in the third period. Senior Alex Allen threw an 80-yard halfback pass to wide receiver Andre Jones, who was wide open for an easy score.

"The halfback pass was huge, a real shift in momentum," Brookhart said. "It really felt at that point we were in pretty good shape."

Spann regained the lead for NIU with a determined 28-yard run with 13:35 left in the game. Spann appeared to be wrapped up by Akron defenders before breaking loose.

"Chad stepped up and made a heck of a run," coach Jerry Kill said. "I don't praise kids enough sometimes. That, to me, was the play that got us going. It was a tremendous run."

Spann added his MAC-leading 14th touchdown of the year on a 2-yard run with 7:59 left to put NIU on top 20-10.

Palmer scored on an end around from 7 yards out with 46 seconds left.