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DeKALB – Northern Illinois scored the first 19 points Saturday against Central Michigan and held on for a 24-16 win in the regular season finale.
The Huskies (7-5, 4-4 Mid-American Conference) await their bowl game announcement Dec. 8.
Here are five key moments in the win against the Chippewas (4-8, 2-6).
Huskies hold on in the fourth
The Huskies took a 24-16 lead into the fourth quarter but couldn’t expand the lead.
Jacob Finley had an interception, setting the Huskies up at their own 36. They ran off nine plays and 4:55 off the clock but failed on a fourth-and-10 pass from the CMU 33.
The Chippewas took over there with 5:24 left looking to tie things up. They picked up a fourth-and-9 to move into NIU territory, but the drive ran out of steam and NIU took over with 1:39 left on its 46. Telly Johnson Jr. picked up 14 on third-and-9 and the Huskies were able to run out the clock.
Long drive, turnover equal just three points
NIU led 21-16 at halftime, with the Chippewas outscoring the Huskies 16-2 in the second quarter. The Huskies opened the third quarter with a 17-play, 66-yard drive that killed 8:47 off the clock.
But it only resulted in a 26-yard field goal. But the defense obliged the offense on the next drive when Demond Taylor sacked Jadyn Glasser and forced a fumble that Nate Valcarcel recovered.
Again, though, the offense couldn’t capitalize taking over on the CMU 30. Kanon Woodill missed a 40-yard field goal to keep the lead at 24-16.
NIU offense explodes early
NIU scored more in the first 8:05 on Saturday than it did in the entirety of a 20-9 loss to Miami. It was reported earlier Saturday that the Huskies fired offensive coordinator Wes Beschorner, although the school did not confirm during the game.
The Huskies scored on their first three possessions, although missed the point-after attempts on two of them. Gavin Williams broke off a 21-yard run on fourth-and-1 for the first NIU score. Ethan Hampton followed with a 16-yard scramble for a score and a 12-0 lead. Then Johnson had a 4-yard run for a touchdown, set up by a 48-yard bomb from Hampton to Trayvon Rudolph, and a 19-0 lead.
All three scores came before Central Michigan picked up a first down.
Defense stymies Chippewas
The Chippewas were stuck with no first downs and negative total yardage until their fourth drive. The first play was an incomplete pass, but Valcarcel was called for a late hit. The offense started rolling from there.
Marion Lukes had CMU’s biggest gain from scrimmage to that point, an 11-yard run. The next two plays went for even more yardage, then Glasser found Jesse Prewitt for a touchdown early in the second quarter.
But Cade Haberman came up with his third blocked kick of the year and Javaughn Byrd returned it 95 yards for the defensive PAT, placing the Huskies in front 21-6.
Second quarter implosion for NIU
The Chippewas kept rolling even after the kick was blocked. NIU went three-and-out, then CMU followed with a 10-play, 34-yard drive that ate up 5:10 and ended with a 40-yard field goal by Tristan Mattson.
The Huskies went three-and-out again, and failed to convert a fake punt run by Brock Lampe on fourth-and-3. With just 35 yards in front of them, Glasser found Prewitt for the second time, cutting the lead to 21-16.
NIU got down to the CMU 25 in the final 30 seconds, but a fake field goal attempt - a run by Kanon Woodill - didn’t gain any yards on fourth-and-9. Central Michigan nearly added another touchdown but Santana Banner broke up the late attempt.
NIU was outscored 16-2 in the second quarter but still led 21-16 at the break.