WEEK 11 GAME SCHEDULE
Tuesday November 5, 2024
Bowling Green Falcons vs Central Michigan Chippewas
BOWLING GREEN VS. CMU
• Bowling Green and Central Michigan will meet for the 10th time this century, with Tuesday marking the seventh meeting at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. BGSU has only hosted CMU three times (2003, 2009, 2019) since 2000, with the last game at CMU occurring in 2022. • The Falcons have won five of their last six trips to Kelly/ Shorts Stadium in games dating back to 2002. • Tuesday will be the 44th all-time meeting between Bowling Green and Central Michigan. The Falcons lead the all-time series 24-19. • During BGSU’s 2018 trip to Mount Pleasant, the Falcons held CMU to just 29 total offensive yards in the second half. • Since 2000, Bowling Green is 3-0 against CMU when holding the Chippewas below 300 total offensive yards and 3-0 when gaining 400+ yards of offense. Additionally, BGSU is 4-1 against CMU when winning the turnover battle, 2-2 when not, and 0-0 when turnovers are even.
Bowling Green Falcons Notes
FIVE TOP STORYLINES
• TE Harold Fannin Jr. leads all tight ends nationally in receptions (66), receiving yards (947), yards after catch (533), first downs (46), and broken tackles (23). He’s tied for first in receiving touchdowns (6). According to Pro Football Focus, Fannin has the nation’s highest overall grade (96.2) and ranks No. 1 in pass routes grade (96.5) among all receivers. He’s also No. 4 in receptions, No. 4 in receiving yards, No. 2 in broken tackles, No. 1 in yards after catch, and No. 2 in first downs.
• Fannin needs 53 receiving yards to become the 12th player in program history to surpass 1,000 receiving yards in a season. The last Falcon to do so was current Pittsburgh Steeler Scotty Miller in 2018, with 1,148 yards. Fannin would also be the 16th tight end in FBS history to reach this milestone in a season.
• QB Connor Bazelak ranks No. 13 nationally (No. 1 in the MAC) with a 68.8 percent completion rate in 2024. He is also No. 4 in the MAC with 1,815 passing yards.
• Bazelak needs 185 passing yards to achieve his fourth season with 2,000+ passing yards, which would tie him for third all-time. He fell just 65 yards short of 2,000 in 2023, and had he reached it, he would have tied Bo Nix and Dillon Gabriel for the FBS record with five 2,000+ yard seasons.
• CB Jordan Oladokun recorded a career-high two interceptions in his last game at Toledo, returning one 61 yards for a touchdown. Per Pro Football Focus, his defensive grade of 90.3 was the second-highest among the nation’s corners in Week 9. Oladokun allowed just one reception for six yards in coverage against the Rockets.
A PROGRAM ON THE RISE
• BGSU is 13-7 in MAC play since the start of the 2022 season. • Only Toledo, Ohio, and Miami (OH) have better records in conference play over that period. Miami (OH) is 14-6 during that span, while Ohio is 16-4 and Toledo is 16-5. • In the previous 16-game MAC window, BGSU was 2-14. • The gains during Scot Loeffler’s tenure began to take root in 2021, and by 2022, Bowling Green was back in a bowl game for the first time since 2015, participating in the Quick Lane Bowl. • Bowling Green was one of four FBS programs in 2022 whose win totals improved by 4+ games from 2020 to 2021 and then by 2+ more games from 2021 to 2022. Joining BGSU on this list were Kansas State, Oregon State, and Tennessee. • The Falcons are the only program in the nation to have improved their win totals by 4+ games from 2020 to 2021, followed by +2 wins from 2021 to 2022, and then by +1 from 2022 to 2023. • BGSU secured the program’s 300th all-time victory in league play on Oct. 5 at Akron. The Falcons rank No. 3 all-time in the MAC with 300 wins.
Central Michigan Chippewas Notes
Top Storylines
• Central Michigan and BGSU meet for a pivotal #MACtion game on Tuesday. • CMU has been successful at home as the Chippewas have won seven of their last nine home games and are 3-1 at home this year. It is 21-9 under Head Coach Mac at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. • CMU enters the game on a three-game losing streak after dropping three straight MAC games. • CMU and BGSU meet for the 44th time. • McElwain is in search of his third bowl appearance and third winning season at Central Michigan in the last five full years (2019 New Mexico Bowl and 2021 Sun Bowl).
