The Huskies have a big task ahead of them this weekend.

First of all, they have to try to top last week’s game in Reno where they overcame a 15-point deficit late in the game to win 46-42.

That’s not the worst of it. They also have the pressure of playing in front of their parents.

The Huskies take a break from conference play this week to host the Salukis of Southern Illinois.

The Salukis (1-2) have had some trouble with the Huskies in the past, trailing in the series 26-13-1.

One of the most memorable SIU defeats was in Huskie Stadium back October of 1989.

In front of 23,933 fans, the Huskies produced 501 yards of total offense in what turned out to be a wild and crazy game.

With just under six minutes to play, the Salukis posted a 24-21 lead over the Huskies. After the NIU was stopped on their next drive on the goal line, the Salukis took an intentional safety.

This trimmed the Saluki lead to just one with 1:18 remaining.

On the Huskies final drive, quarterback Stacey Robinson led his team 60 yards on nine plays. This set up a 16-yard pitch to Adam Dach who put the Huskies on top 29-24, and that is where it would stay.

Huskie parents will be looking for a good game, but nothing that is going to give them a heart attack.

The fans that come to the game will be expecting big games from the Huskies’ nationally recognized players.

Yes, we all know that LeShon Johnson is in the race for the rushing title, but the Huskies can add one more player to the nationally known.

In this week’s issue of Sports Illustrated, Scott Crabtree was named Offensive Player of the Week, completing 11 of 15 passes for 340 yards and five TD’s, and his whopping pass efficiency rating of 373.3 was the highest among all collegiate quarterbacks this year.

The Huskies had no problem mixing up the pass and the run last week, and should have no problems with it this week, although the ball will end up in the hands of Johnson most of the time.

Defensively the Huskies will have to try to stop the solid rushing attack of the Salukis. In three games Saluki rushers have rushed for 619 yards on 137 carries.

One good thing the Huskies can look at before this game is common opponents. Last week the Salukis traveled to Jonesboro to face Big West member Arkansas State, the Huskies first conference opponent of the season.

The Indians beat the Salukis 27-6, and the Huskies beat the Indians 23-7.

If the common opponent theory holds true, then the Huskies should put a serious beating on their cross-state rival.

Charlie Sadler and company will be concentrating more on winning the game in anyway possible, rather than the common opponent theory. After all, it didn’t work last week for Nevada.

Whether or not that is true is not important to Huskie fans as long as the Huskies tack up another win.

WORD OF THE PROPHETS

Matt Kerlin—The Huskies have some big shoes to fill this week coming off a fantastic show in Reno. Scott Crabtree, who is obviously feeling more comfortable at quarterback will have another good day. But the show stopper this time will be LeShon Johnson. Not too many teams are going to be able to stop him, even if they key on him, and SIU is not one of them. The Cowboy will pick up another 210 yards rushing which will augment a 300 yard passing day for Crabtree as the Huskies are triumphant 35-6.

John ‘Buzzkill’ Dietz—Well since Matt decided to write his life story above me – I’ll make this brief. The Salukis really don’t have a chance in what will inevitably turn into a massacre. The obscene outcome is as follows: NIU 49 SIU 3 and the “Cowboy” breaks his personal record with 253 yards.