College Sports

College football preview: Northern Illinois at Buffalo

Posted October 21, 2011 12:00 am

By Mike McGraw

mmcgraw@dailyherald.com

Northern Illinois (4-3, 2-1) at Buffalo (2-5, 1-2)

When: 11 a.m. Saturday at UB Stadium

TV: Channel 50

Radio: WSCR 670-AM, WLBK 1360-AM.

Series: NIU leads 6-1, and won 45-14 last season.

Coaches: Dave Doeren (4-3, first year at NIU); Jeff Quinn (4-15, second year at UB).

Players to watch: Buffalo sophomore RB Branden Oliver ranks second in the MAC with 105 rushing yards per game. Sophomore LB Khalil Mack leads the league in tackles for loss with 12. ... NIU QB Chandler Harnish piled up 229 rushing yards and 203 passing yards last week.

The skinny: Northern Illinois already slipped up on the road against Central Michigan in the MAC opener, and the Huskies can’t afford to let it happen again. After pounding Western Michigan 51-22 last week, NIU controls its own destiny in the MAC West, but this is the first of three straight road games, with Toledo and Bowling Green to follow. Buffalo is coming off a 34-0 loss at Temple last week.

Fast fact: Buffalo coach Jeff Quinn grew up in Downers Grove and is a member of the Elmhurst College Athletic Hall of Fame, having starred as both a heavyweight wrestler and offensive lineman.

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