ABOUT THE CHIPPEWAS
Central Michigan (3-5, 1-3 MAC) begins its #MACtion weeknight schedule when it hosts Bowling Green (4-4, 3-1 MAC) in the fifth and pivotal league contest for both teams on Tuesday evening. Kickoff is at 7:30 p.m. ET at Kelly/Shorts Stadium for an ESPN2 nationally televised game. Four games remain for Central Michigan. The Chippewas must go 3-1 to become bowl eligible: vs. Bowling Green (Nov. 5), at Toledo (Nov. 12), vs. Western Michigan (Nov. 19), at Northern Illinois (Nov. 30). Central Michigan enters Tuesday’s contest vs. Bowling Green on a three-game losing streak after dropping three straight MAC contests including a 27-25 home loss to Ohio, a 38-34 road loss at Eastern Michigan and a 46-7 loss at Miami (OH). The Ohio and Eastern Michigan games were decided in the last minute. Returning to the friendly confines of Kelly/ Shorts Stadium couldn’t come at a better time as the Chippewas are 3-1 in home games this season and have won seven of their last nine home games. In addition, Head Coach Jim McElwain is 21-9 in home games since he became head coach at CMU in 2019. Prior to the Miami (OH) game, the Chippewas played four consecutive close games, defeating both Ball State (37-34) and San Diego State (22-21) in the closing seconds and dropping contests to Ohio (27-25) and at Eastern Michigan (38-34). All four contests were decided by four points or less and were decided in the final minute. CMU is coming off a 46-7 loss at Miami (OH), where the Chippewas accumulated season-lows for points (7), total offensive yards (168), rushing yards (106), passing yards (62) and first downs (12). The last time CMU amassed less than 200 yards of total offense and threw for fewer than 62 yards was at Wisconsin on Sept. 7, 2019 (58 yards of total offense, 43 yards passing). The last time CMU scored seven or fewer points was at Michigan State on Sept. 1, 2023. CMU’s only bright spot was a 15-play, 75-yard drive spanning 8:03 where the Chippewas took a 7-3 lead on a 2-yard run by Myles Bailey. Miami (OH) then scored 43 unanswered points to win the game. The Redhawks finished the game with 518 total yards, 277 rushing yards, 241 passing yards and 19 first downs. They scored on 10 of 11 possessions. Prior to the season, Central Michigan returned 17 players who started a significant number of games in 2023, including eight players on offense and nine on defense. Several transfers were added in who play significant roles in 2024, several players return from injury, and a variety of players have improved over the offseason and are ready to contribute. The Chippewas are a year older across the board with most of their talent returning.
A WIN OVER BGSU WOULD…
• Improve CMU’s record to 2-3 in MAC play. • Give CMU a 4-5 overall record start and put CMU in a position to win two out of its last three games to become bowl eligible. • Give Central Michigan a 4-1 record at home. • Snap a three-game losing streak to Bowling Green in games played in Mount Pleasant. The last time Central Michigan defeated BGSU at home was on Oct. 19, 2006, a 31-14 Chippewa win. Ironically, Bowling Green has won five of the last six matchups with CMU in Mount Pleasant.
HOME SWEET, HOME
Under Head Coach Jim McElwain, Central Michigan has enjoyed a tremendous home field advantage. The Chippewas are a combined 21-9 under Coach Mac with a .700 win percentage within the confines of Kelly/ Shorts Stadium since 2019. CMU will enter its next home game vs. Bowling Green (Nov. 5) after having won three of its last four and seven of its last nine home contests. The last time CMU completed a season with an undefeated home record was during McElwain’s first year in 2019, when the Chippewas went a perfect 6-0. The last several seasons, CMU went 1-2 in 2020, 5-1 in 2021, 2-4 in 2022, 4-1 in 2023, and now 3-1in 2024 at Kelly/Shorts Stadium. Since 1950, CMU has registered 13 undefeated seasons at home: 1953 (4-0), 1954 (4-0), 1955 (4-0), 1956 (4-0), 1967 (4-0), 1970 (4-0), 1977 (5-0), 1979 (5-0), 1980 (6-0), 1994 (5-0), 1998 (5-0), 2009 (5-0), and 2019 (6-0).
