OXFORD, Ohio | If NIU coach Joe Novak looked a little irritated Sunday night it wasn’t because of your television set.

It wasn’t because of the score either. Or his defense. Or even because he was playing MAC rival Miami-Ohio.

No, it had nothing to do with what was going on in front of him. It was what was going on behind him that made Novak a little ticked off.

After numerous complaints by coaches of rowdy and overzealous fans, the MAC passed a rule last season saying a college’s student section cannot be behind the visiting team’s bench.

But apparently Miami-Ohio didn’t get the message, or decided to forgo the rule.

Swears and chants of “overrated” rained down on the Huskie sideline toward NIU running back Garrett Wolfe. Novak wasn’t exactly thrilled with Miami-Ohio’s actions, and didn’t hide his feelings in the post-game press conference.

“Those students aren’t supposed to be there,” the 11th-year coach said. “A rule was passed. We flipped sides to comply with it.”

The agitated Novak paused and then asked if those in the press conference wanted him to continue.

“It really pisses me off. That’s a bunch of crap,” Novak yelled as he pounded his fist on the table in front of him. “That’s busch league.”

And Novak wasn’t the only one feeling the effects of the closer-than-normal fans.

Wolfe was constantly berated on the sidelines with the “overrated” chants. While normally calm, Wolfe eventually had enough and showed it by flexing his muscles at the crowd after his 55-yard run and then putting his finger to his lips as a sign to quiet down.

Even NIU Athletic Director Jim Phillips said after the game that what Miami-Ohio did was “B.S.”

Maybe that’s why when the final seconds ticked off, NIU players turned toward the crowd and proceeded to yell and jeer back.

But as nice as it must have felt for the players to get some payback on the sidelines, it was their actions on the field that really did the talking for them.

“They decided to ignore [the rule]” Novak said of his alma mater. “And we won anyway.”