Defensive line – A-

A pair of MAC leaders will square off at Waldo Stadium at 1 p.m. Saturday. WMU will unleash its No. 1 run defense on the No. 1 NIU rushing attack.

It all starts in the middle with defensive tackle Nick Varcadipane. The sophomore leads all linemen with 22 tackles while also having 2.5 tackles for loss and one sack.

At nose guard, sophomore Cory Flom has used his ample 6-foot-3, 285-pound frame to swat away a team-high three field goal attempts.

This run-stuffing front four limits opponents to 3.3 yards per rush and a MAC-leading 98.8 yards rushing per game. Sophomore defensive end Zach Davidson has two sacks and three tackles for a loss while rushing from the outside.

— James Nokes, Sports Reporter

Linebackers – B+

If Wolfe does make it past the front four, his run doesn’t get any easier from there.

A versatile group, the WMU linebacking corps is led by Ameer Ismail. The 6-foot-2, 230-pound senior is on a litany of linebacker watch lists and leads WMU with 41 tackles, 7.5 tackles for a loss and 4.5 sacks.

Fellow senior Paul Tithof is fifth on the team with 18 tackles and also has a sack on the season. The linebackers have 7.5 of WMU’s 16 sacks and go sideline to sideline for the No. 20 defense in the nation and the No. 1 defense in the MAC.

The NIU offensive line will have their hands full with a WMU defense that counts on their linebackers to pressure the quarterback, and has racked up the second-most sacks in the MAC.

Secondary – A

As if the NIU offense didn’t have enough problems with the front seven, a stout secondary awaits Phil Horvath and the NIU football team’s aerial attack.

Corner Londen Fryar leads a WMU secondary that has stockpiled 11 interceptions. The 5-foot-11, 185-pound sophomore leads the MAC with three interceptions and has a 92-yard touchdown return to his credit. Sophomore free safeties C.J. Wilson and Desman Stephen have also translated interceptions into touchdowns.

WMU allows 175.6 yards passing per game and has given up two scores via the pass, none since the season opener. The Broncos are ranked 14th in the country in passing efficiency and 34th in pass defense. WMU owns the fourth best turnover margin in the country, due in large part to a sly secondary.