October 26, 2002

FINAL: NORTHERN ILLINOIS 24, WESTERN MICHIGAN 20

KALAMAZOO, MI---Championship-caliber teams win games in a variety of ways. With its explosive offense limited Saturday (Oct. 26), Northern Illinois turned to its defense and special teams for a hard-fought, 24-20 victory over Western Michigan in Mid-American Conference action.

Northern Illinois won its fifth game in a row to remain alone atop the MAC West Division standings, improving to 5-0 in the conference and 6-3 overall. Western Michigan dropped to 2-6 on the season with a 1-3 ledger in the MAC.

Freshman tailback A.J. Harris carried 27 times for a collegiate-best 99 yards in his most extensive play as a Huskie. Harris began the season as the fourth-string tailback but was pressed into duty after Michael Turner---the nation's second-leading rusher---sprained his right ankle early in the first quarter and was limited to 26 yards on 11 attempts.

Deon Smith recovered a blocked punt with 3:51 remaining in the third quarter to put the Huskies in front 21-17. Kursten Strothman batted down Matt Steffen's punt in the end zone with Smith falling on the ball for the go-ahead score.

"We overloaded the left side and I was able to get free and make the play. Our coaches tell us we have to be ready and I was able to get free," Strothman said. "In the first half, we felt that everything (WMU) got, we let them have because we didn't make plays. In the second half we came in and made the difference when it counted."

After Anthony Apa's second field goal---a 24-yard chip shot---trimmed the margin to 21-20 with 13:40 remaining, Northern Illinois mounted its longest possession of the year as junior quarterback Josh Haldi directed a 19-play, 65-yard drive leading to junior placekicker Steve Azar's 30-yard field goal.

Northern Illinois, which has posted 12 touchdown drives of less than a minute (including its first two scores Saturday) and recorded four more scores on returns this season, took 8:38 off the clock after converting five consecutive third-down attempts. The 19 plays represent the longest scoring drive by a Huskie team since a similar 19-play march versus Cal State-Fullerton on Oct. 24, 1987.

"Good teams find ways to win games like this, and we did that today," Northern Illinois coach Joe Novak said. "That long drive was just awesome. In the past we had times where we weren't able to do that. That was just a great, grat drive. The coaches and players did a lot of good things there."

Western Michigan rolled up 334 yards of offense in the first half but the Huskie defense allowed only 65 yards on 31 plays after intermission. Cornerbacks Vince Thompson and Randee Drew each intercepted a Chad Munson pass in the final 1:51, with Drew's theft at the 0:18 mark sealing the victory.

Northern Illinois registered six more sacks, giving the Huskies 37 for the season. Larry Williams registered three sacks, one forcing the first Apa field goal after Western Michigan had a first-and-goal opportunity at the four-yard line. The Broncos reached the "red zone" five times but managed only 13 points on those possessions. Vinson Reynolds' fumble recovery at the Huskie six with 35 seconds left in the half preserved the three-point margin.

Bronco running back Philip Reed ran for 226 yards on 22 carries including an 80-yard touchdown run with 13:29 left in the second quarter to tie the game at 14-14. NIU had just taken the lead on Haldi's 66-yard touchdown strike to Sam Hurd---the Huskies' longest pass play of the season---but Reed broke free on the next play from scrimmage. Apa gave Western Michigan a 17-14 halftime lead with his 22-yard field goal 4:34 before intermission.

Munson's 48-yard pass to Jermaine Lewis set up his 17-yard touchdown toss to Tony Scheffler with 7:33 left in the first quarter to open the scoring. The Huskies answered as Haldi found Matt Dunker from six yards out with 58 seconds remaining in the opening stanza.
"Our team is very resilient, and our defense did a great job at the end," Novak added. "And A.J. did an outstanding job today. For a freshman to step in and run like that, I can't say enough about what he did today."

NIU forced four Bronco turnovers, three in the second half. Northern Illinois did not turn the ball over and now owns a 16-6 advantage in turnover margin during the current five-game winning streak. That run matches the program's since NIU won the final five games of the 1989 season. Northern Illinois has not won six straight since 1983---the Huskies' only MAC championship season.

Haldi threw for 167 yards on nine-of-20 accuracy with Hurd catching three balls for 102 yards to lead NIU to its first victory in Kalamazoo since 1987. For Western Michigan, Munson completed 16 of 33 passes for 208 yards and a touchdown but threw three interceptions.

Northern Illinois takes a week off before continuing its quest for the next MAC title. The Huskies return to action on Nov. 9 when 25th-ranked Bowling Green St. University comes to DeKalb in a potential battle for the Mid-Am West Division crown. Kickoff for that game has been moved to 1:35 p.m. (CST) to accommodate television cameras of Fox Sports Net.

-30- --- Copy by Robert Hester

Northern Illinois University Football

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