There’s a local saying in Chicago that if you live south of I-80, you live in Kentucky.

By that definition, Carbondale, the home of Southern Illinois, is not even part of the state.

Thus, some have suggested the game this weekend will be a rematch of old feuds. That’s right boys and girls, grab your blue uniforms, it’s the North vs. the South at Huskie Stadium.

And this is no reenactment.

Now before I continue, I don’t believe there is any way you can compare a football game to one of the darkest times in American history.

However, I began to wonder that if there was a “Civil War” this weekend, who would be Stone Wall Jackson? Or how about Abraham Lincoln?

The North

Abraham Lincoln was elected as the 16th president of the United States in 1860. He fought to reunite the union during his presidency, as he believed “A house divided cannot stand.”

Since Lincoln was the leader of the Union, but was not actually on the field, the only person fitting to play this role is NIU head coach Joe Novak.

Ullysses S. Grant did not start the Civil War as the North’s commanding general. In fact, he didn’t take over control of the Union army until 1864. But by April of 1865 he had ended the war.

Thus, Grant was in the field and leading the troops, making NIU quarterback Dan Nicholson the most logical fit.

William Tecumseh Sherman graduated sixth from the West Point class of 1840. Sherman was in command of about 100,000 men once Grant became the Union leader.

In 1864, Sherman begins what is known as “Sherman’s March.” The general spread his men over 50 miles and ripped apart an unprotected Georgia.

With that in mind, NIU defensive end Larry English will be the Huskies’ Sherman, because of his ability to fly into the backfield and tear holes in the offensive line.

The South

Jefferson Davis served as the Confederate president during the war. The Kentucky native spent most of the Civil War years in Richmond, Virginia ­- the capital of the Confederacy.

Just like Lincoln, Davis was the leader of his country, but was not on the field. Thus, just like Novak, SIU head coach Jerry Kill is Southern’s Davis.

Robert E. Lee was a general in the Southern army. He eventually took control of the entire Confederate army in 1862.

Leading Southern on the field is quarterback Nick Hill. Thus, the two quarterbacks will serve as their respective team’s generals.

Stonewall Jackson earned his nickname in the First Battle of Bull Run. It was there that they said he was like a stone wall.

At 310-pounds and standing at 6-foot-6, right tackle Andrew Kernes easily fits the description of a stone wall.