DeKALB – The Mid-American Conference’s top scoring offense and top scoring defense face off on the gridiron Saturday as NIU hosts the University of Toledo Rockets for NIU’s 117th Homecoming Game.
With both teams sitting at 4-2 halfway into the season, the upcoming matchup between the Huskies and Rockets will likely decide who ends up competing in the MAC Championship Game come December.
After a statement win against Bowling Green State University, head coach Thomas Hammock said the Huskies’ “next man up” mentality was evident on the field.
“I thought we played really, really good as a team despite injuries,” Hammock said. “And that just shows the depth of our program.”
The Huskies took down the Falcons on Saturday behind a dominant defensive performance and redshirt freshman quarterback Josh Holst’s impressive outing. Holst took over for redshirt junior Ethan Hampton midway through the second quarter after the latter exited with an unknown injury.
Though Hampton’s status for Saturday remains unknown, Hammock clarified an injury wouldn’t prompt a permanent quarterback change.
“You don’t lose your job to an injury,” Hammock said. “That’s not how we operate.”
HIGH-STAKES RIVALRY
Though NIU-Toledo isn’t an official rivalry game like the Battle for the Bronze Stalk with Ball State University and the Mallory Cup with Miami University, it’s a game circled on NIU’s schedule every year.
The Huskies and Rockets first met in 1967, with Toledo winning 26 of the first 32 matchups. The series heated up in 1999 when UT prevented NIU from winning a share of its first MAC West title, and has been cutthroat ever since.
The Huskies have lost their past two meetings with the Rockets, the latest being a 35-33 shortfall in Toledo. The year prior, Toledo throttled NIU 52-32 in the 115th Homecoming Game. Quinyon Mitchell, a 2024 first-round draft choice to the Philadelphia Eagles, intercepted Hampton four times in that game.
HIGH-POWERED ROCKETS VS. FIERCE HUSKIES
NIU’s defense is among the strongest in college football, ranking fourth in total defense and yards allowed. The Huskies are also the best in the Football Bowl Subdivision on third-down defense, allowing just 15 conversions on 73 attempts.
This week, they’ll face a Rocket offense led by a veteran quarterback in junior Tucker Gleason and what might be the strongest receiving duo in the MAC. Senior wide receiver Jerjuan Newton and junior wide receiver Junior Vandeross III are each averaging five catches and at least 65 receiving yards per game.
For a unit that’s stopped opposing playmakers week-in and week-out, redshirt sophomore cornerback Jacob Finley said the defensive game plan against Toledo won’t entail anything special.
“We just stick to what we know best,” Finley said. “We know our coaches are going to scheme up something good. We’ve just got to go out there and execute it.”
The 117th Homecoming Game will kick off at 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Huskie Stadium. The game will be broadcast on ESPN+.
