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| NIU | @ CMU |
When: November 27
Where: Mount Pleasant, Michigan
All Time Series: Northern Illinois 12-11
Last 10 Games:
This is one of many key late season games for in the MAC West. Like the Ball State at Western Michigan match up which takes place only a few days prior, the outcome of this game will probably have implications for the top four teams (NIU, CMU, WMU, and Ball State) in the MAC West. Whoever did the scheduling for the MAC could not have done a better job setting up the end of the season on the Western side of the slate. Last 10 Games:
| Date | CMU | NIU |
| November 12, 2008 | 33 | 30 |
| September 29, 2007 | 35 | 10 |
| November 17, 2006 | 10 | 31 |
| November 5, 2005 | 28 | 31 |
| October 16, 2004 | 10 | 42 |
| October 11, 2003 | 24 | 40 |
| October 19, 2002 | 0 | 49 |
| October 27, 2001 | 24 | 33 |
| November 18, 2000 | 6 | 40 |
| October 16, 1999 | 27 | 31 |
Northern Illinois will probably be vying for at at large bowl spot with Division rival Ball State and whoever is behind in the Western / Central Michigan race for the division. The Huskies have seven games that they should win before they square off with CMU, which should be enough for a Bowl bid, but given the MAC's performance last season it may take eight wins to guarantee one of the at-large spots.
Central Michigan is the favorite to win the division but they have Western Michigan nipping at their heels and a very punishing schedule. Six of Chips first nine games are on the road including divisional rival WMU, Defending MAC Champion Buffalo, and East Contender Bowling Green. Adding to their in conference slate of games the Chips have a difficult set of out of conference games with Arizona, Michigan State, and Boston College on the road. If the Chips should falter against Buffalo and/or Western Michigan they may very well be fighting, along with the Cardinals and Huskies, for an at large instead of the division.
Last season's game between these two teams was a classic. The Chippewas needed overtime to defeat Northern Illinois after the Huskies rolled off 24 unanswered points in the last 16 minutes of the game but Josh Gordy's interception of Chandler Harnish on the first overtime possession allowed Central Michigan to salvage the victory.
The loser of this game will find themselves missing out on either the division or the bowl picture, if the game is half as exciting as last years its a must see contest.
Its a heck of a road trip from DeKalb to Mount pleasant (seven hours) so any Husky fans wanting to make the trip are going to have to take the day off, pack up the car, and drive safely. If you cant make it to the game it has been picked up by ESPN360/ESPNU.
This should be a good match up and might end up being a close one. We've got CMU in this one though.
ReplyDeleteI think this game is the Chips to lose. Its really all going to fall on two things
ReplyDelete1) Is LeFevour healthy by this point in the year, he thrashed NIU last year with 2TD on the ground and 2 through the air
and
2) How much has Harnish improved? Dan is going to do his thing and the NIU defense will do their thing Harnish is the variable. NIU cant count on a 24 point comeback late in the game.