There are only two teams remaining with undefeated MAC records.

Last week, NIU lost to one of those two teams in Ball State. Tonight, the Huskies will try to beat the other as they host Central Michigan at 7 p.m.

The game will be televised nationally on ESPN2 and broadcast on the radio through 670 AM in Chicago and 1360 AM in DeKalb.

If history favors any side, it will be with NIU. The Chippewas (7-2 overall, 5-0 MAC) have not won in DeKalb since 1977. In the last three decades, CMU is 0-8 when visiting Huskie Stadium.

“It’s been 31 years since a Central Michigan football team won in Northern Illinois,” said CMU head coach Butch Jones. “It’s extremely difficult to go out onto the road and win there. They have a great, great student section.”

NIU’s Red Riot has planned a blackout for the game hoping to add to the difficulty.

The Huskies (5-4, 4-2) will look to rebound after losing to No. 14 Ball State 45-14 last Wednesday.

NIU head coach Jerry Kill said his team took some lessons from the tape but then put it on the shelf.

“The one thing you can control is trying to take care of your home-field,” Kill said. “We’ll have our work cut out for us.”

The Chippewas are one of four MAC teams to beat a Big Ten opponent this season as they beat Indiana earlier in the month. The four victories over the Big Ten mark a conference record.

Recently, CMU has caught the injury bug. One key injury the Chippewas have dealt with is that to quarterback Dan LeFevour. In his absence, senior quarterback Brian Brunner has taken over.

The senior has been successful, especially in CMU’s game against Indiana. In that match up, the senior completed 35-of-53 passes for a school-record 485-yards, throwing four touchdowns.

For his effort, Brunner was named Walter Camp Football Foundation National Offensive Player of the Week after the win.

“I’ve always told our team that we’ve had two starting quarterbacks,” Jones said. “The only problem is you can only have one on the field at a time.”

NIU might see LeFevour though, as Jones said on Monday that his other quarterback was a game-time decision.

Kill knows he can’t control who the trigger man will be so he has focused on his team. One thing the coach says the Huskies need to do to be successful is produce long scoring drives.

The coach said this was a key during NIU’s winning streak.

“We can’t go one, two, three and out. That’s the most important thing,” Kill said. “We go one, two, three, and out against Central, and it will be a long night.”

Jones said that his offense will also be tested. The coach said NIU had one of the best defensive lines that his team will have to face. This especially goes for NIU defensive end Larry English.

“If you put all your time and energy on English, they have other guys who can step up and make plays,” Jones said. “That’s what makes them challenging; it’s not just Larry English.”