Miami-Ohio Redhawks vs Ball State Cardinals
SERIES VS. BALL STATE
Miami leads the series 23-13-1 against the Cardinals and are 10-7 all-time in Muncie. The RedHawks have captured seven of the last eight meetings between the two programs, including each of the last four.
Miami-Ohio Redhawks Notes
MIAMI BEGINS MID-WEEK MACTION WITH TRIP TO BALL STATE
The Miami University football team looks for its fourth-straight victory with a Tuesday, Nov. 5 trip to Ball State. Opening kick is slated for 8 p.m. and will be carried live on ESPN.
ABOUT MIAMI
• Miami football ranks first all-time in the Mid-American Conference in wins (728), conference wins (320), MAC Championships (17) and bowl wins (8). • Historically, Miami’s 728 career wins are third all-time among Group-of-Five programs, behind just Navy (744) and Army (734). • Miami was 4-14 in Coach Martin’s first 18 Mid-American Conference games. Since then, the RedHawks are 45-18 in their last 63 games versus schools from the MAC. • Miami captured its second MAC Championship in the last five years, defeating Toledo 23-14 last season. Chuck Martin won his first MAC Championship back in 2019. • The RedHawks have been bowl-eligible seven of the last eight seasons. From 2006-15, Miami was bowl-eligible just twice. • Since Oct. 15, 2016, Miami has lost back-to-back conference games just twice in that span (2017, 2022). Miami is 16-3 following a conference loss, dating back to midway through the 2016 campaign.
ABOUT BALL STATE
Ball State is 3-5 overall and 2-2 in MAC play and are coming of a last second 25-23 victory over Northern Illinois. Quarterback Kadin Semonza has thrown for 1,749 yards and 15 touchdowns this season. Many of those passes have gone to Tanner Koziol, who leads the team with 64 catches for 580 yards and six touchdowns. Keionte Newson is tops on the team with 45 tackles
LAST MEETING VERSUS BALL STATE
Kobe Hilton blocked Ball State’s go-ahead field goal try with 1:04 to play as Miami held on for a 17-15 win at Ball State back on Nov. 25, 2023. Aveon Smith completed 14-of-24 passes for a season-high 170 yards and a touchdown to help Miami finish off its first 10-win regular season since 2003 and win its fourth straight RedBird Rivalry game.
REDBIRD RIVALRY
The RedBird Rivalry trophy game between Ball State and Miami, two Mid-American Conference universities separated by a little more than 70 miles, is in its sixth year. The rivalry between the schools dates back to a 1931 meeting in Oxford, Ohio, but didn’t blossom until Ball State joined the MAC in the mid-1970s.
SLOW STARTS
Slow starts are nothing new for Miami football, mostly due to the tough non-conference schedule the team plays every year. Since 2016, Miami continues to improve as the season moves forward. In the months of Aug./Sept. Miami is 13-23. In October, Miami is 19-14 and by the time they reach November, the RedHawks are 18-5.
Ball State Cardinals Notes
BRONZE STALK RIVALRY TAKES CENTER STAGE DURING CARDINALS’ 97TH HOMECOMING GAME
• Ball State welcomes Northern Illinois to Scheumann Stadium on Saturday for the 17th rendition of the Bronze Stalk rivalry game, as part of the Cardinals’ 97th homecoming contest. Saturday’s homecoming tilt is sponsored by Community Hospital of Anderson.
• Established in 2008, the Battle for the Bronze Stalk is the youngest rivalry game in the Mid-American Conference, but it hit full stride two years ago when Ball State won a double-overtime thriller in Muncie, 44-38. In what was the third-largest comeback in Ball State history, the Huskies led 21-0 before the Cardinals got on the board before halftime. Ball State outscored NIU 31-14 in the second half including a 6-yard pass from John Paddock to Tanner Koziol with 36 seconds left in regulation, to force overtime. Carson Steele’s one-yard run provided the winning margin in the second OT session. Last year, freshman placekicker Jackson Courville drilled a 36-yard field goal as time expired to lift Ball State to a 20-17 road win and their second straight triumph in the rivalry series.
• NIU has been a part of four previous Ball State homecoming matchups, but not since 1998. The Cardinals are 3-1 against the Huskies on homecoming in Muncie, winning in 1981 (23-0), 1985 (29-0) and 1998 (18-13), and losing 27-14 in 1983. Ball State is 56-38-2 through 96 homecoming contests overall, having won against Connecticut and Central Michigan the past two years.
