The RedHawks look to stay atop the MAC standings while the Huskies look to play spoilers
The Miami RedHawks (6-4, 5-1 MAC) are one of three teams tied for first place in the MAC and will be looking for a win to a keep pace with Bowling Green and Ohio. They have won their last five games and six of their last seven, with Toledo being their lone loss since September 21st.
In the Northern Illinois Huskies (6-4, 3-3 MAC) first ten games there has been a predictable pattern – two wins, then two losses, then two wins, then two losses, then two wins…but NIU will look to break that pattern and win their third straight tomorrow night.
Despite being in the same conference for a long time now, these two teams rarely meet. This will be just the 21st game between the schools, and just the second meeting in the last five seasons. Of the current MAC schools, Northern is the team Miami has played the least (having met all other MAC squads at least 25 times) and, for NIU, they have only seen Buffalo and Akron fewer times than the RedHawks (14 games each).
Game Notes
- Time and date: Tuesday, November 19, 2024 at 8:00 p.m. Eastern time
- Location: Yager Stadium in Oxford, Ohio
- TV options: The game will be on ESPN, part of the ESPN family of networks. A valid cable subscription is required for viewing.
- Streaming options: The game will be available for streaming on the ESPN App or on applicable cable/satellite services. A valid subscription is required for viewing on either platform. Other streaming carriers include Sling, DirecTV Stream, fuboTV, Hulu Live TV, or YouTube TV.
- Gambling considerations: Miami (-3), with an over/under of 41.5.
- All-time series: Miami leads the all-time series, 11-9, and have won the last three meetings. Miami beat NIU 29-23 the last time these two team met on November 16, 2022.
Getting to Know the Huskies
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For the first time this season, NIU has had back-to-back games scoring 28+ points. They’ve also gained 400+ yards in each of the last two games, led by their relentless ground attack. They enter the week ranked 11th in the FBS in rushing yards, netting 219.7 yards per game, but are a mere 118th (out of 133) in passing, with just 183.0 passing yards per game. And their 26 points per game is also in the bottom half of the NCAA, at 90th. However, despite the low point total, NIU leads the MAC in yards per game, netting 402.7 per contest.
But this season has been all about defense for Northern. They are seventh in the FBS in total defense, giving up just 284.4 yards per game, and are 16th in scoring defense, with opponents averaging just 18.5 points per game. The Huskies secondary has been great, giving up just 170.2 yards per game through the air (10th best), and on the ground they are allowing 114.2 yards per game, which ranks 26th. And they’re the second best unit on third down defense, allowing their foes to convert just 26.3 percent of the time, only Utah is better.
Up front, the Huskies are in the top-20 in sacks, dropping the QB 28 times, the most in the MAC this season. Four players have 4.5 sacks or more, with Devonte O’Malley leading the way with seven – only Buffalo’s Kobe Stewart has more in the MAC (7.5). Nevaeh Sanders has five, Roy Williams has 4.5, and Skyler Gill-Howard has four.
In the secondary, Nate Valcarcel and Santana Banner have been great for NIU. Banner is third on the team in tackles, with 44, and has two pass break ups, 1.5 tackles for loss, an interception, forced a fumble, and blocked a kick. Valcarcel is fifth in tackles (38) and has a TFL, a sack, six pass break ups, two quarterback hurries, and leads the team with two interceptions.
On offense, NIU just keeps finding great running backs. After star halfback Antario Brown went down a few weeks ago, freshman Telly Johnson came in and tore it up. In the past two games, he has 245 yards and two TDs on 44 carries. And they also have Gavin Williams, who now leads the team with 631 yards on 123 carries and has three touchdowns. It’s still unclear if Brown, who has 567 yards and four TDs, will play this week but, if not, NIU is still in good hands.
Quarterback Ethan Hampton has managed the last two games well. Over the last eight quarters, he’s gone 22-of-32 with 261 yards, three touchdowns, and zero interceptions. On the year, he’s completing just under 60 percent of his throws and has 1,361 yards and 12 TDs to five interceptions.
Cam Thompson, Trayvon Rudolph, and tight end Grayson Barnes are the three main targets for Hampton. Thompson leads the team in yards (372) and touchdowns (3) on his 25 catches, while Rudolph has 28 grabs for 295 yards and a TD and Barnes is right behind with 22 receptions, 254 yards, and two scores.
Specials teams has been an issue for the Huskies this season though. They have now had six kicks/punts blocked, multiple bobbled snaps, and are a mere 13-of-19 on field goals and 25-of-28 on extra points. But kicker Kanon Woodill has been clutch when needed, hitting the game winner against Notre Dame and what should have been a game winner against Ball State (the Cardinals had 15 seconds left and were able to drive down and score as time expired.)
Getting to Know the RedHawks
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Like the Huskies, the RedHawks have relied on their solid defense rather than an explosive offense. On offense, Miami ranks 89th in total offense (365.2 yards per game), 72nd in passing (224.1 yards per game), 90th in rushing (141.1 yards per game) and 91st in points (25.5 per game).
After last week’s performance, quarterback Brett Gabbert now has over 2,000 yards on the season, with 2,148 yards. He’s completing 56.8 percent of his throws and his 18 passing touchdowns ranks third in the MAC but he has been sacked twenty times and has thrown seven interceptions.
Three RedHawk players have over 500 receiving yards, so the NIU secondary will have their hands full. Reggie Virgil leads the team in yards (598), touchdowns (7), and average (20.6 yards per catch) on his 29 grabs. But Javon Tracy is right behind him, with 41 catches for 590 yards and six TDs, and Cade McDonald has 38 receptions for 507 yards and two scores.
On the ground it’s the Keyon Mozee show. He has rushed for 100+ yards in five straight games and in six of the last seven for Miami. His 846 rushing yards is second in the MAC and 37th in the NCAA. However, he only has three rushing TDs, as nearly 66 percent of the RedHawks’ scores have come via the pass. It will be a great battle as NIU hasn’t allowed a single player this season to have a 100-yard rushing performance against them.
Miami’s defense is ranked 27th in the FBS, allowing just 320.8 total yards per game, and they are 18th in scoring, with opponents averaging just 18.7 points per game— a smidge higher than NIU. They are 21st in passing defense, allowing 184 yards per game but their run defense does allow 136.8 yards per game (55th).
Linebacker Matt Salopek leads the team with 86 tackles, which ranks 29th in the nation and fifth in the MAC. He is also tied with a team-leading three interceptions, has seven TFL, a sack, a forced fumble, and a fumble recovery.
Fellow linebackers, Corbin Hondru and Ty Wise, have also been a problem for teams all season long. Hondru also has three interceptions and is fourth on the team, with 52 total tackles, and has added four TFL, 1.5 sacks, and a QBH. Wise is right below Hondru in tackles, with 49 stops, but eight of those have been behind the line of scrimmage, with four sacks, and a forced fumble.
Up front defensive lineman Brian Ugwu has been a beast, with 11.5 tackles for loss, five sacks, and 11 quarterback hurries, all of which lead the team. He also has 46 total tackles, a pass break up, and a fumble recovery.
Prediction
This has all the makings of a low-scoring defensive battle. So, knowing MACtion, that means it will probably be a shoot-out.
It will come down to which defense plays better. If the Huskies can slow Mozee and the trio of receivers, they should have a chance at another upset. However, if the RedHawk defense is able to force NIU to have to throw the ball early and often, they’ll get the win.
RedHawks sneak away in a close one.
NIU – 17
Maimi – 21