The NIU football team is riding high at the halfway point of their season.

After defeating preseason MAC East favorite Temple 31-17 last Saturday, the Huskies (4-2 overall, 2-0 MAC) sit atop the MAC West standings.

If NIU fans still aren’t convinced that this team has the goods, the Huskies will have a chance to win them over in its third home game of the season against Buffalo (2-3, 1-0) with kickoff slated for 2:30 p.m. Saturday at Huskie Stadium.

NIU head coach Jerry Kill knows a victory over the Bulls will make this homecoming weekend a memorable one for current students and alumni.

“Homecoming isn’t very festive if you don’t do your job as a football program because they come back to see that team,” Kill said. “And it’s a great time to leave a good impression for the alumni that come in and see you.”

Saturday’s homecoming matchup marks the seventh meeting between the two teams.

The track record bodes well for the Huskies, who are favored to win as they’ve been victorious over the Bulls in their last five meetings.

But this Buffalo team is a different breed of animal.

First year head coach Jeff Quinn took over the reins from Turner Gill, who revitalized the program from MAC bottom-feeder to a contender in four years.

Before Gill took over in 2006, the Bulls went 8-49, but he would guide Buffalo to its first MAC Championship in 2008.

After four seasons, Gill jumped ship for the Kansas job, and now Quinn is the beholder of a rejuvenated program.

Quinn was on staff with current Notre Dame coach Brian Kelly on his stops at Grand Valley and Cincinnati.

“You’re going to put your spin on what you are, and he’s got his spin on what he wants to do,” Kill said. “Certainly, a lot of his background comes from the years there and with Brian [Kelly], and he’s put his spin on what he wants to do as a head football coach.”

Similar to what Kelly runs at Notre Dame, Quinn runs a no-huddle spread offense with quarterback Jerry Davis.

“From what I watched [earlier in the week], they like to throw the ball,” said Huskies’ defensive end Jake Coffman. “But coach [Tracy] Claeys and coach [Jeff] Phelps and all the defensive coaches will have a great game plan for it, so we’re definitely looking forward to it.”

If the game turns out to be a shootout, NIU quarterback Chandler Harnish and the rest of the offense will be prepared to score at will.

Huskies’ center Scott Wedige and the rest of the offensive unit has confidence in Harnish, who has reeled off consecutive MAC West Player of the Week honors.

“Right now, we’re riding a wave with him,” Wedige said. “He’s confident, and playing probably the best football of his career. If he continues to play like this, it could be a really special year for us.