NIU goes for record vs. Fresno State at Humanitarian Bowl
Humanitarian Bowl: Northern Illinois (10-3) vs. Fresno State (8-4)
When: 4:30 p.m. Saturday at Bronco Stadium in Boise, Idaho
TV: ESPN; Radio: WSCR 670-AM
Series: Tied 2-2. First meeting since 1991.
Coaches: Tom Matukewicz (first game); Pat Hill (108-68, 14th year at Fresno State)
NIU players to watch: It's the last hurrah for 21 seniors, as well as several coaches headed to Minnesota to join Jerry Kill and coordinators Tracy Claeys and Matt Limegrover. Mid-American Conference MVP Chad Spann (1,293 yards, 20 TDs) heads the list that includes 10 starters as well as the kicker, punter and long snapper. QB Chandler Harnish (2,230 passing yards, 764 rushing yards, 25 total TDs), LT Trevor Olson, C Scott Wedige and DE Sean Progar also earned first-team all-MAC honors.
FS players to watch: RB Robbie Rouse (1,097 yards, 8 TDs) plans to play with a cast on his left wrist. The Bulldogs didn't need him to defeat Illinois. Sixth-year QB Ryan Colburn threw for 2,529 yards and 21 TDs and looked good against everybody except Boise State. Senior DL Chris Carter (11 sacks) and junior DL Logan Harrell (10.5 sacks) rank among the nation's top 10 passrushers.
The skinny: NIU has lots of motivation to claim its school-record 11th win of the year. The Huskies still are smarting from losing the MAC title game and their coach in a 48-hour span. Because exams delayed their first bowl practice until Dec. 10, there hasn't been time to change what has worked all year. The Huskies enter the game with the nation's No. 7 run game (264.8 ypg) and No. 13 scoring offense (37.9 ppg). Interim offensive coordinator Rob Reeves, who has coached running backs for the last three years, calls the plays and will test Fresno's average rush defense (154.8 ypg; 22 TDs allowed). Interim defensive coordinator Jay Sawvel will bring extra heat on a Fresno State line that surrendered 2.5 sacks per game this year.
He said it: Interim NIU head coach Tom Matukewicz on his agenda for this game: “Our three goals up in Fresno are to win, have fun and you're not going to have fun unless you win. So winning's important, we're going to have fun, and then we're going to celebrate one of the best seasons this university has ever had.”
Stat to know: In losing bowl games three of the last four years, the Huskies managed a total of 1 offensive touchdown and 20 points overall.
Sagarin says: NIU by 5.5 points.