Eastern Michigan at Northern Illinois

Posted November 24, 2011 11:00 pm

Eastern Michigan (6-5, 4-3) at Northern Illinois (8-3, 6-1)

When: 10 a.m. at Huskie Stadium

TV: ESPNU

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

Series: NIU leads 25-14-2, and won 71-3 last season.

Coaches: Dave Doeren (7-3, first year at NIU); Ron English (8-27, third year at EMU).

Players to watch: QB Alex Gillett is EMU’s top rusher, while RB Dominique Sherrer is averaging 105.8 yards per game but has played in just five contests. Junior Andrew Sorgatz (Wheaton North) has started every game at center. … Senior RB Jasmin Hopkins needs 159 more yards to give NIU two 1,000-yard rushers this season. QB Chandler Harnish already has reached that plateau with 1,203 yards.

The skinny: This could be the clincher for the Huskies. A victory sends NIU to the MAC title game for the second straight year and also would set a school record with 15 straight home wins. Ohio would be the championship game opponent next Friday at Ford Field in Detroit. With 6 wins in the books, Eastern Michigan already has produced its best season since 1995. The Eagles rank third in the MAC in rushing offense, behind Temple and NIU.

Fast fact: Northern Illinois won the last three meetings against EMU by a combined score of 158-9.

— Mike McGraw

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