• Ball State scored on a Kadin Semonza-to-Tanner Koziol TD pass with 6:03 left in the third period Saturday to knot the score with Vanderbilt at 14-14. In what was the Cardinals’ lowest scoring game of the year, Vandy outdistanced Ball State in the fourth for a 24-14 final score. Koziol matched his career high with nine catches for the fourth time this year and became the third tight end in Ball State history to eclipse 50 catches and 500 yards in a season.
• The 100th anniversary of Ball State’s first season in 1924 coincides with the 100th season on the field, given that the Cardinals didn’t field a team in 1943 due to World War II. Season-long celebrations of the 100th season will be displayed at Scheumann Stadium this season. Similarly, it is the program’s 50th season in the MAC — formally joining the league in 1973 and playing its first football games in 1975. WHAT A WIN MEANS: 8 Ball State will even its MAC record at 2-2 while rising to 2-1 at Scheumann Stadium. 8 Ball State’s third straight win vs. NIU will reflect its longest win streak in the rivalry series.
• Currently the fifth winningest coach in Ball State football history, Mike Neu will capture his 40th victory as head coach of his alma mater, tying Dwight Wallace (40) with the fourth-most wins as the Cardinals’ head coach.
Wednesday November 6, 2024
Ohio Bobcats vs Kent State Golden Flashes
SERIES HISTORY VS. KENT STATE
The Bobcats and the Golden Flashes have met 75 times since 1936, posting a 45-28-2 record. The two teams last met on Saturday, Oct. 7 at Frank Solich Field at Peden Stadium, where Ohio posted a dominant 42-17 victory. Ohio last traveled to Kent in 2022, where they fell in overtime.
Ohio Bobcats Notes
THE OPENING KICK
The Ohio football team (5-3, 3-1 MAC) is set to open midweek MACtion on the road against the Kent State Golden Flashes (0-8, 0-4 MAC) on Wednesday, Nov. 6. Kickoff is set for 7 p.m. ET at Dix Stadium and can be seen on ESPNU with Mike Corey and Craig Haubert on the call. The Bobcats’ matchup can also be heard on the Ohio Sports Network from Learfield, presented by Holzer Health System. Veteran Ohio radio personality Marty Bannister is stepping into the 2024 play-byplay role and will be joined by Rob Cornelius, who has been a part of the broadcasts for two decades.
SCOUTING KENT STATE
The Golden Flashes are currently 0-8 overall and 0-4 against MAC opponents. As a team, Kent State averages 17 points per game on 77.1 rushing yards and 173.75 passing yards. Their opponents average 46.63 points per game. Junior quarterback Tommy Ulatowski is 52-for-122 on 940 yards over seven games, throwing 11 passing touchdowns and six interceptions. Ulatowski isn’t afraid to use his legs, recording 38 carries and one rushing touchdown so far this season. Redshirt senior running back Ky Thomas leads Kent State on the ground currently with 92 attempts and one touchdown on 389 yards. Sophomore running back Curtis Douglas has accumulated 115 rushing yards while freshman running back Ayden Harris has scored one touchdown on 26 carries and 87 carries. Redshirt sophomore wide receiver Chrishon McCray is Kent State’s leading scorer, credited with 42 of the team’s 136 points this season. On the season, McCray has scored seven touchdowns on 31 receptions and 566 yards. Graduate student wide receiver Luke Floriea trails McCray with five touchdowns on 499 yards. Freshman wide receiver Jay Jay Etheridge and graduate student tight end Conner Muldowney have contributed a touchdown apiece. Defensively, junior linebacker Rocco Nicholl leads the Golden Flashes with 61 total tackles, including 30 solo stops. Junior defensive end Kameron Olds holds team-highs in tackles for loss (6.5) and sacks (6). Olds, along with freshman linebacker Jayden Studio and senior safety Alex Branch, are responsible for Kent States’ three interceptions this season. Junior kicker Will Hryszko is 11-for-11 on PATs and 2-for-3 on field goals while senior kicker Andrew Glass is 2-for-4 on field goals. Both Hryszko and Glass have contributed to kickoffs, averaging 59.8 and 61.9 yards per kick, respectively. Senior punter Josh Smith has 48 punts on 2,062 yards, averaging 42.96 yards per punt. His longest punt of the season clocks in at 61 yards.
