Preview: Northern Illinois at Boston College
2 min read
When: 1:00 PM ET, Saturday, September 26, 2015
Where: Alumni Stadium, Boston, Massachusetts
Last Saturday the Huskies gave an extraordinary performance on the road versus the number 1 team in the nation Ohio State but only to fall short 20 to 13. Since a 31-30 victory at Buffalo on Oct. 22, 2011, NIU has posted a 19- record in true road games. The only losses for the Huskies during that time was a 52-14 setback at Arkansas last year and last Saturday. In that time, NIU recorded road wins over Iowa, Northwestern, Purdue and Army. In 2013, NIU was the only FBS school to win all seven of its road games.
Through three games, Drew Hare leads the MAC and is fifth in the nation in passing efficiency with a 203.3 rating. He has completed 50 of 64 passes for a .781 completion percentage to lead the league and rank sixth in completion percentage. The junior has thrown for 718 yards and six touchdowns this season.
Junior Kenny Golladay, a transfer from North Dakota, ranks second in the nation and leads the MAC in both receiving yards and receiving yards per game. The Chicago native is averaging 178.5 yards a game and tallying 357 yards receiving on the season. His 213 yards against UNLV in the season opener tied for the sixth-most by an NIU receiver in a single game and are the most by a receiver in his NIU debut.
Huskie tight ends Shane Wimann and Desroy Maxwell have been a potent combination for NIU this season. The tight end duo has combined to catch 13 passes for 109 yards and four touchdowns in the first two games of 2015. Last year, NIU tight ends accounted for 19 receptions for 177 yards and one TD.
The Eagles are one of two offensive lines in the country in which all five linemen did not start a game last season. (The other is Toledo, which is the other school that had five graduated on the line in 2014.)
In the first two games of the season, the O-Line has paved the way for the Eagles to rush for 551 total yards – 275.5 yards per game – and 10 rushing TDs. It allowed two sacks in the tilt against Maine (Sept. 5). However, last Friday night against Florida State Boston College’s offense came back down to reality and was shutout.
| IN ALL GAMES | ||
| This season SU: 2-1 | ATS: 2-1 |
Last 3 seaons SU: 23-8 | ATS: 16-15 |
Since 1993 SU: 146-132 | ATS: 111-88 |
| IN ALL LINED GAMES | ||
| This season SU: 2-1 | ATS: 2-1 |
Last 3 seaons SU: 23-8 | ATS: 16-15 |
Since 1993 SU: 123-81 | ATS: 111-88 |
| AS AN UNDERDOG | ||
| This season SU: 0-1 | ATS: 1-0 |
Last 3 seaons SU: 5-4 | ATS: 6-3 |
Since 1993 SU: 23-56 | ATS: 47-30 |
The Bottom Line: Northern Illinois is too cohesive of a team to lose 2 straight games.
Selection: Northern Illinois +4
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