The NIU football team is not in Kansas anymore, but their next destination is definitely not Oz.

A week after suffering a 34-17 loss to the Kansas State Wildcats, the Huskies (1-2) head to Iowa to take on the Big Ten’s Hawkeyes who are undefeated at 2-0 and are ranked ninth by the AP.

Iowa had the week off to prepare for NIU and have the benefit of having already seen NIU-like offenses twice this season. Iowa’s first two victims, Hawaii and Iowa State, are both option teams—a situation NIU head coach Charlie Sadler admits is to the Huskies’ disadvantage.

“That’s the thing about being an option team—it usually gives you the advantage because the other team has only practiced against the option one week,” Sadler said.

But even without Iowa’s advantage of being familiar with the option, the Hawkeyes would be huge favorites.

Although there is no official line on the game, the AP picks Iowa to win 44-10.

“It (being an underdog) doesn’t effect me or the players,” Sadler said. “We just have to execute our game plan.”

Even with the odds overwhelmingly against NIU, Sadler said he would not be satisfied with a close loss. “I’m not happy with any kind of a loss,” he said.

Iowa coach Hayden Fry said earlier in the week that he would play almost his entire roster. “We’re going to play a bunch of people this weekend,” Fry said, “regardless of how tough Northern Illinois is or not.”

Fry also said that significant playing time will go to the two backups to starting quarterback Matt Rodgers—a promise Sadler hopes to make Fry break.

“I guarantee that if at halftime the score’s 7-7, Rodgers will still be at quarterback in the second half,” Sadler said.

Iowa has had a relatively easy time in its first two outings, a 53-10 win over Hawaii and a 29-10 decision over intrastate rivals Iowa State.

The Huskies, who have been hurt hard with nagging injuries of late, will probably be without the services of starting defensive end Scott Van Bellinger. Van Bellinger sprained his ankle last week against Kansas State.

Linebacker Elroy Glover, tailbacks Brett Schroeder and Steve Rodgers, safeties Jeff Taylor and Jeff Geary and receiver Larry Wynn are all hobbled for the Iowa game, but are expected to play.

A key to the game might be NIU’s ability to gain some momentum by preventing Iowa’s usual fast start. But Sadler feels that won’t necessarily take the expected crowd of 70,000 out of the game.

“I think if we can continue to stick with them, that might get the crowd into it even more,” Sadler said.

NIU will also be battling recent history against the Hawkeyes. Since 1971, NIU has gone 1-14-1 against Big Ten opposition, including 0-2 against Iowa.

Despite having to battle the odds, and recent history, Sadler isn’t giving up hope. “Stranger things have happened,” he said.

Just ask Dorothy.