Buffalo 23, NIU 20: 5 takeaways from the Huskies’ MAC-opening loss

DeKALB – NIU didn’t trail until the fourth quarter Saturday against Buffalo, used a frantic drive at the end of regulation to tie the game and then lost in overtime 23-20.

The loss came in front of an announced crowd of 18,688 in the No. 23 Huskies’ first game since winning 16-14 at Notre Dame two weeks ago.

Here are five takeaways from the game.

NIU offense fizzles in overtime

NIU went on offense first to start overtime, and Kanon Woodill’s 42-yard field goal was blocked by Marquis Cooper after the Huskies couldn’t gain any yards.

Buffalo ran the ball three times in their half of the overtime, setting Upton Bellenfant up for a 37-yard attempt which he made, giving the Bulls the win.

Roller coaster final 3:30 results in regulation

The Huskies appeared to have some momentum after Nevaeh Sanders picked up one of his three sacks, setting the NIU offense up at the 50.

Ethan Hampton found Grayson Barnes for 14 on first down, but on third down in the same set of downs Hampton was intercepted by Shaun Dulac, who took the ball 50 yards to the Buffalo 27. The defense backed the Bulls up three yards, but Upton Bellenfant still nailed a 42-yard field goal to give Buffalo its first lead of the game with 3:29 left at 20-17.

With less than a minute left on fourth-and-3 from the Buffalo 30, Hampton found Andrew McElroy for six yards to keep the drive alive and get the Huskies into field goal range, then a pass interference on another throw to McElroy got the ball down to the 10 with 0:39 left. On fourth down, Woodill’s 27-yard field goal attempt went through the uprights to tie the game with 0:26 remaining.

Pardridge’s heroics on third down still can’t get NIU a touchdown

Up 14-10 late in the third quarter, the Huskies mounted a drive kept alive twice by third-and-long receptions by Dane Pardridge.

On third-and-7 from the Buffalo 49, Hampton found Pardridge between the hashes for a 24-yard gain. On the next series, the Huskies faced third-and-11 from the Buffalo 26 but Pardridge came up with a 13-yard gain.

The Huskies faced a third straight third and long as the drive stretched into the fourth quarter, but Hampton’s pass to Barnes in the end zone was short. Woodill kicked a field goal, pushing the NIU lead to 17-10 with 14:51 left in the game.

Huskies strike first

After three three-and-outs to start the game, NIU started moving the ball, although the drive seemed destined to be another three-and-out.

The Huskies held on first down and faced third-and-11. Hampton scrambled and got a career-best 13 yards for the first. They faced a third-and-7 on the next series when Hampton found Cam Thompson for 21 yards down to the Buffalo 30. Antario Brown fumbled on second down and Buffalo recovered, but the call was overturned.

So on third-and-11 Brown rushed for 7, setting Hampton up to find Thompson for 10 on fourth-and-3. Facing another third down needing two yards from the Buffalo 5, Brown got around the right side for the score. That put NIU ahead 7-0 with 5:17 left in the first after it used 13 plays to go 66 yards in 6:36.

Brown added a touchdown later in the half to put the Huskies up 14-3. The touchdowns were his first two rushing scores of the year.

NIU stifles Buffalo in the first half

The Bulls managed just one first down in the first half, coming on the drive in which they scored a field goal to cut the NIU lead to 7-3. Their other five drives all lasted three plays, one ending in a fumbled caused by Sanders on a strip-sack and recovered by Davonte O’Malley.

NIU couldn’t do anything on the drive starting around midfield, but a punt pinned the Bulls at their own 2. They followed a backward run with two no-gains, forcing another punt that set the Huskies up at the Buffalo 36 with 2:11 left in the half.

After the Huskies pushed the lead to 14-3, Buffalo took over with 1:53 left and went three-and-out again even after picking up nine yards on first down. Jaden Dolphin got a tackle for a loss on a screen pass, then Sanders got a sack to give the Huskies a chance to score again, but time ran out as the Huskies reached the Buffalo 40.

Buffalo ran 16 times for 17 yards in the first half and had 71 total yards.