Quarterback: Coming off a week in which he garnered Co-MAC West offensive player of the week, senior quarterback Ryan Radcliff looks to continue his momentum gained in the Chippewa’s victory over Iowa last Saturday. Radcliff went 26 of 35 passing for 283 yards and two touchdowns against the Hawkeyes, without an interception. Radcliff is not a running quarterback, so look for him to challenge NIU’s secondary via the passing game.

Running Back: Junior running back Zurlon Tipton has rushed for 320 yards in just three games this season. At 6’1” and 219 pounds, Tipton will be a load on the ground but also a hard to miss target. Tipton posted 180 yards and three touchdowns just two games ago, so look for him to be the feature back against NIU as he has carried the ball 17 and 16 times in the last two games, respectively.

Wide Receiver: Leading Central Michigan in receiving yards so far this season is sophomore Titus Davis. The Wheaton, Ill., native, scored two touchdowns last Saturday against Iowa with 74 total yards. Davis led the Chippewa’s last season in receiving yards and touchdowns with 751 and eight. Davis will present a defensive challenge at 6’2”, necessitating constant awareness of his presence on the field.

Offensive Line: The co-recipient of Central Michigan’s Offensive Up-front Player of the Year award, senior Eric Fisher will make his presence known from the left tackle slot. Fisher stands 6’8” and weighs 305 pounds, and will look to continue to keep his quarterback upright. Last season as he was part of a line that allowed just 17 sacks.

Defensive Line: Senior Joe Kinville will look to continue his work-man like performances against NIU. With a line that doesn’t record a lot of sacks, Kinville has been one of the more reliable tacklers over the course of last season. He posted at least four tackles in seven games, which has continued into this season. Kinville has recorded ten tackles this season, including one for a loss.

Linebacker: Sophomore Justin Cherocci is just four tackles away this season from matching his season total a year ago. Cherocci has posted 25 tackles this season, including being credited with 15 against Southeast Missouri State. Cherocci’s tackle total is largely based on assists, meaning he will be flying everywhere on the field and helping out in coverage. Cherocci is leading the MAC and is fourth in the nation in tackles per game at 12.5

Defensive Backs: Without question, the leader of the secondary is senior Jahleel Addae. Addae has posted 19 tackles in three games so far, as well as leading the team last season in tackles. Addae has also recorded a sack, a pass break up, and two tackles for loss. Last season Addae posted four interceptions and garnered All-MAC first team selection status. Look for Addae to be a force in the coverage unit of the Chippewa’s.

Special Teams: While not a common stand-out selection, look for Central Michigan’s senior kicker David Harman to be a factor in the game. Harman was the MAC West Player of the Week for his performance Saturday against Iowa, in which he converted 4/4 field goal attempts. This included nailing the 47 yard game winning kick. Harman was also the highest rated kicker, percentage wise, in the MAC last season for all kickers with at least 15 attempts.