Harnish hoofs it to spark Huskies

DEKALB - With the Bears Garrett Wolfe back at Huskie Stadium on Saturday, you'd think the presence of the former NIU great might inspire a running back to a career day.

Instead, quarterback Chandler Harnish accomplished something nobody had done in nearly 20 years.

Harnish made up for an off day passing the ball with a spectacular effort running it. The freshman became the first Huskies quarterback since 1990 to rush for 100 yards, directing Northern's ball-control offense to a 16-13 win over Bowling Green in front of 17,163.

Mike Salerno provided the game-winner, a 30-yard field goal with 11 seconds left after Landon Cox blocked a punt to give the Huskies a short field.

The win kept the Huskies (5-3, 4-1) in the thick of the MAC Western Division race, with 5 wins in six games heading into a nationally televised game Nov. 5 at No. 20 Ball State (8-0, 4-0).

"Let's just say I'm sore," Harnish said. "It felt good to run the ball. I wish the pass worked a little more, but I was obviously off."

Harnish ran for 113 yards on 19 carries. Time after time he maneuvered for a first down, often on a third-down play, igniting two long drives in the second half that put the Huskies in control.

Trailing 6-3 at halftime after Harnish threw the first 2 interceptions of his career, Huskies coach Jerry Kill called Harnish's number again and again. The Huskies started the second half with a 17-play drive, passing just once, and followed with a 16-play march.

The drives ate a combined 18:11 off the clock and produced 10 points. Me'co Brown added 95 rushing yards and a key third-down pass reception that he turned into a first down by eluding three would-be tacklers.

"Those drives really set the tone for the second half," Harnish said. "We had 4 or 5 yards before I had to make a cut."

Bowling Green (3-5, 1-3) only had the ball for 6:58 in the second half and ran 26 fewer plays than the Huskies, who kept the chains moving by converting 10 of 16 third downs and their only fourth-down chance.

"Watching film I felt we had to run the ball to win," Kill said. "We challenged the offensive line and they came through."

So did Cox, who came off the end to get his hand on the punt with five minutes remaining. His block came after another stop by Northern's defense, with a sack by Craig Rusch, a pass breakup from Josh Allen and a shoestring tackle by Jake Coffman.

"We always talk about making plays, Cox said. "I just wanted to make a play for our team."

It was Northern's second blocked punt of the day, something that Kill appears to have brought with him from Southern Illinois - where his teams blocked 22 kicks in seven years. And it also looks like Kill has brought his winning ways.

"When we came here we said we are going to be good on special teams," Kill said. "It was a good group effort, and that's how we're going to win."