NIU searches for Mallory cup, first win against Miami (Ohio) since 2015

DeKALB – The Northern Illinois football team heads to Oxford, Ohio, on Tuesday to take on the Miami RedHawks, one of three Mid-American Conference teams entering the week with a 5-1 conference record.

The teams have four common opponents. Miami (6-4, 5-1 MAC) beat Ball State 27-21, while the Huskies (6-4, 3-3) lost 25-23 to the Cardinals. Both teams lost to Toledo – Miami fell 30-20 to the Rockets, while NIU lost 13-6. NIU beat UMass 34-20, while Miami won 23-20 in overtime. Miami lost 28-3 at Notre Dame, while NIU was a 16-14 winner in South Bend, Indiana.

The teams will play for the Mallory Cup, named for the late Bill Mallory, who coached at both schools. Kickoff is at 7 p.m. on ESPN.

Here are some things to know about the game.

Huskies looking for first Mallory Cup win

Since the teams started playing for the Mallory Cup in 2018, the Huskies are 0-3. Miami was a 29-23 winner in DeKalb in 2022 the last time the teams played.

“I haven’t seen or held the Mallory Cup, so that’s going to be a big thing for the team,” defensive lineman Ray Thomas said. “I think we have one guy, maybe Demond Taylor, who has held the cup itself or something along the lines of that. I think it’s going to be big to bring the cup back to DeKalb.”

NIU coach Thomas Hammock said the cup is meaningful. Joe Novak, Hammock’s coach at NIU when he was a running back for the Huskies, coached under Mallory at NIU from 1980-83.

“That’s something I think is very, very special for coach Mallory,” Hammock said. “We know what he means to both programs. ... We have a tremendous amount of respect for the family and everything they’ve been able to do for the game of college football.”

NIU last beat Miami in 2015, a 45-12 win in Oxford.

Injuries not slowing offensive line

For the second time this year, NIU starting right tackle Evan Buss missed a game last week in the Huskies’ 29-16 win against Akron last week. For the second time, redshirt freshman Thomas Paasch stepped in.

The Huskies did give up two sacks, well above their average of 1.2 per game - which is best in the MAC and 24th nationally.

“Tommy Paasch did a phenomenal job,” Hammock said. “Our line is playing at a high level. The reason we’re having success on offense is a direct reflection of the guys up front.”

They also averaged 7.2 yards per carry against Akron despite running back Antario Brown missing the game. Hammock said Buss and Brown could return Tuesday.

“I think we did great, obviously. Next-man-up mentality,” said left tackle Evan Malcore, who along with J.J. Lippe. Logan Zschernitz and John Campe have started every game this year on the line. “That’s what we have to keep doing throughout this stretch of the season. I think we did great.”

Third-down conversions key for Huskies

Hammock said for the Huskies to be successful on offense, they need to convert about 45% of their third-down opportunities.

They were 2 for 12 against Akron, a big reason why 439 yards of total offense only netted six points in the second half.

Even with the rough performance last week, the Huskies are second in the MAC with a 42.8% success rate on third down, 49th nationally.

“We stalled out in some situations on offense,” Hammock said. “That’s not what we’ve been all season. If you’re 2 of 12, you’re not giving yourself a chance to sustain drives, and that’s what happened.”

Prediction: Miami 16, NIU 13