LAST TIME OUT
A noon kickoff did not phase the Ohio football team as it steamrolled Buffalo for a 47-16 victory Saturday (Oct. 26) afternoon during Frank Solich Day. Ohio recorded a season-high 231 passing yards in the victory, which is also a single-game career high for graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro. Saturday also marked the second-straight game in which Ohio recorded three rushing touchdowns. It took a while for Ohio’s offense to get going, though. After trading drives, Buffalo had the upper hand with a field goal attempt in the first quarter. However, Upton Bellenfant’s attempt soared wide to give Ohio a wave of relief. All it took was a string of running plays to get the Bobcats into field goal range on the next drive. Sophomore kicker Gianni Spetic booted a 23-yard kick through the uprights to put the Bobcats on the board first. The Bulls solved the Bobcat defense in the second quarter and recorded the first touchdown of the game on a 27-yard rush. However, it did not take the Bobcats long to return the favor. Redshirt freshman Rickey Hunt Jr. dashed down the field for a 46-yard touchdown to return the Bobcats’ lead. In a matter of minutes, graduate student Coleman Owen scored on a 65-yard reception from Navarro. Navarro quickly connected with Owen again in the last minute of the quarter for a 13-yard reception to increase Ohio’s sizeable lead. Ohio’s defense returned re-energized in the second half. It worked up Buffalo’s quarterback, C.J. Ogbonna, and thwarted his throwing game. Despite being unsteady, Buffalo still managed to collect a handful of first downs until redshirt sophomore defensive tackle CJ Doggette tore through the offensive line to sack Ogbonna. Buffalo lost five yards and the ball on the play as redshirt junior Bralen Henderson recovered the fumble. With the ball in hand, the Bobcats turned to redshirt junior running back Nolan McCormick to lead the way. On the Bobcats’ scoring drive in the third quarter, McCormick accounted for four carries – including the 2-yard touchdown – on six plays. The touchdown was his second of the season. Buffalo came back in the next drive with a touchdown on a 21-yard pass, however, it did not get extra points. Sophomore defensive end Kadin Schmitz read the handoff and picked off the throw for a 100-yard two-point run. That moment fueled the Bobcats through the fourth quarter. Owen scored his third touchdown of the day on a 22-yard carry in the first drive, marking a new career single-game touchdown record for Owen. On the next drive, the Bobcats scored again after redshirt junior linebacker Shay Taylor snagged his first interception of the season for a 30-yard return to cap off the afternoon.
SCOUTING OHIO
The Bobcats are currently 5-3 overall and 3-1 against MAC opponents. They average 25 points per game on 200.5 rushing yards and 180.63 passing yards per game. In the air, graduate student quarterback Parker Navarro is 102-for-154 on 1,217 yards with seven touchdowns. Navarro is also a threat on the ground, recording 82 carries for 598 yards and four touchdowns. Notably, Navarro broke his single-game rushing yards record against CMU (176). Redshirt junior Nick Poulos made his Bobcat debut against Morgan State (Sept. 14) and his first start against Kentucky (Sept. 21). He is currently 19-for-44 with one interception on 228 yards in the air while recording 91 rushing yards on 20 attempts. Graduate student running back Anthony Tyus III solidified himself as a force to be reckoned with, finishing the game against Syracuse with 203 rushing yards, marking the first time since 2021 a Bobcat passed the 200-rushingyards-mark in a single game. On the season, Tyus has 112 carries on a team-leading 610 yards and five touchdowns (four rushing, one passing). Redshirt freshman running back Rickey Hunt Jr. has made appearances in seven games for the Bobcats, recording 268 yards and two touchdowns on 55 attempts. Hunt owns the longest rush of the year (59 yards). Freshman running back Duncan Brune net 52 rushing yards on 15 carries so far this season, scoring his first collegiate touchdown against Central Michigan (Oct. 12).
Kent State Golden Flashes Notes
The Opening Kick
• Year two of the #KentGRIT era under the direction of head coach Kenni Burns continues as mid-week #MACtion gets underway Tuesday night against Ohio. • The offense has exploded since Tommy Ulatowski took over as QB1 to start MAC play, averaging 23.8 points and 334.3 yards per game in four contests against conference opponents. • Ulatowski set a new passing yards career-high in each of his first two starts, recording 345 against Eastern Michigan on Sept. 28 and then 394 against Ball State on Oct. 12. Ulatowski was responsible for four TDs in both games. • WR Chrishon McCray has been the go-to target and the pair have connected for 445 yards and five scores over the past four games. • WR Jay Jay Etheridge and TE Conner Muldowney caught their first TDs in a Kent State in the last game at Western Michigan on Oct. 26.
