No. 23 NIU improves to 8-0 with 59-20 win
DE KALB — Jordan Lynch threw four touchdown passes and caught another as No. 23 Northern Illinois reached its best start as a major program with a 59-20 victory over Eastern Michigan on Saturday.
The Huskies (8-0, 4-0 Mid-American Conference) never trailed on the way to a season-high in points and second-highest total offense (658 yards).
The Eagles (1-7, 0-4) lost their seventh straight.
Lynch, the nation’s No. 7 rusher entering Saturday, also ran for a touchdown while rushing 18 times for 99 yards. He was 16-of-20 passing for 223 yards while tying a career high with four TD passes in less than three quarters.
Tommylee Lewis had eight catches for 107 yards and a touchdown. Da’Ron Brown caught three passes for 28 yards and two scores.
Eastern Michigan’s Bronson Hill rushed 17 times for a team-high 66 yards while Brogan Roback was 7-of-17 passing for 109 yards.
The start is the best since Northern Illinois reached major college status in 1969. While a College Division team the Huskies went 10-0 in 1963 and started 9-0 in 1965.
It was the Huskies’ 24th straight home win, the nation’s longest active streak, and extended their conference record 21-game MAC winning streak.
The Huskies had 229 net yards and scored three times in the opening quarter on the way to a 21-3 lead.
Northern Illinois marched 82 yards in 13 plays in its opening drive, taking a 7-0 lead after Lynch’s 5-yard touchdown pass to Brown.
On their second drive, the Huskies moved 80 yards in three plays with a 10-yard TD pass to freshman Joel Bouagnon for a 14-0 lead. Lynch made it 21-0 on a 30-yard touchdown run.
Eastern Michigan then saw a promising drive stall inside the Northern Illinois 10 and settled for a 25-yard field goal by Dylan Mulder.
Lynch made it 28-3 with a 17-yard touchdown reception from Lewis. Then, with 2:08 left in the half, Lynch fired a 16-yard touchdown strike to Juwa Brescacin as the Huskies opened a 35-3 lead. Matt Sims’ 28-yard field goal just before halftime made it 38-3.
Eastern Michigan’s opening drive of the second half reached the Northern Illinois 15 but ended with a 38-yard field goal by Mulder.
Brown’s second touchdown pass — a 28-yard play with Lynch — made it 45-6.
The Eagles finally got into the end zone with 6:33 left in the third when Tyler Benz hit Tyreese Russell on a 9-yard touchdown pass that made it 45-13.
Redshirt freshman Matt Williams caught his first career touchdown pass, a 36-yard pass play from backup quarterback Matt McIntosh, as Northern Illinois opened a 52-13 lead.
Reserve quarterback Matt Hare’s 11-yard touchdown pass to Ricky Connors made it 59-13 early in the fourth. Eastern Michigan’s Ryan Brumfield closed the scoring a 5-yard touchdown run with 4:11 to play.
Before the game Northern Illinois officially opened a new $9.5 million indoor facility. The multi-purpose Chessick Practice Center features a full-size 120-yard practice field and amenities for other sports.
Bothteams wore No. 2 decals on their helmets and observed a moment of silence before the game in memory of Eastern Michigan junior Demarius Reed, a Chicago native killed in a Oct. 18 shooting in Ypsilanti, Mich.