After dropping both games in its recent homestand, the NIU football team is heading back on the road to pay its first visit to a MAC opponent this season.
The Huskies (1-4, 0-1 MAC) and Eagles (1-5, 0-2 MAC) will square off at noon Saturday at Rynearson Stadium in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Though both teams have just one win in their respective seasons, NIU enters as a 2.5-point favorite against EMU in their first meeting since 2023.
As the Huskies get ready to travel, the Northern Star went Behind Enemy Bylines with Caleb Henderson, the sports editor for The Eastern Echo, to learn about what makes the Eagles tick.
Northern Star: Eastern Michigan nearly got its first MAC win last week against Buffalo before losing in double overtime. What was working in that game?
Caleb Henderson: Really, the entire offense was in sync for the majority of the game. Even without Eastern Michigan’s best wide receiver, Terry Lockett Jr., the unit was still able to embark on two 90-plus yard touchdown drives in the first half thanks to heavy contributions from the ground game in Dontae McMillan and Tavierre Dunlap, along with Noah Kim trusting his other pass-catchers — Nick Devereaux on the outside, McMillan and Dunlap out of the backfield and Joshua Long at tight end being some key contributors.
NS: The Eagles are among the worst defenses in the Football Bowl Subdivision this season, allowing 24 or more points in every game they’ve played. What’s been the struggle on that side of the ball?
CH: It’s been mainly missed tackles on that side of the ball. Eastern Michigan is ranked 133rd in the country in rushing defense, and the missed tackles are a huge reason why runs that should be 5-10 yards are turning into explosive 20-30 yard gashes, if not touchdowns. The Eagles also struggle with dual-threat quarterbacks, as Brad Hawkins from Texas State, Ethan Greenwood from LIU, Angel Flores from Central Michigan, and most recently, Ta’Quan Roberson from Buffalo have all had big games through the air and on the ground on this defense.
NS: NIU head coach Thomas Hammock said during his press conference on Tuesday that EMU likes to get tricky on offense and special teams. What might that look like based on what you’ve seen so far?
CH: Realistically, I would say that’s spreading the ball out amongst the many different playmakers that this offense has. This is not just the Noah Kim and Terry Lockett Jr. show — Dontae McMillan, Tavierre Dunlap, Nick Devereaux, Porter Rooks, Joshua Long, and Benson Prosper are all each capable of serving as the focal point of the offense any given week, depending on the way the defensive coverage rolls.
On special teams, the Eagles have been known to pooch punt in plus territory — doing so to great effect against Louisiana Lafayette a few weeks ago.
NS: What’s been your assessment of Coastal Carolina transfer quarterback Noah Kim through his first six games as the starter?
CH: Kim has done a stellar job throughout the opening six weeks. There was seemingly never any learning curve or bumps in the road early in the season like you’d expect from a transfer quarterback learning his third new system in three years. Kim hit the ground running in the season opener against Texas State and hasn’t slowed since. 1,336 yards passing, seven TD’s, only three interceptions plus four touchdowns on the ground (the most on the team) shows that he is far from the reason why this team is 1-5.
NS: Who do you expect to be Eastern Michigan’s biggest weapons on offense and defense against NIU?
CH: Offensively, Dontae McMillan will be the biggest threat for the Huskies to watch out for. Whether it’s on the ground this year — averaging 6.5 yards a carry — or out of the backfield as a receiver — where he’s accumulated 14 receptions for 180 yards and two touchdowns — if No. 28 has the ball in his hands, chances are he’ll be going toward the end zone with it in a hurry.
Defensively, watch out for Tyrell Martin on the defensive line. The senior plays with a ton of confidence, and while it may not show on the stat sheet, his vocal leadership amongst the defense in recent weeks and drawing of extra chip help should free up opportunities for other members of the pass rush to meet at the quarterback.
NS: Finally, what’s your final score prediction for this game?
CH: Northern Illinois will not be an easy out. They are a much better team than their 1-4 record indicates, especially with an underrated defense. However, with so much uncertainty for the Huskies at the quarterback position and Eastern Michigan’s offense having put up 23-plus points in all but one game this year, I don’t think they can soar as high as the Eagles.
Give me the Eagles to win this one, 24-10.
