The Mid-American Conference Championship is set for 7 p.m. Friday in Detroit, Michigan and the Huskies will represent the MAC West for the seventh time in the last nine years. NIU will take on the University of Buffalo after the Bulls defeated Bowling Green 44-14 to clinch the MAC East. The Bulls will be making their second appearance in the MAC Championship.

NIU Head Coach Rod Carey said his team is very familiar with playing at Ford Field.

“There’s only one year [in my tenure] we haven’t played up there and that was 2016, because last year we played the bowl game there,” Carey said. “ A lot of familiarity with Ford Field. The venue and people up there do a great job.”

The Huskies are looking to secure their fourth MAC Championship while the Bulls hope to take home their second.

NIU finished the regular season with a 7-5 overall record, but they are riding a two-game losing streak. The Huskies’ back-to-back conference losses against Miami and Western MIchigan came after they clinched the division.

Offensively, the Huskies finished the regular season with more rushing than passing yards. Sophomore running back Tre Harbison led the way with 950 of the Huskies’ 2,120 rushing yards. Harbison’s 79.2 yards per game leave him ranked third in the MAC. The Huskies’ 176.7 rushing yards per game rank them fifth in the MAC.

Sophomore quarterback Marcus Childers threw for 1,696 yards on the year while completing 57 percent of his passes with 11 touchdowns and nine interceptions while completing 57 percent of his passes throughout the regular season.

Childers’ passing yards and completion percentage are almost identical to last seasons totals with 1674 yards and completing 57.4 percent of his throws.

Defense has been key for the Huskies this season, and Buffalo Head Coach Lance Leipold said during a Nov. 27th news conference that the Huskies defense has earned the right to be considered one of the best in the MAC.

“It’s an excellent defense that plays to its strengths very well,” Leipold said. “They’ve probably played the most challenging non-conference schedule of anyone in the Group of five schools. To still be after 12 games, the top defense in the Mid-American Conference says a lot about what we’re going against.”

When the offense struggled, NIU leaned heavily on the defense to make plays and the defense has consistently answered. The Huskies’ defense consistently ranks at the top of the MAC team standings, ranking first in scoring defense, total defense, rushing defense and sacks.

While Carey’s team has earned a chance at the MAC title, he said his focus in on the team standing in front of them.

“It’s exactly everything you’d expect from a Championship game,” Carey said. “You want it to be a good team you’re playing against, and it is. It’s going to be a big challenge for us, and we certainly have to dot our Is and cross our Ts.”

It will be strength versus strength as the Bulls bring in a high-scoring offense to combat the Huskies’ stingy defense.

Buffalo’s 34.5 points per game rank them third in the MAC. The Bulls’ average 413.6 yards per game, almost a full 100 yards more than the Huskies’ offense.

The Bulls’ offense is led by junior quarterback Tyree Jackson. Jackson has thrown for 2478 yards on the season while tossing 24 touchdowns and 10 interceptions. His 223.1 passing yards per game rank him second in the MAC.

Buffalo’s first-year running back Jaret Patterson ran for 874 yards to accompany his quarterback. He comes into the matchup averaging 72.8 rushing yards per game, good enough for fourth in the MAC.

Buffalo’s defense has given up 25.2 points per game while giving up 357.1 yards per game, both rank fourth in the MAC.

The Bulls won six of their past seven games, but history between Buffalo and NIU heavily favors the Huskies. These two teams have played 12 times with NIU leading the series 11-1. The largest margin of victory came when NIU won 73-10 in 2000.

NIU junior wide receiver Spencer Tears said playing in his first MAC Championship means a lot to him.

“I’m excited,” Tears said. “It’s one of the reasons why we committed to Northern Illinois was to play in the MAC Championship. Friday night and bright lights; all eyes on you; I can’t wait.”

After a season full of ups and downs, the Huskies get their chance to take home a conference title when the 21st annual MAC Championship kicks off at 7 p.m. Friday at Ford Field in Detroit, Michigan.