Three things that could help NIU snap its losing skid, vs. Tulsa
DeKALB - For the second week in a row, the Northern Illinois University football team struggled on offense, scored only 11 points and lost despite a solid defensive effort.
Now at 1-2 after beating Boston College in Chestnut Hill to start the year, the Huskies will look to snap the skid Saturday against Tulsa (1-2). The Huskies have lost six straight at home and haven't beaten an FBS team in Huskie Stadium since a 30-29 win against Ball State on Nov. 10, 2021.
Kickoff is at 11 a.m. Saturday. Here are three things to watch.
1. Offense needs a turnaround: There's not one part of the NIU offense that has played well. Antario Brown has carried the ball 46 times for 130 yards. Rocky Lombardi has completed half his pass attempts for 535 yards, one touchdown and four interceptions. Kacper Rutkiewicz has 13 catches for 192 yards, but no other wide receiver has more than five.
Trayvon Rudolph, who was injured all of last season after setting an NIU and Mid-American Conference single-game receiving record with 309 yards against Kent State in 2021, was targeted once in a 35-11 loss to Nebraska last week and has five catches for 34 yards this year. The offensive line has allowed seven sacks in the past two games after allowing 12 all of last year.
"We have talent," coach Thomas Hammock said. "We are not talent deprived. There have been years here where we haven't had this talent. Now we have to perform up to the level of the talent, and we haven't done that yet."
2. Defense looking to maintain its high level: With a significant deficit in time of possession against Nebraska, NIU allowed the Huskers to score touchdowns on their final three drives to make the final score 35-11.
"I thought for three quarters they hung in there and withstood the challenge," Hammock said. "They went toe to toe with a very physical offensive line, very physical tight ends, a quarterback that can obviously run the ball at a physical level. But we didn't help them out offensively. We could have kept them off the field for seven or eight minutes at least if we just make one or two more plays. Our defense should have tremendous confidence."
The Huskies still are top 50 in the country in total defense and 13th in passing yards allowed at 156.7 per game.
Safety Jashon Prophete said it's a pride point for the Huskies that they've turned around the defense from last year, when it was not even in the top 100 in most main categories.
"We take pride in being a good defense," Prophete said. "We take pride in being able to keep our offense in games, to keep our team in games. ... This year we're trying to be the best defense we can and keep us in as tight of football games as we can."
3. Who's at QB for Tulsa? In three games, three different Golden Hurricanes have played under center. Starter Braylon Braxton was hurt in Week 1 against Arkansas-Pine Bluff. He attempted four passes and was intercepted twice.
Cardell Williams started Week 2 in a loss at Washington, and Roman Fuller was the Week 3 starter against Oklahoma, both blowout losses. Hammock said he expects Williams to start unless Braxton is healthy, but all three QBs have been interception-prone this year. Williams and Fuller have been picked off three times apiece.
"Our coaches do a great job of giving us all kind of looks so we can prepare for all three quarterbacks," NIU cornerback JaVaughn Byrd said. "So I feel very well prepared, and we'll be very well acclimated to whichever quarterback is going to play."
Prediction: Tulsa 27, NIU 17