NIU goes for MAC title with win over Ball State
Northern Illinois (8-2, 6-0) at Ball State (4-7, 3-4)
When: 11 a.m. Saturday at Scheumann Stadium
Net TV: www.mac-sports.com; Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Series: Ball State leads 20-15-2
Coaches: Jerry Kill (21-15, third year at NIU; 125-72 in 17th year overall); Stan Parrish (6-17, second year at Ball State, 63-59-3 overall)
NIU players to watch: For NIU, which ranks 29th in both major polls, RB Chad Spann and QB Chandler Harnish continue to be the leaders for MAC Player of the Year. Spann leads the league in rushing (1,070 yards) and scoring (15 TDs) while Harnish leads the league in passing efficiency (149.45 rating) while ranking third in rushing (708 yards). Junior center Scott Wedige leads a continually improving offensive line while defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys' insistence on consistent platooning means no Huskie averages more than 6.3 tackles per game. DE Sean Progar (3.5 sacks) might be the defense's best player at this juncture.
Ball State players to watch: Remember MiQuale Lewis? The Ball State water bug who rushed for 1,736 yards and 22 TDs during the Cardinals' magical 2008 season? He's finally wrapping up his career and owns 3,748 career yards with 31 TDs. Junior FS Sean Baker picked off 2 passes last week at Buffalo to become the school's all-time leader with 16 interceptions. True freshman QB Keith Wenning has hit 54 percent of his passes for 1,349 yards, 14 TDs and 14 INTs.
The skinny: Northern Illinois clinches the MAC West title (and a spot in the MAC title game on Dec. 3 in Detroit) with a win. Moreover, the Huskies would have their first eight-game winning streak since 1965, when the program had yet to join the “major-college” level. And if that's not enough, the winner of this rivalry wins “The Bronze Stalk.” Ball State might not look like much more than a speed bump, but check the recent results. The Cardinals are riding a two-game winning streak and can feel free to let it all hang out in their final game of the year. That's why Jerry Kill continues to tell his guys they won't be able to coast to the finish line. The numbers say Ball State's defense doesn't fare well against the run or the pass, but
He said it: Jerry Kill on finishing strong: “As I told our kids, ‘I don't know how you can let down when you're playing for so much.' I get a lot of e-mails that've said, ‘Coach, you've had a great season so far.' And, really, that's the truth. We've had a good season. So far. And now we have to close out. I think the good teams close out.”