YEAR TWO | #ALLIN
The theme for year two of the #KentGRIT era is #AllIn, as getting everyone in the program on the same page and in alignment with the culture was a main goal and objective of the offseason. In addition to continuing to bring the returning players closer together, this philosophy was a factor in deciding to add each of the 23 transfers who are members of this year’s roster.
RUNNING TO THE TOP
Head coach Kenni Burns was a running back at Indiana and is the all-time leading rusher at Sacred Heart Griffin High School in Springfield, Illinois. Burns is one of five reported FBS head coaches to have been a collegiate running back, joining Thomas Hammock (NIU RB and HC), Dino Babers (Syracuse HC, Hawaii RB), Stan Drayton (Allegheny RB, Temple HC) and Kalani Sitake (BYU RB and HC). Georgia’s Kirby Smart and South Carolina’s Shane Beamer were running back coaches before getting head coaching positions.
FAMILIAR FRIEND
After sitting out the 2023 campaign as a two-time transfer, Ky Thomas has bolstered the Flashes’ backfield. The running back re-joins a familiar friend in head coach Kenni Burns, who coached Thomas at Minnesota during the 2021 season. Thomas ran for 824 yards and six scores as a Golden Gopher, highlighted by a career-high 144 yards and Offensive MVP honors during a Guaranteed Rate Bowl victory. The 2019 Kansas Gatorade Player of Year then returned home to play for the Jayhawks in 2022.
SELECT COMPANY
Kent State is one of 11 schools who have 10 or fewer players in their final year of eligibility who have played their entire career at the same school. Leading the Flashes is linebacker Matt Harmon, who began his college football career in 2018.
SPECIAL TEAMS, SPECIAL PLAYERS
Josh Smith has helped the Flashes flip the field with his combination of power and precision kicking. Smith has boomed 10 punts of 50+ yards and pinned the opposition inside of its own 20-yard line 16 times this season, ranking second in the MAC for both categories. The four-year starter is averaging a career-best 43.0 yards per punt in 2024. Prior to being elevated to the starting kicker role to start conference play, Will Hryszko was 1/1 on PATs and booted 10 kickoffs during his Flashes career. Hryszko drilled all three of his PATs and recorded a touchback on three of four kickoff attempts against Eastern Michigan. He accounted for all of Kent State’s points at Bowling Green on Oct. 19 with field goals from 37 and 30 yards. The first non-offensive TD of the #KentGRIT era was scored during the second quarter of the season opener at Pitt, as CB Naim Muhammad scooped up a bouncing ball while on punt coverage and raced 34 yards for the score. LB Nylan Brown stripped the Pitt returner of the ball to ignite the Flashes’ first fumble recovery for a TD since the 2018 campaign.
Northern Illinois Huskies vs Western Michigan Broncos
SERIES HISTORY: Western Michigan holds a 27-22 advantage in the all-time series and owns a 15-9 edge in games played in Kalamazoo, although the Huskies have won the last two meetings. Five of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by one possession or less. WMU won 14 of the first 15 games of the series between 1950 and 1982, while the Huskies are 16-7 versus the Broncos since 2001, including a seven-game winning streak between 2009-2015. NIU’s 2022 win over WMU was its first at Waldo Stadium since 2014.
