Illinois survives upset bid by N. Illinois, 28-22

CHAMPAIGN - Athletic directors need to get on the phone and schedule Illinois and Northern Illinois to play more frequently.

Between the pregame woofing and the game-long intensity and the verdict that wasn't determined until the final seconds, all 50,569 at Memorial Stadium got their fill in the teams' first meeting since 2001.

How good did it get?

Northern Illinois defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys declared it "one of the funnest games he's ever coached in," yet Illinois walked off with the 28-22 nonconference triumph Saturday afternoon.

The Illini (2-1) led throughout the second half but didn't clinch the victory until Jarred Fayson recovered an onside kick with 18 seconds to go.

"That game probably turned out exactly how we told our players it was going to turn out," Illinois coach Ron Zook said. "I'm proud of our football team because when we had to do it, we did it.

"I'm not so sure we would've won that game a year ago."

Illinois moved over .500 for the first time since November 2008 because the Huskies couldn't stop the host's ground game - especially with the game on the line.

With five minutes to go and the Illini clinging to a 21-19 lead, Zook elected not to punt on fourth-and-1 from his team's 46-yard line.

Running back Mikel Leshoure (24 carries, 180 yards) plunged over right guard for the necessary yard, then eventually capped the drive with a 29-yard scamper that gave the Illini a 9-point bulge with 1:43 to go.

Illinois finished with 319 yards and 3 touchdowns on the ground.

"I just felt like it was important that we get the first down, and I felt like we would," Zook said. "When our football team had to do it, they did it.

"That's the thing good teams do. I'm not standing up here saying that we're a good team - we've got a long, long way to go. But I think we're making progress."

And, yet, so did Northern Illinois.

The Huskies (1-2) answered with a 48-yard field goal by 2010 Illinois graduate Michael Cklamovski with 19 seconds left.

Then, with some buddies on the Illini sideline heckling him, Cklamovski tried an onside kick that Fayson covered up after one bounce.

The Illini and the Huskies shared earnest congratulations in the middle of the field at game's end, which was in direct contrast to its beginning.

After Illinois ran on the turf, most of the players stayed in the middle of the field to prevent NIU's cheerleaders and players from running to their sideline. Both sides exchanged gestures and yells as officials kept the teams a safe distance apart.

"I think it was an in-state thing," said Leshoure, who was busy riding the exercise bike during the kerfuffle. "They just wanted to prove that they could be the best team in Illinois. I guess it's a rivalry for them. It played out exactly how everybody thought it would be."

Illinois hit NIU with a touchdown on its first possession as quarterback Nathan Scheelhaase's perfect fakes to Leshoure gave him acres of running room.

Scheelhaase (115 yards) vaulted in from 9 yards out for a 7-0 lead with 11:11 left in the first quarter.

But eight minutes later the Huskies owned a 12-7 lead as they engineered back-to-back touchdown drives based on big plays.

Chandler Harnish's 37-yard quarterback draw - with fullback Kyle Skarb sealing the key block downfield - gave NIU the lead with 3:55 left in the first.

So much for Illinois' plan to have one inside defender and one outside defender spying on Harnish. He finished with 11 carries for 117 yards.

"When one of them doesn't do it right, then that's the nature of the quarterback run game," said Illinois defensive coordinator Vic Koenning.

Illinois made adjustments and controlled the middle quarters. Two short Derek Dimke field goals and a Jason Ford 8-yard run put Illinois up 21-12 with 7:07 left.

That's when Harnish broke free for a 47-yard draw to set up Jazmin Hopkins' halfback option pass to an uncovered Landon Cox in the end zone to cut the margin to 21-19.

The Huskies never got closer, though they hopped on their chartered buses knowing how close they came to the school's first win over Illinois.

"I think we may have started a little rivalry," Harnish said, "which is what we need."