With three days remaining until NIU football (1-1) takes on Wisconsin (2-0) at Soldier Field in Chicago, there are still plenty of tickets available for the game.

Shelley Binegar, NIU assistant athletic director, said she expects about 40,000 in total attendance at the game Saturday.

With 35,000 tickets sold from ticketmaster.com, Badger ticket offices and the Convocation Center, Binegar expects additional purchases this week and Saturday at the game.

According to the NIU/Wisconsin contract, Wisconsin was guaranteed the first $1 million of ticket profits and NIU, the rest.

Binegar said Wisconsin recently returned 1,200 of their 12,500 allotted fan tickets.

Brian Lucas, Wisconsin director of Athletic Communications, declined to comment on the returned tickets.

But fewer Wisconsin fans may not work out too badly for NIU when it comes time to root on the Huskies on game day.