December had not been kind to the NIU football team leading up to the Huskies 40-17 win over Fresno State in the uDrove Humanitarian Bowl.

NIU (11-3 overall, 8-0 MAC) lost to Miami (OH) in the MAC Championship game on Dec. 3. The team lost its head coach two days later when Jerry Kill accepted the University of Minnesota’s offer to become its next head football coach. Offensive coordinator Matt Limegrover and defensive coordinator Tracy Claeys soon followed.

In spite of the circumstances, interim head coach Tom Matukewicz formed a coaching staff, devised a game plan, and executed it against the Fresno State Bulldogs (8-5, 5-3 WAC).

Quarterback Chandler Harnish led the Huskies in the blowout, finishing with 300 yards passing, 72 yards rushing, and three total touchdowns. The redshirt junior received Humanitarian Bowl MVP honors while directing an offense that did not punt once the entire game.

After falling behind 7-0, the Huskies drove down the field and finished off a six play drive with a seven-yard touchdown run from Harnish. Later in the first half, Harnish once again found the endzone on a 28-yard quarterback keeper. NIU led FSU 23-10 at the half.

Keeping Harnish upright, the NIU offensive line didn’t allow a single sack to a Fresno State defensive line that had recorded 37 sacks in 2010.

“I think the offensive line played a little under their potential in the MAC Championship game,” Harnish said. “But they showed the country how much better they are than that.”

Any hopes of a Bulldogs comeback in the second half fizzled on their second drive of the third quarter. Deep in NIU territory, Fresno State quarterback Ryan Colburn fumbled while being sacked by NIU linebacker Devon Butler. NIU safety Tommy Davis recovered the fumble to end the FSU threat.

“We had a good drive going, but they put some pressure on us that play,” Colburn said. “I stepped up and they made a play on me.”

Following the fumble recovery, Harnish and the NIU offense embarked on a back-breaking eight-play, 68-yard drive ending with a 17-yard Chad Spann touchdown run. The drive ensured the Huskies’ first bowl victory since the 2004 Silicon Valley Football Classic.

Spann rushed for 95 yards and two touchdowns on 15 carries in his last game as a Huskie.

Following the win, Harnish was asked what motivated the team after losing their head coach. Pausing for a second, Harnish slapped Matukewicz on the back and told everyone it was because of “Coach Tuke.”

Matukewicz responded by deflecting all praise directed at him to the team.

“This has been a season of life,” Matukewicz said. “We have had the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But these guys came together and did something special tonight. For the rest of their lives, they’re going to be talking about what they did in the Humanitarian Bowl.”