What happened: The Huskies (8-2, 5-1 MAC) beat the Toledo Rockets (6-4, 5-1 MAC) for the fifth-straight season, 27-24, Tuesday at Huskie Stadium.

How it happened: The NIU offense jumped to a 10-0 lead 10 minutes into the first quarter as the defense forced Toledo into a trio of 3 & outs to open the game. Freshman kicker Christian Hagan made a 37-yard field goal, and redshirt senior wide receiver Da’Ron Brown registered a 64-yard, catch-and-run touchdown from redshirt sophomore quarterback Drew Hare.

The Rockets responded with their own 10-0 run, tying the game 10-10 with 5:22 left in the first half. Jeremiah Detmer nailed a 21-yard field goal, and wide receiver Dwight Macon connected with wide receiver Corey Jones for a 69-yard touchdown on his first pass of the game.

NIU closed out first-half scoring when Hagan drilled a 19-yard field goal with 1:36 to play.

The Huskies opened the scoring in the second half, going up 20-10. Redshirt senior tailback Cameron Stingily punched in a 4-yard touchdown 5:42 into the third quarter, capping off a drive highlighted by a 61-yard run from Brown.

The Rockets answered with a 1-yard touchdown run by Macon on the ensuing drive, cutting the Huskies’ lead to 20-17 midway through the third quarter.

Stingily added a 2-yard touchdown run midway through the fourth quarter to push NIU’s lead to 27-17. After a pair of turnovers on downs, the Rockets would go away, cutting NIU’s lead to 27-24 as Macon scooted into the end zone from 3 yards out.

The 27-24 score held after the Huskies recovered an onside kick and the Rockets’ multiple-lateral play with the clock expiring didn’t get them past midfield.

What it means: The Huskies own the inside track to the MAC Championship game. They’ll play for the MAC title for the fifth-straight season if they beat the Ohio Bobcats Tuesday and the Western Michigan Broncos Nov. 28.

Three stars:

3. Toledo wide receiver Dwight Macon: 8-11 for 140 passing yards and one touchdown; 18 rushes for 97 yards and two touchdowns

2. Redshirt senior wide receiver Da’Ron Brown: Three receptions for 73 yards and one touchdown; two carries for 64 yards

1. Redshirt senior tailback Cameron Stingily: 21 carries for 81 yards and two touchdowns; third-straight game with multiple touchdowns

Up next: The Huskies close out the regular with back-to-back road games. They take on the Ohio Bobcats 7 p.m. Tuesday in Athens, Ohio.