NIU's been there, wants another title

Northern Illinois wasn't in good shape at halftime of last week's 31-21 win over Western Michigan.

The Huskies trailed 21-10 at the break - and a fifth straight Mid-American West title was in jeopardy.

But NIU did what it has done so often throughout a strong stretch run - the Huskies stood their ground and earned another victory and another division championship.

That earned the Huskies a berth in tonight's MAC championship game against Bowling Green at Ford Field in Detroit (6 p.m. ESPN2).

After the game, Western Michigan coach P.J. Fleck, a former NIU player and coach, summed it up this way:

"They know how to win," Fleck said. "They know how to win, and that's a program that I remember when I first got there, we were on a 27-game losing streak and at one point when Joe Novak left they were 2-10 and needed to get back into winning ways and learn how to win again,

"Jerry Kill instilled that and obviously Dave Doeren and Rod (Carey) have done a tremendous job of keeping that going. But they know how to win. There's not one doubt that goes through their minds throughout the entire game that they're not going to win."

Throughout the last five seasons - which include two conference titles, two bowl wins and a BCS bowl berth - the Huskies looked down and out on numerous occasions.

In 2011, there were comeback wins over Ball State at Huskie Stadium and against Ohio in the MAC championship, NIU's first league crown since 1983. The 2012 campaign featured the thrilling overtime win in Detroit over Kent State, which vaulted NIU into the Orange Bowl.

In 2013, there was the last-minute win at Iowa to open the season, and another game at Huskie Stadium in which NIU trailed Ball State at the half in DeKalb.

"We never flinch," said NIU senior safety Dechane Durante. "That's one thing that's big in this program. You look at success we've had in years past, we get down in games, it's our nature,

"We don't look to lose. (Until) the last second's off the clock, we think we're going to win. That's how we played the last game. That's what what we do every game."

For seniors like Durante, the thought process has been that way from Day 1. When Kill left and Dave Doeren came in, nothing changed. Players say the transition from Doeren to Rod Carey was also seamless.

"I was blessed to be on a winning team (in 2010)," Durante said. "The next season we were still winning. "It's just been a nature for our team. We don't like to lose games."

NIU won at least 11 games in every season from 2010-13, and a victory Friday will give NIU win No. 11 in 2014. A win over Bowling Green, which upset the Huskies in last year's title game and cost NIU a BCS berth, would give the senior class its third MAC championship.

It all started with Kill. Fourteen of NIU's 16 fifth-year seniors were recruited by the current Minnesota head coach - with the exception of tight end Tim Semisch and defensive tackle Donovan Gordon, who transferred in from Nebraska-Omaha.

"The group has been through a lot and they're bonding, and you can see that on how they go about things day to day," Carey said. "As much as they feel they owe this university for giving them an opportunity, which is a lot, I think that myself and our staff owe them an equal amount for what they're sacrificing and what they've done."

But first the Huskies will have to prove they can handle the speed of the Falcons under head coach Dino Babers, who brought his high-paced offensive scheme with him this season from Eastern Illinois. Falcons tailbacks Travis Greene (803 rushing yards) and Fred Coppet (653 rushing yards) both average 5.7 yards per carry. If the Huskies can slow them down, they will have a good chance to pick up another MAC championship trophy.