NIU football (1-2) is back on familiar ground Saturday against Cal Poly (1-2).

The Huskies have been away from Brigham Field the past two weeks and are looking to rebound from their two-game losing streak.

NIU hasn’t lost two games in a row since the 2009-2010 campaign when they lost to Central Michigan on the road followed by a 27-3 loss to South Florida at the 2010 International Bowl.

“Coming off the two games we’ve just played, this is a must-win for us,” said NIU wide receiver Perez Ashford. “No team is taken for granted, no matter who it is.”

The Mustangs are a Football Champion Subdivision team from Obispo, Calif. and will take on NIU for the first time.

Over the last 15 seasons, the Huskies have gone 9-5 against FCS opponents, with eight of them coming in their last eleven meetings dating back to 2000.

Despite Cal Poly being an FCS school, NIU will play it as if it were any other team.

“[The team] won’t look past Cal Poly,” said Huskies head coach Dave Doeren. “Our guys right now – know they have to play right, do some good things to win. They respect Cal Poly.”

Doeren expects the Mustangs to put up a big fight this weekend.

“I think [Cal Poly] is where we were a week ago – taking on a team that no one expects them to beat except for themselves,” Doeren said. “It’s a big-time, chip-on-your-shoulder type game for that program.”

The Mustangs come off of a 48-14 beat-down against the South Dakota State Jackrabbits.

For the first time in 15 years, Cal Poly will play in the state of Illinois.

The Mustangs averaged 30.7 points per game through their first three weeks of the season.

Cal Poly runs a fast-tempo, no-huddle offense that resembles some of the same option schemes as the Army Black Knights, who the Huskies defeated in week one.

“I think it’s a lot more difficult, particularly when they’re doing it out of no-huddle,” Doeren said. “You just can’t do a lot of things. They’re an option team, so you have to be sound.”

The Huskies defense has been under some scrutiny the last couple of weeks, allowing at least 45 points a game against Kansas and Wisconsin.

“We all just have to do our jobs and make sure we have that focus and discipline” said NIU linebacker Jordan Delegal.