College Sports

33rd Independence Bowl

Posted December 27, 2008 10:00 pm

Northern Illinois (6-6) vs. Louisiana Tech (7-5)

When: 7:15 p.m. at Independence Stadium in Shreveport, La.

TV: ESPN

Radio: WSCR 670-AM

Series: Louisiana Tech leads 5-1.

Sagarin says: NIU by 6.

Coaches: Jerry Kill (6-6 at NIU; 110-63 in 15th year overall), Derek Dooley (12-12 in two years at La. Tech).

Players to watch: Larry English, Northern Illinois' all-time leader in sacks (31.5) and tackles for loss (62), heads a list of 21 seniors playing their final game for the Huskies. Look for as many as 10 other seniors, including Schaumburg nose tackle Alex Krutsch, to be in the starting lineup. Redshirt freshman QB Chandler Harnish set a school record for total offense (1,840 yards), but he wants to erase his interception-heavy finish. For the year, he's 98 of 171 for 1,342 yards, 7 TDs and 7 INTs. He also owns 478 rushing yards.

Louisiana Tech features a multi-purpose threat in sophomore WR Phillip Livas, who ranks fifth in the nation in punt returns (16.6 ypr), leads the Bulldogs in receptions (39) and carries the ball a fistful of times per game. Junior Daniel Porter anchors a good running game with 1,086 yards and 8 TDs this year. Soph QB Ross Jenkins took the job at midseason and hit 54 percent of his throws for 1,011 yards, 7 TDs and just 3 INTs.

The skinny: Shreveport might not be many people's idea of heaven, but Jerry Kill thinks it's an ideal place for his Huskies to wrap up his first season in DeKalb. "To me, it's a good reward for the grinding the kids did for the year," Kill said. The Bulldogs and Huskies are both trying to use this game as a springboard to speed up their rebuilding programs. For NIU to earn its first bowl win since 2004, Kill believes the Huskies need to neutralize Tech's speed advantage. The Bulldogs' quickness mostly manifests itself in a strong running game (No. 25 nationally) and terrific rush defense (No. 11 nationally). Louisiana Tech has been dreadful against the pass, though, so look for Harnish to hook up with Matt Simon, Nate Palmer and Co., early and often.

- Lindsey Willhite

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