Northern Illinois Huskies Notes
DOG TREATS
• After a 10-day “mini-bye”, a midweek #MACtion match-up with Western Michigan is next for NIU. • NIU has won each of the last two meetings with WMU, scoring a 24-21 come-from-behind win in 2022 and a 24-0 shutout victory at home a year ago. Overall, the Broncos have a 27-22 advantage. Five of the last eight games between the teams have been decided by one possession or less. • The Huskies are coming off a tough 25-23 loss at Ball State as Kanon Woodill’s 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play gave NIU its first lead of the game at 23-22. Ball State completed passes of 34 and 5 yards before making a 52-yard field goal, their fourth of the game with two seconds on the clock. • NIU leads the MAC and is among the top 20 teams in the FBS in six defensive categories (as of 10/27) and is Top 10 in third down conversion defense (25.7 percent), total defense (274.9 yards) and passing yards allowed (164.8). Ball State became the first team to convert more than three third downs against the Huskies last week. • NIU has held 17 of its last 21 opponents over the last two seasons to 25 points or less, including all eight of its 2024 foes. The Huskies are one of just four FBS teams that has not allowed an opponent to score more than 25 points in 2024 entering this weekend’s action. • Running back Antario Brown became the ninth 3,000-yard rusher in school history and the first since Jordan Lynch (2009-13) on a 34-yard touchdown run last week at Ball State. Brown is the first Huskie running back to join the 3,000- yard club since NIU all-time leader Garrett Wolfe (2004-06). • Sophomore Cam Thompson has become one of the Huskies’ most reliable receivers and currently leads NIU with 25 catches for 372 yards and three TDs after making 13 catches for 208 yards in the last two games, including eight grabs for 128 yards – both career highs – last week at Ball State. • NIU has blocked three field goals in 2024, the most by the Huskies since 2019, after Santana Banner’s block in the fourth quarter at Ball State. • Redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst came on for injured starter Ethan Hampton at Bowling Green and led NIU to a 17-7 win, then handled all the QB duties in NIU’s 13-6 loss to Toledo. He got the start at Ball State, before Hampton came on to operate the offense during the comeback attempt. • Since the start of the 2016 season, NIU leads the FBS in one-score games played with 60, including five in 2024. NIU is 28-32 in those games.
LAST TIME OUT: Jackson Courville made a 52-yard field goal with two seconds on the clock, giving Ball State an improbable 25-23 win over NIU in Muncie. Courville’s fourth field goal of the game erased the 23-22 lead that the Huskies had claimed just 13 seconds prior on Kanon Woodill’s 47-yard field goal. Antario Brown scored on runs of 34 and 6 yards and Ethan Hampton hit Cam Thompson for a 54-yard touchdown as NIU came back from a 19-7 deficit. BSU took advantage of four Huskie turnovers.
HUSKIES IN THE MAC: In 38 seasons as a member of the Mid-American Conference, the Huskies are 166-121-2 all-time. The Huskies own a winning percentage of .633 (136-79) versus MAC foes since re-joining the league in 1997. Since 2010, NIU is 79-35 (.693) against the MAC with three undefeated campaigns, two one-loss seasons and eight division championships, including a run of six-straight (2010- 15). NIU originally competed in the MAC from 1975-85.
ON THE MAC ROAD: NIU is 1-1 on the road in the MAC this year with a 17-7 win at Bowling Green (October 12) and a 25-23 loss at Ball State (October 26). The Huskies are 28-16 in conference road games since 2013 and 92-102-1 all-time in league games away from Huskie Stadium for a 47.4 percent win percentage. The Huskies are 2-2 overall on the road this year with a win at No. 5 Notre Dame and a loss at NC State in non-conference action. NIU is 10-11 on the road versus league opponents under Thomas Hammock.
ON THE OFFENSE
AB 3K: Antario Brown became the ninth Huskie to gain 3,000 career rushing yards last week at Ball State, passing the mark on his 34-yard touchdown run in the first quarter. He is the first player since quarterback Jordan Lynch (2009-13) to surpass the 3,000-yard mark and the first running back since all-time rushing leader Garrett Wolfe (2004-06) to join the club. He needs 117 yards to move past Charles Talley (1993-96) into eighth place. Brown ranks ninth among active FBS backs in career rushing yards.
IN THE (END) ZONE: After going down to injury during the UMass game, missing the Bowling Green game and seeing limited carries versus Toledo, Antario Brown made the most of his 11 carries at Ball State. He scored on runs of 34 and 6 yards to record his third and fourth rushing touchdowns of the season, and the 25th and 26th of his career, moving him past NIU head coach Thomas Hammock into 10th place on the NIU career rushing TDs list. Brown has 28 total touchdowns including receiving scores against Boston College (2023) and Notre Dame (2024).
