:quality(70)/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/shawmedia/4QPN4RFE2NB2ZBUEFT27E4RMBQ.JPG)
KALAMAZOO, Mich. – After two close losses, the NIU football team opened weeknight conference play with a 42-28 win against Western Michigan on Wednesday.
The Huskies had a pair of big special teams plays and three interceptions to improve to 5-4 on the year and 2-3 in Mid-American Conference play after close losses to Toledo and Ball State.
NIU is a win away from becoming bowl-eligible. Here are five key takeaways from the game.
Thompson’s kickoff return sparks NIU run in second half
Jaden Nixon had a huge game for the Broncos that included a 61-yard kickoff return to start the second half, giving Western Michigan a short field that led to an eventual touchdown to tie the game at 21-21.
But Cam Thompson put together a return of his own, going 91 yards to paydirt to put the Huskies back ahead. It was the first kickoff return for a touchdown by NIU since Trayvon Rudolph did it in 2021 against Bowling Green.
That sparked something for the Huskies. On the second play of the ensuing drive, Jaden Dolphin came up with an interception and NIU took over on the Western Michigan 35. NIU punched it into the end zone on a 2-yard run by Gavin Williams, building the lead to 35-21.
NIU interceptions help power, seal win
The Huskies entered Wednesday with three total interceptions in 2024.
They got three Wednesday.
Santana Banner, Dolphin and Nate Valcarcel had the three picks. Valcarcel’s came late and helped turn the game into a blowout.
Western Michigan was down 35-21 but driving. The Broncos had actually gotten down to the NIU 1 but an ineligible man downfield penalty backed the play all the way up to the NIU 25.
Two plays later, Valcarcel jumped the pass by Hayden Wolff and returned it 24 yards out to the NIU 29. Then the NIU ground game continued to gash the Broncos with a 25-yard run by Williams and a 26-yard scoring run by Telly Johnson, his second of the game, as the Huskies pushed the lead to 42-21.
Brown leaves the game after early big run, fumble
The NIU offense struggled early and trailed 7-0 when the Huskies finally started getting some yards. Ethan Hampton hit Rudolph for 28 yards as they looked to tie the score. Antario Brown followed with a 49-yard run, but he fumbled at the end of it.
Not only that, he was down on the field with an apparent leg injury and had to be helped off the field.
Brown did not return.
Special-teams interception sparks NIU offense
The Broncos were up 7-0 and the Huskies struggled to get going on offense. But near the end of the first quarter the Broncos went with a fake punt on fourth-and-6 from the NIU 42. The throw was intercepted by Banner and returned 29 yards, plus he got an extra 15 because of a late hit.
NIU scored touchdowns on its next three and final drives of the first half.
The Huskies started at the Broncos’ 31 and scored on a 6-yard run by Johnson, the first of the freshman’s career – he had played in his first game last time out against Ball State. He finished with over 100 yards.
After another stop by the defense, the Huskies started at their own 14 but put together an eight-play, 86-yard scoring drive to take the lead, 14-7. Hampton had a deep 31-yard pass to Grayson Barnes, then found another tight end, Tristen Tewes, for a 7-yard score.
After the Broncos tied the score at 14, the Huskies put together a two-minute drive, covering 60 yards in 1:45. Hampton found Williams on a screen, and he put a move on the defender to get into the end zone for a 21-14 halftime lead for the Huskies.
Broncos strike first
The contest started with three consecutive three-and-outs. And the Broncos’ second drive started in a similar fashion with Nixon being hammered by Jashon Prophete for a loss.
Nixon would have more success on his next carry.
The junior found a huge hole in the middle and took off for a 66-yard run, untouched after he burst through the line, for a 7-0 lead with 9:18 left in the first.