NIU has played Central Michigan 56 times since 1939, more than any other current NCAA FBS team.Four of the Huskies' six games to date have been decided by a touchdown or less NIU won both the Georgia Tech and Toledo games by scoring in the last 40 seconds.After going 0-6 a year ago, NIU's turnaround has come with a roster that includes 75 players who finished high school in 2020 or 2021 and 11 more who graduated in 2019 of those 86 players, 47 have seen action for NIU in 2021 and 32 are listed on the two-deep this week.Jay Ducker became the third freshman running back and the fourth Huskie player to surpass the 100-yard mark in rushing in a game this season en route to MAC West Co-Offensive Player of the Week honors.Just before halftime versus BG, Trayvon Rudolph returned a kickoff 100 yards for a touchdown, NIU's first KOR TD since 2016, tying the school record for longest scoring play.The Huskies are coming off a 34-26 home victory over Bowling Green as NIU gained 319 rushing yards on 59 carries, led by Jay Ducker who ran for 210 yards on 33 attempts.NIU travels to Central Michigan as the only Mid-American Conference team to go unbeaten in MAC play to date while riding a four-game winning streak.