DETAILING THE DEFENSE STINGY: NIU is one of four FBS teams to hold its opponents to 25 points or less in every game this season along with Texas A&M, Tennessee and Notre Dame. Over the last two seasons (21 games), only four teams have scored more than 25 points against NIU. Over the last 11 games, Kent State is the only team to score more than 25 points against the Huskies, that in a 37-27 NIU win in the 2023 regular season finale. Opponents are averaging 17.6 points per game versus the Huskies in 2024 as NIU owns the No. 15 scoring defense in the country. ELITE D: The Huskie defense is playing at an elite level in 2024. Six of eight opponents have gained less than 300 yards and NIU is ranked seventh in the country in total defense. NIU currently leads the MAC in seven defensive categories and is ranked in the Top 20 defenses in the FBS in six. Through eight games, the Huskies have given up just 13 touchdowns on defense.
SPECIAL INTEREST BUILDING BLOCKS: Santana Banner’s blocked field goal in the fourth quarter at Ball State was the third field goal block of the season for NIU, the most field goals blocked by the Huskies since 2019. That season, NIU blocked five total kicks, including a punt, a PAT and three field goals.
BUSY MAN: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill has made field goals in six of the Huskies’ eight games and in every game decided by one score or less. His 47-yard field goal with 15 seconds to play at Ball State gave the Huskies a 23-22 lead. He accounted for all six of NIU’s points versus Toledo and has recorded four multi-field goal games to rank third in the MAC and 24th in the FBS with an average of 1.50 field goals made per game. The senior has made a career high 12-of-17 threes in 2024, and his 53 points lead NIU. Woodill is 26-of-37 on threes in 19 career games as the starting kicker.
THEY COME IN THREES: NIU kicker Kanon Woodill kicked three field goals – of 46, 21 and 27 yards – to account for nine of the Huskies’ 17 points in the win over Bowling Green. The Army ROTC cadet has made three field goals in a game twice this season and four times in his career. At Notre Dame, Woodill made threes from 42 and 21 yards to give NIU a 13-7 halftime lead, then booted the game-winning 35-yard kick with 31 seconds to play in the 16-14 win. Woodill’s other three field goal games were last year versus Ohio and in 2021 at Central Michigan, when he also kicked the game-winner in the final minute.
UNCOMMON: At Bowling Green, long snapper Isaac Hatfield scored the first points of his career by catching a pass from tight end Grayson Barnes on a two-point conversion attempt, giving the Huskies a 14-7 lead to start the fourth quarter. Hatfield joins Hunter Higham of Hawai’i, who caught a two-point conversion pass versus Northern Iowa on September 21, as the only FBS long snappers to score this season.
Western Michigan Broncos Notes
THIS WEEK
It’s #MACtion time! The Broncos host Northern Illinois on Wednesday, Nov. 6 at 7 p.m. as their season shifts to mid-week games. The game will be broadcast live on ESPN2 and the Bronco Media Network. Tickets are on-sale at www.wmubroncos. com/tickets.
UNSTOPPABLE FORCE VS. IMMOVABLE OBJECT
Wednesday’s game between the Broncos and the Huskies pits the MAC’s top scoring offense against the conference’s top scoring defense. WMU’s offense has averaged 34.0 points per game overall this season, and 44.8 in conference play. NIU’s defense has allowed just 17.6 points per game overall this season, and 17.0 in conference play.
PROTECT THIS HOUSE
WMU has won three-straight home games for the first time since the 2019 season, when the Broncos went 6-0 at Waldo Stadium that season. Western Michigan has averaged 48.3 points per game during those three wins and allowing just 25.3. A big reason for both the offensive and defensive output is WMU’s defensive third down conversion rate. WMU has held opponents to converting just 25 percent (10/40) of its third downs. The Broncos have also forced seven turnovers in the three games. Something that additionally contributed to WMU’s stingy third-down defense, the crowd. The Broncos have averaged over 22,000 per home game this season. WMU’s offense has been able to strike quickly at home this season, with 13 of the team’s 19 touchdown drives being under two minutes.
AT THE TOP
In addition to being at the top of the standings, Western Michigan also leads the league in overall scoring offense (34.0 points per game), total offense (408.9 yards per game) and rushing offense (209.0 yards per game). In just conference play, WMU is also at the top in scoring offense (44.8), total offense (479.0), rushing offense (240.0), third down conversions (49.0 percent, 24/49), and kickoff return average (29.3). 4-0 Western Michigan heads into Wednesday’s clash with Northern Illinois with a 4-0 record in MAC play. It’s the first time since 2018 that WMU has started off with a 4-0 conference record. The Broncos have not gone 5-0 in MAC play since the undefeated 2016 season.
