There are three sub-games within the game of football – the offensive, defensive and special team game.

NIU won all three facets of the game against Indiana State on Saturday, as the Huskies defeated the Sycamores 48-3.

“We got beaten by a better football team today,” ISU head coach Trent Miles said. “We just couldn’t give you a game today…I wish we could have.”

The Huskie offense was the first component that came to life. Bringing the opening kick off to its own 30 yard line, NIU (1-2) would march down 70 yards in 11 plays to score a touchdown. The team would never face a third down in its first drive.

Senior quarterback Dan Nicholson would lead the drive going 4-for-4 for 38 yards and a touchdown. Overall, the Brother Rice product would throw for 37 yards, completing 50 percent of his passes.

Nicholson wasn’t the only senior to get a starting job, as running back Montell Clanton also got the nod. The Rockford, Ill native, who is coming back from surgery on his right knee due to an injury last season, ran for 61 yards on 10 attempts with one touchdown.

NIU produced a total of 285 yards on the ground against ISU. Leading the rushing attack was tailback Chad Spann with 73 yards. Quarterback DeMarcus Grady added 53 yards, with running back Justin Anderson adding another 42 yards on the turf.

“We do a lot of different things with our personal situation,” said NIU head coach Jerry Kill about the running game. “We’re trying to stay healthy, and as the season rolls on I think things will work themselves out.”

But it wasn’t only the Huskie offense that put away the Scyamores (0-3).

After one first down, NIU’s defense forced ISU to fourth down. As Sycamore punter Gabe Mullane prepared to launch the ball, NIU wide receiver Willie Clark stretched his body out in the air. Clark would block the punt, which turned into three points for NIU.

Special teams also received a boost from place kicker Mike Salerno. The junior transfer was 2-for-2 on the day, hitting 39 and 46 yard field goals. Salerno is now 6-for-6 on field goals attempts this season.

“I’m hard on the kicker,” Kill said. “He’s done a good job. I’m proud of the youngster.”

With special teams and the offense working, all the Huskies needed was a strong defense. In total the NIU defense held ISU to only 154 yards of offense in the win. The Huskies also used big defensive plays to get ahead of the Sycamores.

With 9:52 seconds left in the second quarter, NIU corner back Bradley Pruitt picked off ISU quarterback Chuck Dowdell. Pruitt would return the interception for 54 yards and a touchdown.

“Coach called the perfect play,” the senior said. “I saw it all the way, so I took it to the house.”

Dowdell wouldn’t find much more success, as three plays later his wide receiver would tip a pass into the hands of NIU linebacker Cory Hanson. For the day, the Sycamore QB was 10-for-17 with 77 yards of offense.

With Dowdell struggling ISU also called on quarterback Calvin Schmidtke. The backup quarterback wasn’t anymore successful as he was 9-for-18 for 46 yards with one pick.

However, NIU found different luck with its second quarterback. The Huskies played red-shirt freshman DeMarcus Grady along with Nicholson.

The mobile quarterback rushed for a touchdown.

Grady also showed defense that he could do more than running as he threw for 24 yards, including a 19-yard touchdown to senior wide out Matt Simon.

“He’s a tremendous talent,” Nicholson said of Grady. “He just keeps getting better.”