North Dakota made its best attempt to spoil the Huskies’ home opener but the NIU defense stood its ground on the final drive of the game, ending the rally with an interception by Tommy Davis.

Chandler Harnish returned to the role of starting quarterback, rushing for 185 yards and a touchdown, while throwing for 146 yards and a touchdown on 14-of-25 passing.

“I was just playing within our scheme as an offense,” Harnish said. “The coaches put me in those situations and North Dakota played pretty good coverage there.”

NIU took the game’s early lead when senior running back Chad Spann broke away for a 79-yard touchdown on the first play from scrimmage.

The Huskies would add a touchdown pass from Harnish to Martel Moore and a Mathew Sims field goal to lead 16-0. The Fighting Sioux cut into the lead with a 63-yard interception return by Dominque Hawkins to make it 16-7 at the half.

The Sioux connected for a big gain, an 85-yard touchdown pass from Jake Landry to Greg Hardin but Harnish answered with a 40-yard touchdown run in the fourth to go up 23-14.

Zeb Miller would add a 40-yard field goal to round out scoring for the night.

For the night the Huskies outgained the Fighting Sioux 510-334.

“We’re still a football team that has to learn,” said NIU head coach Jerry Kill. “We have to learn with a brutal schedule.”

Check out Monday’s issue of the Northern Star for complete coverage of NIU’s win over North Dakota.