Fate? Maybe. Coincidence? Possibly. Weird? Most definitely.

NIU’s football team is playing Texas Christian University on Dec. 19 in San Diego for a Poinsettia Bowl title. The game will be played at Qualcomm Stadium, home of the NFL’s San Diego Chargers.

Oddly enough, TCU alumnus LaDainian Tomlinson is the starting running back for the Chargers, and former NIU running back Michael Turner is the No. 2 rusher for the Chargers.

“It’s ironic,” NIU coach Joe Novak said. “I’m sure him and Mike will have some chatter. Hopefully, we can get Mike out to practice and speak to the team.”

Talk about a marketing and publicist’s dream.

Could one receive any more help to market two mid-major football programs in San Diego for one of the bowl season’s opening night showdowns on ESPN2?

“Man, that’s crazy,” Turner said. “That’s a story within itself. It’s going to be a good game. I’ll have to come up with some kind of bet with LT. It’s gotta be something good or embarrassing, though; not just your average bet.”

Want more coincidence?

Turner has missed the last two games with a hamstring injury. The same injury was at the heart of controversy during current NIU running back Garrett Wolfe’s mid-season slump.

Wolfe made it as high No. 2 on ESPN’s Heisman Watch list after running for 1,343 yards in the first five games of 2006. But Wolfe limped to 190 yards over his next four games.

However, the 5-foot-7 Wolfe said he’s had bad hamstrings his whole college career, and didn’t deem it necessary to make his nagging injury public record.

Turner believes Wolfe was right for keeping his ailments to himself.

“I really don’t know if he wanted to publicize it,” Turner said. “You don’t want to make it an excuse. But personally, I don’t know if I would have said something or not.”

Turner said he stays in touch with Wolfe as much as their busy schedules allow.

And as for anyone who says Wolfe is overrated, Turner has a message for the MAC’s offensive MVP.

“You know people are going to say bad things,” Turner said. “You have to ignore that stuff. Just go out and do your best every time. You can’t control what people say.”

But while Wolfe was carving up ground yards the last two years, Turner has been taking steps out from behind the shadow of Tomlinson, arguably the NFL’s MVP.

It began last season when the Chargers played a 13-0 Indianapolis Colts team.

Winning 19-16 in the fourth quarter, the Chargers had the ball and just over two minutes to run off the clock to seal a victory.

But Turner took matters into his own hands, sprinting 83 yards for a touchdown and ending the Colts’ hopes of an undefeated season.

“Oh man, that was the greatest feeling of my NFL career,” Turner said. “It feels good to know that highlight will be played for years every time they mention that Colts team, and they lost to us.”

Opportunity knocked again when the Chargers’ 5-foot-6, 181-pound kick returner Darren Sproles was lost for the 2006 season to injury.

Turner earned Sproles’ job, and is currently No. 7 in the NFL with 25.8 yards per return despite missing the Chargers’ last two games.

But is the kick return job enough to keep Turner content as a back-up running back?

“In my third year? No, it’s not frustrating,” Turner said. “That’s something you go through your first year. Now I know my role on the team.”

One thing Turner can take pride in is being a former Huskie. “The Burner” said Charger players always keep tabs on NIU football.

“If NIU loses, they talk trash to me because I’m pulling for them all the time,” Turner said.

And Turner guaranteed he will be in attendance Dec. 19, rooting on NIU as it takes the field one last time in 2006.